Editor's Pick #4: Finally Cherry Tiramisu

Editor's note: They say that tastes change as you get older, which might explain why I keep thinking about this recipe. I used to not be the biggest fan of cherries but as I was reading through dessert recipes, something clicked and now the flavours and ingredients together are really appealing to me! If you go all out with your shopping list, this has the potential to be a real show-stopper. The combination of sweetness, tartness, the biscuit crumb, the sponge, all coming together ... must dash, need to go shopping!

Cherry Tiramisu

8 tablespoons of cherry juice (100ml)

20fl oz whipping cream/1 pint/570ml (heavy)

4tbls cherry liqueur - Kirsch (optional)

one red velvet cup cake per serving

4tbls caster sugar

225g/8oz Mascarpone or curd cheese (Philadelphia)

4 Amaretti biscuits, crushed to a crumb

50g/2oz plain chocolate (grated) or

a cherry liqueur chocolate to decorate

Cherry compote

Red velvet sponge – see notes below

Cherry and Raspberry Compote

350g cherries, stoned – can use frozen

150g caster sugar

juice of 1 lemon (2 tbsps)

150g raspberries – can use frozen

4 tbsp water or juice from defrosted fruit

Pour the water into a pan and add the cherries, sugar and lemon juice. Place on a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Cook the cherries over a low heat for 5-10 minutes until they have released some juice but are not overcooked. If you are using frozen cherries you will have the fruit juices when defrosted – use this juice instead of the water and reduce the cooking time to 5 minutes.

Add the raspberries to the pan and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until they start to soften. Remove the pan from the heat and leave the mixture to cool, then chill it well before serving. Blitz the compote and pass through a sieve. You'll get 400ml.

Mix the cherry juice with the Kirsch. If you're serving kiddies then omit the Kirsch and add an additional 4 tbsp of cherry juice.

Mix the cream carefully with the sugar and mascarpone. A small tip – place the mascarpone cheese in a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Once combined add the cream gradually. Fold 2 tablespoons of cherry compote into the mixture, gently, to give a ripple effect.

Cut up the cake in shapes that suit the bowl you are using and dip into the cherry mixture.

Layer the mascarpone mixture with the sponge.

Add your decorations when you are about to serve – sprinkle the Amaretti crumb and then add the grated plain chocolate or a cherry liqueur chocolate.

For extra pizzazz add a puddle of cherry compote. Freeze the compote you don't use along with any red velvet sponge you have left for another day!

You have options with the red velvet sponge. I made red velvet cupcakes and a batch gave me 24, far more than I needed, which was deliberate since I was able to either freeze what I didn't use or add frosting for a traditional cupcake.

There are “fast fixes” out there – most large supermarkets sell red velvet cake mixes which will usually give you 12 cupcakes or a 7” cake. Betty Crocker likewise.

Editor's Pick #3 Breadsticks Photo Guide

Editor's note: There is absolutely nothing I could say that would do this post as much justice as the last photo does. Just look at it. As a card-carrying member of the Garlic Society (Ed note: There's no such thing, but there is a plant called Society Garlic, who knew!), this one speaks to me on a few different levels. Put the store-bought frozen baguette back in the freezer. Push the boat out, buy the dough - it doesn't matter too much what you pair it with because, well, look at the photos!

The divine dough – breadsticks photo guide

cut your dough into eight pieces – in this

case four!

roll between your hands into a sausage

shape

leave your breadsticks to rest and

then brush with melted butter and add

garlic salt and finely grated Parmesan

the breadsticks – fresh from the oven

Tempted?!

Editor's Pick #2: Two for the Price of One

Editor's note: It's not often I miss cheese, but when I do it's whilst reading this blog! I was looking up Autumnal themes, foods and the like and this one caught my eye. Possibly an oversight on my part but I would never immediately go to zhushing up an accompaniment such as the dumpling but when it sounds as delicious as this recipe does, it's something that would definitely elevate a meal. Especially on a damp weeknight when you need a pick-me-up.

Two for the price of one …

… the dumplings to go with the steak and gravy, or

... a recipe for a veggie bowlful requiring only a spoon and a boxed set!

Either way ideal if you're in the mood to put your feet up and relax. I love minimum effort that gives maximum deliciousness.

