Easter & the egg - The Barks

There are two versions mentioned here – the first I've used on many occasions, it's quick and easy and looks good bagged and bowed, or arranged in a small pot.

Chocolate Bark

Handful of chopped dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots and toasted, roughly chopped hazelnuts.

Line a baking sheet with clingfilm. (Baking sheet should be approximately 30cm x 18cm) You will find the clingfilm easier to control if you oil the baking sheet.

Break 300g of dark or milk chocolate into pieces and put in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Melt.

When the chocolate has melted pour it onto the clingfilmed sheet.

Scatter over the fruit and nuts. Wear a disposable glove and very gently ease the fruit and nuts into the chocolate.

Leave to set for 4 hours before breaking into chards.

You can use any combination of fruit and nuts to suit your taste – tailor the recipe to suit your favourites – it is Easter after all and you deserve a treat.

If you wanted to add an extra dimension – discover your inner Jackson Pollock – melt 100g of white chocolate and, using a fork – holding it high above the tray, drizzle the chocolate over the bark. Note to self – make sure you place kitchen roll underneath the baking sheet so that you don't cover everywhere in chocolate.

The second version is probably more to the grown-up taste :

Pistachio and tart cherry chocolate bark

400g plain chocolate, chopped

200g white chocolate, chopped

300g pistachio nuts (minus shells) toasted

200g dried tart cherries

Before you begin, oil a baking sheet 30x20 cms approx and line with cling film. You have two options – you can melt the chocolate in the microwave – if you choose this method then, using a microwave-proof bowl and based on a 700w oven, the plain chocolate should take 1 minute 35 secs. The white chocolate should take 1 minute 30 secs. Ensuring that the plain chocolate is melted stir in the nuts and cherries but reserve some of each to decorate. Tip the chocolate onto the sheet and spread until it's approximately 1cm thick. Drizzle the white chocolate over the top, then, for example, use a bamboo skewer (the type you'd use for kebabs) and drag the pointed end through the white chocolate in different directions. Decorate with remaining nuts and cherries and fridge for minimum of one hour. Cut the bark into chards and bag or box, add a gift tag.

If you'd prefer to not to use a microwave then melt the chocolate by placing in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water. The downside to this method is that you're creating lots of washing up since you'll have to melt the plain and the white chocolate.

The bark should be kept in the fridge until ready to devour. If you are making the bark for your own indulgence then store in a sealed container – it will keep for up to a month – in your dreams!

This recipe will give you approximately 1kg of bark – halve the quantities and use a smaller baking sheet if you don't want so much – I believe you!

Easter & the egg - The kit and the cost

Despite what I said about paying for packaging I do have a couple of inexpensive but effective ideas. Check out your “bargain” shops – these pretty boxes shown below cost 89p for a pack of 3 and each holds four Easter nests. The cases cost 49p for 60.

Here's what the kids can produce easily :

There's a whole range of stuff to choose from – here's a photo of a few bits and chicks!

The Easter chicks in various sizes are 99p per pack. The cellophane treat bags are 79p for 12.

I'm not sure who'll have the best time – the kids or the grown-ups!

Easter & the egg

… the chocolate version that is.

Now I'm not being a misery but I really object to paying for packaging and very little chocolate and for chocolate that never tastes the same as it does in “bar” form - at astronomical prices. Never has foil and card been so expensive.

I'm not sure what the “bah humbug” equivalent is for Easter but you see where I'm coming from!

So, here's a few ideas for creating your own treats – especially if you want to entertain the kids during the holidays – what about them creating their own Easter treats and gifts.

This first recipe must be 50 years old if it's a day.

Easter Nests

200g plain chocolate, broken into small pieces

30g golden syrup

50g unsalted butter

100g cornflakes

36 mini eggs – 3 per nest -

you could add more if you wish

Makes 12

Place the chocolate, syrup and butter into a bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water.

While this is melting, line a muffin tray with 12 paper cases.

Whisk the chocolate mixture together until it's smooth and shiny, then remove from the heat. Add the cornflakes and mix to coat evenly.

Portion out the mixture into nest shapes in the paper cases and put 3 mini eggs in the middle of each. Place in the fridge to set.

I made the nests using rice krispies and milk chocolate. You could mix plain and milk chocolate if you preferred - whatever takes your fancy, but I hope you'll agree the ingredients won't break the bank.

A helpful note or two about chocolate :

When melting, do so in a large bowl.

No water and/or metal in the bowl.

Do not overheat, gently does it.

Leave melting chocolate alone – resist the urge!

Ensure that the simmering water does not touch the bottom of the bowl. It should be the steam from the water that melts the chocolate.

