01/16/2012
12/11/2011
Christmas Cake
Rich festive Fruit Cake
Being a chef that does not suffer from any baking phobias, as I served my time in the pastry section for some very demanding yet excellent peers. The main thing with baking and pastry is to check you have the right quantities and cook at the correct temperatures.
10/11/2011
Cakes for Special Occasions
Whilst working on the Isle of Skye this summer at the wonderful Greshornish House http://www.greshornishornishouse.com on the Ardnamurchan peninsula with Neil and Rosemary Colquhoun. They helped me sharpen my skills in the home baking department. Afternoon teas with Millionaires shortbread, scones, rich fruit cakes, lemon and poppy seed cake were some of the items I made for the guests afternoon pick ups.
My evenings after work would be taken up by reading cook books and the one that caught my eye had input from the owners, whilst they were teaching at Eton College. This recipe with all of life's ups and downs is part of the blog I would like to explore "Food for Thought"
Happiness Cake
Ingredients:
1 cup of good thoughts
1 cup of kind deeds
1 cup of consideration for others
2 cups of sacrifice
2 cups of well beaten faults
3 cups of forgiveness
Method
Mix thoroughly. Tears of joy, sorrow and sympathy.Flavour with love and kindly service. Fold in four cups of prayers and faith. Blend well. Fold into daily life. Bake well with the warmth of human kindness and serve with a smile. It will always satisfy the hunger of starved souls.
09/20/2011
Skye High
A friend recently commented on a picture I posted on face book, of The Isle of Skye, "Heavens Larder". As a chef it is always good to go to the source of the ingredients.
This summer I have foraged for cockles and mussels on The Isle of North Uhist with my good friend "The Rock 'n'Roll Chef", visited The Invershin hotel and collected wild mushrooms and smoked fish there, for Angus and Cheryl. Fished badly and taken plenty of exercise!
Working at Greshornish house I have been lucky enough to use some fab ingredients. The Hotel has won a good for the soul award, great if you are seeking peace and tranquility. The gentle pace of Island life wasn't always matched by me in the kitchen though.
West coast and Island seafood has included such goodies as hand dived scallops,creel caught lobster and crab. The ocean also provided Hake, Ling, Mackerel, Razor clams. Then to add to this delicious Peat smoked salmon, sea trout and haddock.
Fur and feather from the hill included Venison , Grouse and Rabbit. Locally grown salad leaves garnished various terrines and pate's. The walled garden provided flowers for the tables, new season and exotic varieties of potato, peas, beans, berries and an array of soft herbs.
Using my time wisely I have worked on my weakest area from last season, so its fitting that I post this recipe for a simple dessert of Cardamon and orange infused pannacotta with Scottish berries. The blackberries or brambles as known in this part of the world add to the joy of foraging.
Pannacotta
300 ml double cream
100 ml milk
1.5 leaves gelatine
3 tbs caster sugar
A teaspoon of good vanilla essence
2 pods of cardamon bruised and large strip of orange peel twisted.
Method
Bring all the ingredients except the gelatin to a simmer for 5 minutes then allow to stand off the heat for at least 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve, add to the gelatin soaked in cold water and squeeze dry. Stir the gelatin into the cream mix and pour into ramekins. Serve with your favourite berry mix and shortbread dusted with icing sugar.
06/14/2011
Triple Chocolate Brownies
Triple Chocolate Brownies
185g butter
185g dark chocolate
3 eggs
310g sugar
135g plain flour
60g cocoa powder
90g white chocolate buttons
90g milk chocolate buttons
Pre heat the Oven to 180c
Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a bowl double wrapped in plastic film, over a pan of simmering water. Beat the eggs and sugar until a creamy consistency is achieved. Sieve the cocoa powder and flour together and fold into the egg and chocolate mix. Allow to cool slightly then fold in the white and milk chocolate buttons. Pour onto a tray lined with parchment paper to a 2ccm thickness. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into pieces, eat slightly warm.
05/17/2011
Calamari
As my son is at school in the U.K. we keep in touch my phone and e mail. As he is growing so are his taste buds, thank goodness. When I asked him if he liked calamari much to my surprise , he does. They are still really cheap here in the U.A.E. @ around 20 dirhams a kilo.The healthy option is clean the hood and score criss/ crossed at an angle with a serrated table knife. You don't want it too sharp as it will cut straight through. Rub with a little oil and grill until it curls up. Serve with rocket salad and a tomato salsa spiced up with chili flakes.This was a favourate in the 90's London restaurant scene.If you are really stretched for time make tempura squid one Zac's favourate snacks.Simply mix the bought in flour with ice cold water and deep fry in hot oil. Drain on kitchen paper, season with salt and pepper, serve with sweet chilli sauce and a squeeze of lime.
Salt and Pepper Squid
When I used to work in London's soho we would pop over the road to China Town after work and start with this quick and easy dish.