Here's the dumpling recipe :

Parmesan Dumplings

In a large bowl, mix together

100g (4oz) self raising flour

50g (2oz) vegetarian suet

pinch of salt

15g grated Parmesan cheese

add 5 tbsps of ice cold water – 100ml approx

– enough to give a

firm but pliable dough. Divide into 8 dumplings – 6 if

you'd like big ones!

30g grated Parmesan cheese to garnish

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Add the dumplings to the steak and gravy and sprinkle the 30g of parmesan cheese over the dumplings and cook for 30 minutes.

Serve in a warmed bowl. For extra decadence if you've got leftover mashed potato in the fridge, warm it through place in warmed bowl, place steak on top with a generous helping of gravy, add a dumpling – or even two.

Editor's Pick #1: Autumn Comfort Food Ideas

Editor's note: One of my favourite recipes featured on the blog, so editor's prerogative to include in this week's selection. Just involved enough to make me feel like I'm actually cooking, but not so much that I'm running around with my apron on fire. I had tried to make it in previous years but it was reading the recipe on this blog that got through to me on how you do it properly. This does not disappoint and remains one of my favourite meals.

This time the ideas are for the weekend when you've more time.

Weekend cooking is different – it's time to kick back, relax and enjoy yourself. If you love your cooking it's reflected on the plate or in this case, in the bowl. I long since gave up seating visitors in a different room when all they want to do is hang around the island where the hob is - chatting, with the obligatory glass of something, munching – appropriately with this recipe - on crostini and watching the cook.

If this picture is appealing to you you'll find that risotto is the perfect dish for the occasion. If you fancy the crostini munching there's a plan coming up and again it's possible to prep ahead so that large plates can be passed around – they take only minutes in the oven - to assuage/satisfy those rumbling tummies whilst watching the risotto morph. There'll be various topping ideas to suit your gang – these days too there are so many choices of breads for the crostini - from small baguettes to larger sourdough loaves. Hold that thought – I'll be back with it soon.

All in all it's what I call convivial weekend comfort food.

What follows cannot be rushed, I think of it as a form of therapy. Risotto scares a lot of cooks, there's no need to worry, provided you follow a few basic rules.

There are “spin off” dishes that can be made from the risotto, which I'll come to later.

Here's the basic risotto recipe :

1 litre vegetable or chicken stock

40g unsalted butter

1 tbsp groundnut oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves (or 3 tsps paste)

350g risotto rice

150ml dry white wine

2 tbsps flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

100g Parmesan cheese, grated

salt and black pepper

Bring the stock to a boil and simmer gently. Heat the butter and the oil in a pan and fry the onions and garlic until soft. Season with salt. Stir in the rice and fry for 2 minutes until the edges become opaque. Add the wine. Start adding the stock, a ladle at a time – the liquid should be absorbed before you add the next. Add the parsley, black pepper and the Parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately in warmed bowls.

Editor's Pick #4: Veggie or not, here I come! Miso Roasted Mushrooms

Editor's note: Okay so not only does this selection have one of the best titles on the blog, it's also one of the best and quickest lunch ideas for anyone who's a fan of mushrooms. A large number of us are working from home at the moment, so if you're not having the best day on video calls, take a break and treat yourself to some amazing flavours before heading back to 'the office' - not a mushroom pun in sight. The jokes aren't for everyone but they do grow on you.

Veggie or not, here I come!

Miso roasted mushrooms

Serves 4

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced

3 tbsps miso paste

2 tsps soy sauce

2 tbsps mirin

1 tbsp dark soft brown sugar

Mix the ingredients thoroughly into a marinade. Box and set aside. Add the marinade to the mushrooms an hour before roasting to give it time to infuse, use a strong plastic food bag.

When you're ready to cook, pre-heat your oven 150fan/170c/Gas 3.

Place your marinaded mushrooms into a foil tray and roast for 15-20 minutes.

In case you're not familiar with miso paste, I used brown rice miso - it is available in most large supermarkets.

It's up to you what you do

You can roast the mushrooms the day before but reduce the

time to 10 minutes and then either re-heat in the oven for 10 minutes

or warm through in a small saucepan whilst making the

orzotto

Here's what to expect :

the marinaded mushrooms

then roasted

and served

Ta dah!