Easter & the egg - The cooler and the hunt

Never let it be said that I haven't had the most out of the wine coolers, first mentioned in Sweet Surprises for Summer, used for an alfresco birthday party.

Are you by any chance expecting and feeding visitors over Easter and are you organising an egg hunt?

Here's my take on a table centre for Easter Sunday :

You could actually put the eggs to further use after using the table centre - for the egg hunt – two uses for the price of one.

If you are organising an egg hunt you can even get tiny, appropriately decorated buckets too. Having said that, if like me, you accumulate small wicker baskets that you couldn't bear to part with because you knew they'd come in handy some time - they make great receptacles for eggs!

See what I mean.

Purnell's: The Book

...Cracking Yolks & Pig Tales

Naturally I couldn't leave the establishment without my signed copy!

A cursory glance tells me that it's not just a book of recipes but Mr. P's story from the beginning – it's funny and interesting too.

The recipes from the lunch are all in there – others have caught my attention so I think I'll be trying one or two on your behalf.

I'll leave you with a collage from the day and hope you've enjoyed it too.

Thank you Kareem for your kind invitation.

Purnell's: Desserts

I've never been served a pre-dessert before – clearly I need to get out more.  All I can say is it was worth the wait and then some.

I mentioned in the Bucket List post that Mr. P. won the dessert category in the Great British Menu with ….”burnt English cream surprise”. Well here it is served alongside a winter Rhubarb Trifle – the only difference now is that its complete title adds 10/10/10 – that's the score it was given – a perfect one.

Finally two large bowls were placed on the table – they were decorated with dried foliage – not really clear what sort at this stage.  I ought to have made the connection – the final dessert course was Mint choccy chip – mint – aerated chocolate.  I'm sure you've guessed what happened next, but here's a photo.  The dried foliage was of course dried mint and the smell was wonderful.

If it's possible to choose a favourite then for me it has to be ...”10/10/10” - out of this world – I could have eaten a bucket full and I don't do desserts.

Wow!

Purnell's: Bring on the mains!

The Roast Balmoral venison was a popular choice – once again when the dish was served it was so beautiful it was almost a shame to spoil it by eating it!

The waiter had stated that all the venison would be served medium rare.  Sometimes you just gotta go with the flow.  I know that two of our party would never order meat cooked medium rare – indeed one of the party had never eaten venison either.  Verdict – converted – on both counts.  The moral of this story is embrace the experience – take a leap into the unknown - you never know what might happen!

Now for my main.  I was asked when the booking was made and again on the day about dietary requirements and allergies in respect of my vegetarian main.

This is what I was served :

The dish is Carrots cooked in vadouvan, pickled & raw carrots, coriander & coconut emulsion, sweet carrot purée and dried coconut  and was served with puy lentils.  I also tasted the Indian red lentils served with the Monkfish masala – delish.

I said in the penultimate paragraph of A tick off the Bucket List! Mr. Purnell was in the kitchen, in charge of the lunch service.  Now it's not very often that I am lost for words, but was most definitely when I realised that the person dressing my main course was the man himself – a perfect day.  There was no circus, no fuss – he was pitching in, helping to serve and I just got lucky. It's probably as well that I couldn't speak – far less embarrassing than burbling rubbish.

By the way – for those who'd like to know, vadouvan is a blend of spices - a French “take” on a masala with added shallots and garlic.

Purnell's: The Beginning

The ambience is lovely and the staff are too – really friendly and welcoming.

After being seated in the private dining room, your attention is drawn to two bowls, each containing what look like four extra strong mints. You are warned that these lozenges are not to be eaten – watch this space.

Having chosen our particular lunch menu ahead, the final order takes no time at all – the only outstanding choice is mine – the vegetarian main – which was to be decided upon, on the day – all will be revealed!

It's difficult to know where to look for fear of missing something.

Appetisers are brought in – a board with Pain de Campagne (a perfect combination of the lightest bread texture with a crust to die for) and whipped salted butter – rock salt in a tiny pyramid for those who indulge – the simplest things in life are the best. Then there are bowls which have hot pebbles in the base, keeping the potato ball and a savoury, seeded tuile warm.

The “mint” mystery is about to be solved – hot water is poured into the bowls and magically four tiny white pillars rise and turn into hot gauze hand towels – genius – there's nothing like a spot of theatre to get your attention.

The majority of our party chose the beetroot mousse with horseradish crumble and salted beetroot – you've probably heard the expression, “a thing of beauty is a joy forever” (John Keats) - entirely fitting in this instance it was almost a shame to spoil it by eating it – almost!

It gets better ...

A tick off the Bucket List!

Most of us who have an interest in food – whether it's cooking it or just eating it - have a favourite Celebrity Chef. There are so many to choose from these days – some with Michelin stars, some not. For me, top of my list is Glynn Purnell. His restaurant Purnell's, is at 55 Cornwall Street, Birmingham B3 2DH – www.purnellsrestaurant.com.

I think he first came to my notice on the Great British Menu when in Series 3 in 2008 he won the dessert category with Strawberries with tarragon & black pepper honeycomb with burnt English cream suprise.

This week I was fortunate enough to be invited to Purnell's for lunch. Ahead of the game you're provided with menus – here's one example :

Starter

Beetroot mousse with horseradish crumble – salted beetroot

OR

Carpaccio of beef – red wine octopus – home cured beef

salt beef sour cream – sweet & sour onions

Main course

Monkfish masala – Indian red lentils – pickled carrots

cocounut – coriander

OR

Roast Balmoral venison – bordelaise – pomme dauphine – black truffle

Dessert

Pre-dessert

Burnt English custard egg surprise 10/10/10 -

winter “Rhubarb Trifle”

Followed by

Mint choccy chip – mint – aerated chocolate

I think you'll agree that some Celebrity Chefs reputations aren't particularly attractive – unapproachable and may be a little too big for their boots. Absolutely not the case here – what you see is what you get – a really nice guy.

Similarly with a lot of Michelin starred restaurants these days, the chance of you actually seeing the Chef is rare. Imagine the excitement when, watching the screen from the Private Dining Room into the kitchen – there he was – cooking!

I suppose what follows is my review of Purnell's and I hope you're sufficiently hooked to look forward to the next instalment.

A side and a soup

Next ten minutes ...

The side is Honey Roasted Beetroot using vac packed beetroot. You'll see from the recipe given below that it probably takes less than 10 minutes. Use another foil tray and bake it when your pie is in the oven.

Honey Roasted Beetroot

Balsamic vinegar – 2 tsp

Olive oil – 2 tbsp

Clear honey – 2 tbsp

Cooked beetroot – 500g

Salt and black pepper

Chopped fresh thyme – 2tsp or a sprinkle

of dried if you can't get fresh

You can use the vac packs of cooked beetroot available in the supermarket for speed - as an indicator I chose beetroot that is approximately the same size – a 300g vac pack gives you 8 small to medium beets, which I will then cut in half.

(If fresh beetroot is in season, choose beets of a similar size and roast in foil - @ 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for an hour and the test, leave to cool and then peel – this obviously does not apply to a “10 minute bite of time”).

Pre-heat your oven to 220c/200fan/425f/Gas7.

Mix together the thyme, vinegar, olive oil and honey in a bowl until well combined.

Cut the beetroot in half and place into the bowl with the honey mixture and season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Place the beetroot into your foil tray and roast in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the beetroot is sticky and glazed.

Here's another photo of the beetroot with the pie.

Next ten minutes …

Sweat a finely chopped onion in a glug of rapeseed oil (and an optional knob of butter) (with a leek if you have one lying around doing nothing – or a stick of celery will do) for 2/3 minutes.

Next ten minutes ...

Add the stock from slow cooking the gammon to the onions and leeks – you'll need 1 litre and you should have it – if not then add water. Add 150g of frozen peas and simmer for 5 minutes. Whilst this is simmering chop the remaining gammon into small chunks and add to your simmering liquid.

Add 250g of risoni and cook uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir occasionally. Adjust your seasoning, add a large dollop of double cream (from the tub you've leftover from making your Sauce Supreme) and sprinkle with chopped flat leaf parsley.

For those who aren't sure what risoni is, it's tiny pieces of pasta shaped like large grains of rice - also known as orzo.

So, by my reckoning from the chicken and the gammon you've got four ordinary or six smaller portions of Gammon, Chicken and Leek pie – whatever isn't eaten can be frozen in individual portions for another day.

Plus a hearty soup.

Final Next ten minutes ...

The bonus - remember the remaining stripped chicken. You should have at least 200ml of double cream left from the large tub you bought to enable you to make an Alfredo sauce (see Faff free Friday) perfect with the chicken and penne pasta.

10 minutes here, 10 minutes there - Part 2

Part 2 – The bites of time!

Your first ten minutes is taken up with slow cooking your whole chicken as described in Monday Chuck.

Next ten minutes …

When the chicken is cooked and cooled take off the two breasts, wrap and set aside. Put the stock into a jug, cover and “fridge”. Strip the remains of the chicken i.e. leg/thigh/wings, bag and fridge.