Editor's Pick#3: Musing VI - Pizookie

Editor's note: I challenge anyone to look at the pictures and not immediately plan a supermarket visit for the odds and ends in the ingredients list they don't have. Is it a pizza? Is it a cookie? It's both and more - you need it in your life. High street shops may sell cookie cakes and the like but when you've got the ability to decide just how crispy the crust gets, you deserve to make yourself this one exactly as you want it. I'd say make to share with loved ones but when this pops out of the oven, it's a Man Vs Food moment.

Musing VI

Howdy, how are you?

It does seem that things are beginning to change although how we'll adapt to queuing to shop on the “High Street” or your nearest Shopping Centre remains to be seen. We're all nervous of dipping our toe in the water …

I'm beginning this week following on from the “dive in” stir fry in Musing V.

It feels appropriate to serve a retro revival “dive in” weekend dessert treat too – the old ones are the best and this is years old.

A “Pizookie” is a cross between a pizza and a cookie – I've never understood the pizza bit – I know it's possible to buy and make sweet pizzas - you might want to try this after the “dive in” stir fry – keeps the washing up to a minimum!

It's a flexible pud – take it straight from the oven to the table and then spoon scoops of vanilla ice cream into the middle and away you go.

You'll get a crisp “crust” that cracks to reveal a gooey underneath, a molten centre.

Pizookie

Serves 10-12

125g unsalted butter, room temperature

150g light soft brown sugar

100g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

200g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp bicarb

½ tsp salt

250g plain chocolate, broken into chunks

Pre-heat oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4.

Put butter and sugars in a bowl and beat (you can use a hand mixer – or, if you want a workout use a wooden spoon and some good old fashioned elbow grease) for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, following by the vanilla bean paste.

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients – the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt. Tip it into the butter mixture, beat until combined, then stir through the chocolate. Tip into a 20cm ovenproof frying pan or a shallow cake tin and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden. 25 minutes will give you a molten centre, 30 minutes a more set version.

Cool for 5 minutes, then add scoops of vanilla ice cream in the middle – dig in!

The ultimate sharing indulgence.

You can make ahead if you prefer, let it cool and then cut into portions. It freezes well too.

Take out portions as required, pop into the fridge and then when you're ready to serve microwave on high for 20 seconds for the gooey version, incidentally the crispy outer edge becomes chewy – perfect with the goo.

Yet again this treat is filling so you might want to think about cutting small portions to freeze.

Here's the proof :

Straight from the oven

It actually looks like a slice of pie made

from pastry – pastry it is not

20 seconds later it looks like this

It might be an idea to hide it in the freezer!

I hope that has made your mouth water – definitely another candidate for the “crowd pleaser” and “lip smackingly good” categories. You'll be very popular with the family!

Editor's Pick#2: Another Retro Thought – Stromboli

Editor's note: I love this one, and not just because it it's a fun word to say with a very bad Italian-American accent. Who doesn't love pizza, but even better than that pizza in a different way! A quick recipe that can be pulled together in the blink of an eye and guaranteed to have any guest marvelling at your preparedness, just don't tell them you were saving the ingredients for yourself for a treat evening! The toppings can be customised but don't skimp on the seasoning to take this to the next level.

Another retro thought …

and another candidate to dunk in the mayo – Stromboli – it would also be perfect to pop on a buffet table, especially if you've got younger guests – it's just rolled up pizza after all!

Stromboli

400g prepared pizza dough or ready-made base

4 tbsp tomato paste

100g thinly sliced salami

120g baby spinach

100g thinly sliced mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

Generous sprinkle of oregano or garlic Italian seasoning

Pre-heat your oven 220fan/200c/Gas 8. Place a large baking tray in the oven.

Place a dampened J cloth on your work surface. Place a piece of baking parchment on top of the cloth – it will stop it sliding – make sure you leave enough to get hold of – you're going to lift it onto the hot baking tray that's in the oven at the moment. Unroll the pizza dough gently on the parchment.

Spread the tomato paste onto the base. Add the slices of salami, followed by the spinach and then the mozzarella and sprinkle with the oregano or garlic Italian seasoning. Roll up the base from the shortest side and brush with the olive oil - make sure it's seam-side down when placed on the tray.

WITH CARE remove the tray from the oven and then carefully lift the parchment and the rolled up pizza onto it. Place back in the oven for 20/25 minutes until golden brown – check at 20 minutes.

When removed from the oven slice into portions to suit and serve.

Choose any of your favourite pizza toppings to create your own Stromboli – the fastest pizza ever.

You'll need an oblong base for the Stromboli – it looks like the biggest sausage roll ever that you'll then slice! I'd suggest Asda's own brand - found in the chiller cabinet - for the prepared pizza dough - £1.00 per 400g pack.

Another perfect emergency item for your freezer stash.

The holidays are short this year – they fall in the middle of the week – however there's a weekend to follow after New Year so still time for a final festive treat or two before reining in the waistline!

Editor's Pick #1: When You Have Another 5 Minutes Spare - Slow Cooked Pork Loin Steaks With Calvados Cream Sauce

Editor's note: People can be picky when it comes to pork and it's not for everyone, but take one look at the photo on this recipe and you'll undoubtedly want to give it a try. The sauce for me is the real secret of this one, a creamy mustard based sauce makes this a sure-fire hit on a cold damp night. Editors tip: Make twice the amount of sauce because you will want to add it to your meal the next night! 

… try this and before we begin can I suggest that if you're cooking a roast this weekend, cook extra veggies – par boiled or part roasted parsnips, carrots and potatoes would be excellent choices.

Slow cooked pork loin steaks with

Calvados cream sauce

600g/1lb 5oz pork loin steaks – 6 steaks, trimmed

glug of rapeseed/Canola oil

salt and black pepper

generous sprinkle of dried herbs – sage or

thyme

2 tsps of garlic paste – optional

500ml/1 pint approx vegetable stock – use a stock pot if you're

not using your own stock

Heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot. Seal the loin steaks on both sides, add salt and black pepper, garlic and herbs. Set aside the steaks in the slow cooker then add your stock to the residual juices in the frying pan, bring to the boil and slow cook for 3 hours.

Before you begin to make your sauce, time for the leftover veggies – try and make sure they are of a similar size. Place in a foil tray and drizzle with rapeseed or similar oil and season with salt and black pepper. Pop into a pre-heated oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6 for 25 minutes to allow them to finish roasting and become crisp.

For the sauce, you'll need approximately 200ml of stock from the cooked pork steaks - strain, cover and fridge until cold and ready for use. Freeze the remainder of the stock.

Calvados cream sauce

15g/¾ oz unsalted butter

15g/¾ oz plain flour

1 tsp garlic paste or 1 clove, crushed

glug of Calvados

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

200ml/7 fl oz stock

300ml/½ pint/10 fl oz double cream

salt and black pepper

Melt the butter, take the pan off the heat, add the flour and whisk. Return to the heat and cook out the flour for 2/3 mins, stirring continuously – add the garlic paste and mustard and then, on a high heat, add the Calvados and cook for 1-2 mins. Add the cold stock straight into the sauce and whisk until smooth, then cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Add the cream and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve in large bowls, veggies first then the pork and drizzle with the sauce.

It looks just like this :

Feeling peckish?

Editor's Pick # 4: Hooked on cooking – the main event!

Editor's note: Now, this one is pulled from the archives, from 2016 no less! Supermarkets might offer you the convenience of picking up their pre-rolled meatballs, but they don't do it for free. Plus, if you take the extra time (not much!) to roll your own, you're guaranteed to come away with an idea for next time you make them. Change of seasoning? Different meat? Bigger? Smaller? The world is your lobster, so have a read, treat yourself and your loved ones and give it a go. Also not to be missed is the tomato sauce recipe which if you're making meatballs is essential - with a couple of extremely important pointers. Easy when you know how!

Ringing the changes, today's session will be cooking supper for tonight.

The recipe that follows is easy and makes really tasty meatballs, together with a tomato sauce. All you'll have to do later on is cook the spaghetti – can't be bad! As a rough guide 450g of minced meat will give you twelve meatballs, so if you've four students with 450g per two students, you'll have 24 meatballs in total – this is not an exact science since your students are new at this and the sizes may vary!