Next ten minutes …

Seal a gammon joint (smoked or unsmoked to suit your taste) and slow cook in vegetable stock (or chicken if you prefer).

Next ten minutes …

Remove the gammon joint and cool, wrap and fridge – reserve the stock in a jug, cover and fridge.

Next ten minutes …

Make your Velouté sauce and then your Sauce Supreme (Monday Chuck) using your stock from the slow cooked chicken – cool, cover and fridge. At the same time you can multi-task and sweat 2 leeks, sliced, in a glug of rapeseed oil and an optional knob of unsalted butter – this will take 2/3 minutes on a low heat. Cool, box and fridge. A note for your shopping list – buy a large carton of double cream i.e. 600ml – you'll use it.

Next ten minutes …

Assemble all your elements to create your pie. In a large mixing bowl place the two chicken breasts broken into chunks, add half the gammon joint, also broken into chunks. Add the leeks, fold in the sauce. Tip your pie filling into a foil tray – 24x24 cms (still 3 x £1 at Wilkos). Add black pepper. Top with sliced cooked jacket potatoes and sprinkle with grated cheese. (You shouldn't need any salt, you've already seasoned the Sauce Supreme and there's salt in the smoked gammon, the stock and in the cheese topping).

Bake in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 for 30 minutes until your cheese is golden. Freeze two portions individually, for another day.

If you were wondering what the finished pie looks like, here it is!

10 minutes here, 10 minutes there

Part 1

Everyone cooks differently - if you are a household of only two it's probably more difficult not to waste food. For example, buying a smaller chicken isn't necessarily better value – chances are you're paying for less meat.

The next postings are concerned therefore with a small household, less waste of food and making the most of your time.

I'm going to scale down an original recipe given in Liberation - Gammon, Chicken and Leek pie using the recipe slow cooking a whole chicken in Monday Chuck.

A couple of comments first up. You may pass the “meal deals” by, thinking you can't take advantage because there's too much or it's not convenient this particular weekend, but that ain't necessarily so – invariably whole chickens are part of the deal and they can be frozen – aim for a weight 1.5kg – 1.75kg. The cost is £3.33 ish – ignoring the bottle of wine in the equation. Similarly gammon joints usually have a good use by date because they are vac packed or, can be frozen too. So don't rule out the deals. The gammon joints can usually be found at 3 for £10 – aim for a weight between 500g – 750g.

If you subscribe to the multi tasking morning theory, I'm taking it as read that you'll already have cooked, baked jacket potatoes and a bag/box of grated cheese stashed in your fridge.

What follows is a series of 10 minute bites of time that can be pulled together to create a supper or a lunch using inexpensive ingredients or smart shopping! Each bite of time can be fitted in to suit you. The idea here is that you'll have the wherewithal to produce a main meal with a side, a soup and a bonus, with minimum fuss and no waste - you can freeze any or all the elements.

I should point out that you won't produce a dish until all the 10 minute bites have been completed. The idea is that you have a spare 10 minutes one day and may be two separate 10 minute time bites the next day and so on. Every element along the way is easily fridgeable so you can pull it all together when the mood takes you. If the mood doesn't take you, you can freeze it all and use when it does!

Here's one I read earlier …

Is there anyone out there who likes a spot of culinary history – if there is then you might like to know about Alexis Soyer. There's a book called “Relish” The Extraordinary Life of Alexis Soyer Victorian Celebrity Chef by Ruth Cowen.

This chap was seriously brilliant. If you ever wondered where your fancy dancin' modern ovens, ranges, et al, sprang from – Mr. Soyer.

His list of accomplishments is legendary – he was appointed Chef de Cuisine at The Reform Club in 1837 at 27 years old. The Reform Club – still in existence today – is a private members club in Pall Mall, London which opened in 1841 although construction began in 1837.

Apart from being a Celebrity Chef he designed the kitchens in the Club and, among other innovations, he installed gas stoves. His designs also produced one of the earliest domestic gas cookers.

Anyone heard of the brand name “Crosse & Blackwell” - Mr. Soyer helped create the sauces and relishes that made them famous.

During the Irish potato famine – 1845-1852 – he masterminded soup kitchens.

We then move to the Crimea where his work with army catering saved many lives. Contrary to popular belief far more soldiers died from lack of food than on the battle field. He invented the “Soyer Stove” & “Soyer's Magic Stove”. During his time at the Crimea Florence Nightingale caught Crimean Fever – she survived but was very ill – Mr. Soyer helped her regain her strength by preparing food for her and thus aiding her recovery.