Meatballs

450g minced beef, pork or turkey

*salt and black pepper

*garlic – either 2 tsps of paste or 2 cloves, crushed

*mixed herbs or garlic Italian seasoning – a generous sprinkle

*half a tsp of chilli

*heaped tbsp of tomato paste

*1 egg

sprinkle of plain flour

Rapeseed or vegetable oil for shallow frying

Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the remaining ingredients marked *, mix well. At this point your mixture may be too wet. If it is, sprinkle a little plain flour over the mixture and fold in gently.

Use a teaspoon as a measure and heaped with mixture, roll it between your hands and set aside on a board. When the meatballs are ready, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry on a low heat, gently and carefully shaking the pan to ensure they are evenly coloured – use tongs if you are accident prone! Seal the meatballs in batches - 8 at a time and then transfer to an oven-proof dish or foil tray ready for later – cool, cover and fridge.

When you are ready for supper later in the day place the dish or tray containing the meatballs in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 and complete the cooking for 20/30 minutes – this time will vary depending on the sizes of the meatball – ensure that they are properly cooked – cut a larger one in half to be sure. Whilst the meatballs are in the oven cook your spaghetti and warm up the tomato sauce.

It may be that your students won't be interested in the tomato sauce element – it depends on their attention span – but it's easy to do and takes no time at all – in fact the sauce will improve with “standing” so if it is the case that you are making the sauce you can make it the day before, cover and fridge - after all your students have supplied the main event!

Tomato Sauce

500g sieved tomatoes or the equivalent in cans of chopped tomatoes

1 medium/large onion, chopped finely

garlic clove or tsp of minced garlic

1tbsp olive oil

knob of butter

vegetable stock pot and 250ml of boiling water

oregano or garlic Italian seasoning

black pepper

1 tsp caster sugar

Melt the olive oil and butter in a saucepan, add the onion and fry gently until soft then add the garlic. Add the oregano or garlic Italian seasoning and black pepper. Then add your stock pot and boiling water so that it melts, add the tomatoes and sprinkle on the tsp of sugar. The sugar is meant to balance out the acidity that one sometimes gets with tomatoes. Simmer the sauce for about 20 minutes.

N.B. If you want to add extra depth you can add a tbsp of tomato paste. I would suggest that you taste your sauce before you simmer for 20 minutes. If you add paste then the simmering process will cook it out and its important that you do this - it tastes horrid if you don't. A lot depends on personal taste and how good your tomatoes are.

Here's hoping your students are hooked and the rest of the family too!

Editor's Pick #3: Winter Menu - Treat of the Week!

Editor's note: It might not have escaped many but in the UK at the moment it's flipping cold! In-keeping with the recent brilliant weather, the next Editors pick is rather cheating as it's two recipes in one, but they go together so brilliantly they cannot be separated. Cream cheese and cashew nut paté and soda bread. Whack these out on a Sunday afternoon and you will be invited back again! Bit odd if you lived there in the first place but it's always nice to know you're still welcome.

My treat of the week is a simple, veggie recipe and one of my favourites – cream cheese and cashew nut paté – it has to be the easiest paté ever – here it is :

Cream cheese and cashew nut paté

1 carrot, finely grated

225g cream cheese

100g roasted cashew nuts, crushed to a rubble – not

to a dust!

1 tbsp of chopped chives

salt and black pepper

black olives – pitted and sliced (optional)

Mix all the ingredients together, box and fridge.

Serve on whatever takes your fancy – rice cakes, gluten free cheese oatcakes, toast or even as a sandwich filling – a toasted bagel would be good too.

Freshly baked bread is the perfect partner to the paté so here's an extra treat for a “comfort” lunch – soda bread!

The following Soda bread is the easiest and fastest, faff free recipe and the most reliable I've ever used.

Soda bread

170g self raising wholemeal flour

170g plain flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

290ml buttermilk

Pre heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Tip the flours, salt and bicarb into a large bowl and mix.

Make a well in the centre, pour in 290ml of buttermilk and mix quickly with a large fork until you have a soft dough formed. You may need an extra drop if your dough is too stiff but take care it should not be too wet or sticky.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly.

Form the dough into a round a flatten slightly. Place on a lightly floured baking sheet.

Slice an “x” on the top of the loaf and bake for 30 minutes – the base should sound hollow when tapped.

I use St. Ivel low fat buttermilk which comes in 284ml pots. If the dough is a little dry, add a drop of milk – just a drop! You can always add a drop more if required – you can't take it back.

A tip – Instead of flour I sprinkle semolina on the baking sheet and sprinkle a little over the loaf before baking, for a crusty top.

If you're thinking of making soup, serve it with thick slices of toasted soda bread, buttered of course.

Editor's Pick #2: Mie To Follow

Editor's note: Noodles, spices and veggies, along with whatever you have cluttering up the fridge and needs a zhush and an evening date with flavour. One stop shop for "I fancy a takeaway but surely I can do that myself?". Well, you can - read on for the Mie Goreng, treat yourself to a couple of extra ingredients on your next shop and you won't be disappointed.

Here's the Mie Goreng - the noodle version of the Nasi Goreng. The Mie includes two ingredients you may not have come across previously – kecap manis – aka sweet soy sauce and sambal paste – a paste made from chillies and spices and both ingredients are easily available in larger supermarkets.

Mie Goreng

Serves 4-6

3 eggs

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, finely sliced

Drop of rapeseed or vegetable oil

3 cloves of garlic, crushed or tsps of paste

2 carrots, finely sliced (you could use cooked leftovers)

2 spring onions, finely sliced

Pinch of ground ginger

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground cumin

1 red chilli, seeded removed and finely diced

1 tsp sambal paste

250g medium egg noodles, cooked

30ml dark soy sauce

60ml kecap manis

100g beansprouts

350g cooked prawns, defrosted

100g chopped roasted peanuts to garnish (optional)

Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.

Heat a large wok or frying pan and add a drop of oil. Add the onion and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and carrots and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add a drop of water to prevent drying out.

Add the sambal paste, coriander and cumin and fry for 20/30 seconds – again you can add a drop of water if required. Add the cooked noodles, spring onions, beansprouts and prawns – turning until warmed through. Add the dark soy sauce and the kecap manis and repeat.

N.B. For a vegetarian version, substitute the prawns with 300g of shredded Chinese cabbage – aka bok choy or pak choi and 1 yellow pepper (cored, deseeded and diced). Sweet baby peppers – red, yellow and orange – would work well too.

Serve straight from wok or spoon into individual bowls and garnish with the omelette strips and peanuts.

You could add sliced water chestnuts and/or bamboo shoots. If you've other leftover vegetables or cooked chicken or meat – dice and add too.

Editor's Pick #1: 3 Cheese Dainties (and photos).

Editor's note: Christmas is coming up fast, and it doesn't seem a year since the last one! For those of us that are foregoing fisticuffs in Woolworths over the last black and white portable TV, a suggestion long championed by MiamMiam is the homemade gift. Moreover, the homemade edible gift. Why guess what someone wants (and pray they haven't bought it themselves already) when you can spend a couple of hours making something they're guaranteed to enjoy. What follows is a recipe that not only tastes amazing, but looks the business into the bargain.

This is the latest of my cheese and onion variations on a theme and perfect for a snack or part of a “picky bits” supper during the festive season and the last recipe in this Brown paper packages … Christmas Box series.

3 Cheese dainties

100g mature Cheddar, 75g Red Leicester

and 75g Gruyere, grated

1 large onion, finely chopped

drop of rapeseed oil

2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

celery salt and black pepper

1tbsp of Dijon mustard

1 x 320g puff pastry sheet

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp Nigella seeds

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6

Use a medium sized saucepan, heat the oil and then add the onion and sweat on a low heat for 5 minutes until softened. This element can be prepped ahead, cooled, boxed and fridged until required.

Unroll your pastry sheet on a board or work surface – don't remove the pastry from the paper liner – it's perfect for your baking sheet for cutting out, filling and then lifting on to your tray and baking. No mess! The sheet will give you 15 circles using an 8cms/3” cutter. You may need to re-roll the pastry for the final 3.

Add the cheeses, seasoning, mustard and parsley to the onion. Place a teaspoon of filling in the centre of each circle, edge half the circle with the beaten egg, then fold to create your dainty, use a dessert fork to edge the dainty then egg wash. Use two teaspoons to form the filling, it helps to keep it firm and easy to place. Make a mental note where you begin to egg wash, leave for a couple of minutes, then repeat. Place the tray of dainties in the fridge until required.