He was a very busy guy, publishing many books – in 1849 came his ground breaking The Modern Housewife or Ménagere - the “Shilling Cookery for the People” came in 1854, which was designed to educate the poor in basic cookery using inexpensive ingredients, readily available. There are others!

These are just tiny nuggets – if you are interested in food or social history or both you'll really enjoy this book.

As for his recipes – we'll save those for another day ….

Post script!

I made the “Hurried Curry” for supper with friends the following evening after the Class. I used the prawns and then served it topped with small pieces of chicken fillet. This recipe is practical – you can make it veggie or pescatarian or neither! The beauty is that you can make your base curry sauce and add ingredients to suit. As mentioned in “What the Ladies said” - “what a change to have the cubed potato and not rice”.

What I also wanted to achieve – knowing of old that curries always require sufficient sauce in which to dip your garlic bread! Another very good reason, I think, for serving this curry in bowls.

So, what I did was to double the amount of the sauce – like so :

1 medium onion, finely diced

glug of vegetable oil

4 cloves of garlic, crushed or 2 tsp of garlic paste

4 tsps mild curry powder

2 tsp star anise powder or one star anise

*6 tsps of of dark soft brown sugar

*2 tbsp Kecap manis

*2 tbsp dark soy sauce

*2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

*2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2 x 160ml coconut cream

I only used one onion and the same weight of prawns, potatoes and peas. I poached small pieces of chicken fillet – they don't take long - 6/7 minutes and then left in the hot stock. You decide how many pieces you want to serve to each person.

There is no doubt that I'll be making this again and, by the sound of it, so will the Ladies from Class – my work here is done!

Pps. This will serve 4 large bowls or six smaller versions. For the supper mentioned I served 4 large bowls with a side of garlic bread. There was a small bowlful left – mine – cook's privilege!

What the Ladies said

The Ladies were very kind, here are their comments :

Paté

“Loved both versions, especially the black olive – a perfect canapé, one that I'll definitely use”

“Both lovely – tasted different but liked the consistency of the plain version. I like paté not cream cheese normally – was surprised how posh and expensive it looked and tasted”

“Delicious – love the texture”

“Was lovely but I preferred the added olives and chives”

“So simple and yet so tasty – didn't want to stop eating it!”

Hurried Curry

“For someone who is not really overly keen on spicy food it was, again, delicious – will definitely be doing this one!”

“Enjoyed the simplicity of the dish with such rich flavours”

“Taste is so rich and proper. Will try alternatives to the peas though – cauliflower is a great idea. Good with potato rather than rice”

“One that will be a firm favourite as is so simple to prepare”

“Absolutely delicious – loved the slightly sweeter taste and the different textures”

White Christmas – now known as Rubble

“A perfect treat”

“Easy to eat and add to other things i.e. ice cream. Great and nutty – not too sweet”

“Wicked!!! Requires willpower to stop eating – love the fact that it is not too chocolatey – has a lovely texture”

“Looked like a lot of chocolate but once all the healthy fruit and nuts were added, it was scrumptious!”

“Must be healthy with all the nuts and fruit – forget the white chocolate – no calories!!”

And finally :

All dishes 11/10!!!

Thank you for all the compliments I get for your hard work.

Can I come again?

Thank you Ladies – it's a pleasure!

It's that time again – the Class!

The menu was :

Cream cheese and cashew nut paté

Hurried Curry

White Christmas

I made two versions of the paté – one with olives and chives and the other as the standard recipe. I wanted the Ladies to be able to compare the two. There are many variations to suit your own taste – add chopped capers or finely chopped salad onions. I served them with gluten free cheese oatcakes. I'd venture to suggest you make the basic paté and see what you think.

The Hurried Curry deviated slightly from the original recipe given in the blog, in that I poached small pieces of chicken fillet ahead, instead of adding prawns.

Have a look at the photos below showing the different stages of progress.

 

 

I set out to produce a curry that you could make from ingredients in your store cupboard and I'm pleased with the result – more to the point it delivers on flavour too!

I hope you'll agree the finished dish looks appealing!

As for White Christmas, which, by the way, is changing its name and henceforth will be known as “Rubble”. I've been asked for this sweet treat so often now that the original title doesn't quite fit! Check out the photos below – and the completed tray bake.

with all the additional fruit and nuts etc., there's not a huge amount of chocolate per square – approximately 2x2 cms ish.

You can imagine the glum faces as I completed the Rubble when, as per the recipe, it tells you to “fridge” for two hours – “TWO HOURS! WE DON'T GET TO TASTE?!!” Panic not – taster boxes on the table and a box each to take home – all's right with the world.