Sprinkle with Nigella seeds and then bake for 20 minutes – check after 15, until golden brown.

A word of warning … it's very difficult not to consume these when taken out of the oven – you might want to plan another batch!

If you want to make ahead, having double egg washed and fridged, you can then freeze them on the tray until frozen and then bag, ready for when required. At least that way you won't be able to eat them all!

Here's a photo or two …

here they are, double egg washed, edged

and sprinkled, ready to bake or chill if you prefer

Note to self a small cake fork is the best kit to edge

the dainties

fresh from the oven!

bagged and tagged – ready for the Christmas

Box

From “The Ivy The Restaurant and its Recipes by AA Gill”.

It's rare if I don't alter a recipe in some way – the greatest compliment I can give is not to interfere.

Quite simply the best fishcakes in the whole world!

The Ivy Fishcakes

(makes 8 – freeze what you don't use)

800g dry mashed potato, no cream or butter added

650g salmon fillet poached in fish stock and flaked

2 tbsp tomato ketchup

2 tsp anchovy essence

3 tsp English mustard

salt and black pepper

Plain flour for coating

Mix together the potato, half the salmon, the ketchup, anchovy essence, mustard and seasoning until smooth. Fold in the rest of the salmon. Mould the mixture into 8 round cakes and refrigerate.

When you're ready to serve preheat the oven 180fan/200c/gas 6. Lightly flour the fishcakes and fry them until they are coloured on both sides. Bake for 10/15 minutes.

Quick tartare sauce

Hellmann's mayonnaise – approximately two

heaped tablespoons

Caper paste – 1 teaspoon

Cornichons – two, finely diced

Capers to taste

Mix the caper paste with the mayo and fold in the

diced cornichons and capers

Better still what about serving with a mornay sauce – excellent scaled down as a starter with the mornay drizzled over the top of the fishcake with crispy potatoes.

Then again how about a spoonful of pea pureé – mushy peas to me – set a small fishcake in the middle and then a liberal drizzle of curry sauce – yum!

Russian Fish Pie – a reminiscence

This recipe takes me back – to my school days!

Russian Fish Pie is not your everyday dish, it's a treat. Recent research shows me that it is very similar to Coulibiac – also Russian in origin. The original pie consisted of cod in a stiff parsley sauce placed in the centre of a puff pastry square, glued with egg wash and brought together to form four triangles all in one. My preference is to use a mornay sauce and to use a variety of fish.

Here's my version :

Russian Fish Pie

Serves 4

1 x 500g packet of puff pastry

Pre-heat oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4

Approximately 500g of mixed fish –

smoked cod loin, salmon, and prawns.

¾ pint/450 ml milk

¼ pint/150 ml cream (you don't have to use

cream, increase to 1pint of milk if preferred)

salt, 8 black pepper corns

bay leaf

50g unsalted butter

50g plain flour

1 tsp Dijon or wholegrain mustard

150g (75g each) Red Leicester and Mature Cheddar cheese, grated

Roll out your pastry into a large square (approximately 24cm x 24cm) and place on a non stick (or greased and lined) baking sheet.

Poach your fish in the milk and cream, season with salt, black peppercorns and bay leaf on a medium heat for 5/10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets. Remove the fish, flake, allow to cool and set aside in a large bowl. Strain the liquor.

Melt the butter and add the flour to form the roux and cook for 2/3 minutes then gradually add the poaching liquor and cook the sauce on a low heat for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens (it should coat the back of your spatula) add grated cheeses and mustard. The sauce should be stiff. Set aside to cool.

Tip half the sauce over the flaked fish, add the prawns and fold gently so that all your fish is coated. Reserve the remaining half of the sauce to pour over the pie.

Using a slotted spoon place the mixture in the centre of the pastry. Egg wash the edges and pinch together to form 4 triangles in a square. Egg wash the completed pie and bake in the oven for 40 minutes – check after 30 minutes. Cut into 4 individual triangles and serve.

Russian or not it's really moreish and the portions are generous so think carefully about what you would serve with it – a spot of fusion as an idea – a winter coleslaw I think would go very well – the rich pastry and filling with a crispy, crunchy fresh slaw – you could even kid yourself that it's healthy – ish! In reality it's about as far from Russia as you'll ever get. The recipe probably came from Coulibiac – a Russian dish consisting of salmon, rice, mushrooms, onions and dill encased in pastry.

Notes :

I always make more mornay sauce than required for the fish – it's an indulgence to have extra to pour over the pie.

An optional extra is to add chopped hard boiled eggs.

If you are using cooked, peeled prawns don't add them until you are mixing your sauce with your cooled cooked fish.

Now for the finest fishcakes …

A Hungarian rhapsody

I'm sure it's no surprise that the “Hungarian” refers to goulash. This time of year when it's turning cold it's difficult not to get bored once you've exhausted all the old favourites.

Here's my latest thought, “zhuzhed” a little. These days goulash seems to be served with rice or, spatzle (a soft egg noodle). I'm an old fashioned kinda gal with certain dishes and goulash is one of them. I like to serve mine, as was done in the 70s, with new potatoes. The ultimate comfort food however you want to serve it – by the way don't forget the sour cream - stirring in or even a blob on top – optional of course.

Hungarian Goulash

Serves 4-6 depending on size of appetite

900g braising steak, diced

glug of rapeseed oil to seal the beef

1 large onion, chopped as finely as possible

*8 tbsp tomato ketchup

*2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

*1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar

*2 tsps salt

*2 tsps Hungarian sweet paprika

*½ tsp mustard powder

300ml water

2 beef stock pots

1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water

small tub of sour cream - optional

Use a large frying pan and seal the steak in the rapeseed oil – in small batches – if you overfill the pan you will finish up with grey steak and it will “stew” - not nice! Set the batches aside in the slow cooker. Soften the onion for 2 minutes and then add to the steak.

In a medium sized bowl mix together the ingredients marked *.

Using the same frying pan – and therefore any residual juices, add the water and the stock pots, bring to the boil and stir until the pots have melted. Add the mixed ingredients * and pour over the beef.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender.

At the end of the cooking time, using a slotted spoon, remove the steak from the gravy. Mix the cornflour with water and stir into goulash and cook on high to thicken.

Add the steak back into the thickened gravy and you're good to go.

Perfect for the hungry hordes!

The rummage!

A trawl through the back catalogue produced some excellent ideas – here goes.

This is what you do when you haven't got a clue!

I'd got a shortcrust pastry sheet in the fridge. It's a start. An odd onion here and the remnants of cheese I've always got in my fridge - the usual suspects are Gruyere, Mature Cheddar and Red Leicester and I think we're getting there. I can't say I've favoured shortcrust pastry for pies, I automatically use puff. You know what they say “a change is as good as a rest”. Finally, that old faithful the cooked jacket potato or four!

Hmm I know this is probably sounding predictable and you'd be right. Experience has taught me that when it's a horrible grey and cool day there's nothing like a pie, especially when it's cheating using a ready-made sheet and easy - whether it's with shortcrust or puff.

Here's my thrown together recipe :

Rummage Pie – Serves 4

300g grated hard cheese, mixed – whatever

is in your fridge – 125g Mature Cheddar, 125g Red

Leicester and 50g Gruyere

1 medium onion, finely diced and softened

with a knob of unsalted butter until opaque

1 tsp Dijon mustard

4 medium jacked potatoes, baked, peeled and

cut into small cubes

black pepper

1 shortcrust pastry sheet – 320g

1 egg, beaten

To assemble :

Make sure you take your pastry out of the fridge to allow it to “warm up” - you'll find the pastry is easier to use and won't crack. Line your pie dish with half the sheet – you may need to roll it a little to fit – for guidance my pie dish measured 27x9x5 cms approximately.

Tip the cubed potatoes into a large mixing bowl, season with black pepper. Add the mustard to the softened onion and then mix with the potatoes. Add the grated cheese and your filling is ready for the pie dish. Add your pastry lid, egg wash and fridge until you're ready to bake. Don't discard the beaten egg. Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas6, egg wash the pie again and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

I apologise unreservedly to the shortcrust pastry sheet – it made an excellent change and I'll definitely use it again.

Note to self – add to list of freezer emergency kit!

Next – Hungarian rhapsody ...