500g cleaned squid hoods
110 g flour
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
vegetable oil for deep frying
1. Cut the squid in half length wise, score the inside and cut into 2cm pieces.
2. Mix the flour salt and pepper, drench the squid in this mix and shake of excess flour in a sieve.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
4. Fry the squid in batches allowing the oil to come back to temperature each time. Cook till tender and brown. drain on kitchen paper.
Serve with light soy sauce loaded with sesame oil , chill and finely sliced spring onion.
Top Tip
Put the flour mix in a plastic bag to coat the squid. Hold tightly and shake.
Out and about I found these little gems
Green pepper Corns , often used in Thai jungle curry. I like treating my self to a fiery pepper sauce to acompany aged Black Angus Rib Eye Steak.
Next time baked Sea Bream.
04/17/2011
How to Cook In Dubai
Sultan Ibrahim picture by Richard Allenby- Pratt
In Europe we would use Red Mullet here in the Gulf this inexpensive fish makes a fine soup. Served with rouille , gruyere cheese and garlic croutons treat yourself to a delicious school night supper. I have used the recipe from "A Summer In France" with Chef Andy.
Red Mullet Soup
Serves 4/6
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
This is one of my favourite fish. The French eat it whole with its liver intact, and name it the woodcock of the sea because of the same method of preparation is used on it's feathered friend.
Peel and slice 2 carrots, 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, ½ a bulb of fennel, 1 strip of orange peel, 1 bay leaves, 2 branches of thyme, ½ a de seeded chili, 1 small de seeded sliced yellow pepper, and a large pinch of saffron.
On a low heat cook in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 10 minutes covered with a lid. Add 4 medium sized tomatoes skinned and chopped, then turn up the heat. Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes. Add 500g of red mullet fillets and a nip of Pastis. Flambé and when the flames die out add 1.5 litres of fish stock made from the bones. Cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes
Allow to cool a little, then blend and pass through a sieve, serve in warmed bowls with rouille, croutons and grated gruyere cheese.
03/25/2011
Shortbread
What is it with kids and Grandparents they both seam to have a sweet tooth. This is a recipe I got whilst working in Sutherland, Scotland. A local fishing friend convinced his wife to pass this on. As recipes are treasured in this part of the world, I felt quite honoured to receive it. It is easy to make, but worth resting the pastry before cooking. So this is one of the jobs to do before putting the Sunday roast on.
Shortbread
500g plain sifted flour
250g butter
115g icing sugar plus extra for dusting the biscuits
1 egg yolk
Put all the ingredients into a food processor, hit the pulse button until the mix comes together. Turn out on to a board roll into a ball, then into a log with a 4 cm diameter. Wrap in cling film. Put into the refrigerator and rest for at least 2 hours. Cut diagonally into 5mm thick biscuits. Pre heat the oven to gas 3 /160 c. Place onto a non stick baking tray. Bake for 10/15 minutes the shortbread should be a golden colour underneath when cooked. Place on a wire rack to cool. Then store in an airtight container for up to a week. They go well with homemade jellies, ice cream or just eaten on their own. Dust with sprinkling of icing sugar. Enjoy.
02/22/2011
Focaccia
The first part of the day started with Neil driving us to "The Curlew" at Bodiam on the Kent/ Sussex borders. The morning sun was desperately try to break through the mist firmly set on the rolling hills. Arriving a little early we continued to the village and walked around the moated castle. Proceeding to the restaurant we viewed the menus and contemporary design, whilst thawing out next to the wood burning stove.
I booked us a table at 12.30 thinking we would be the first dinners, forgetting appetites in the country side develop earlier in the day. Choices made, Zac decided to have Rye Bay Scallops, oak smoked haddock, jerusalem artichoke. A fellow chef friend used to write Palestine artichokes on his menus describing this tasty winter treat mixing up a city witha country .There was a little confusion, as The Restaurant had opened on the 14th offering Valentine fayre to their loved up customers. Some deliveries were late but arrived after we ordered, enabling Zac to enjoy his starter. He commented "Rye Bay Scallop, so delicious for a first timer." First up however was some fruited bread , home baked and served with runny honey, again no fuss from our young diner.
Zac went onto Cod, line caught fillet, mashed potato, parsley sauce. We are talking the bright green version of the parsley sauce. All mopped up with extra bread he went onto comment, "The Cod was exquisite" Zac aged 11. Followed by Chocolate, hot chocolate pot, malt ice cream "A double thumbs up. I don't know where he but it all. His final comment about his dining experience was "I didn't expect to come to a Michelin Stared restaurant so soon (in life)."
After such a good lunch I thought it was only fitting that we would all bake a simple foccacia for dinner. This flat bread was livened up with, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, studded with rosemary one side and basil the other, olive oil generously poured over and finished with parma ham. As Zac is so keen to try new dishes I think its time to launch Zac's Snacks and each week I will do a dish for the younger diner.
Focaccia
459g Strong flour
1 tsp salt
1tsb honey
1 x 7g yeast
300 ml tepid water
4 tsb olive oil plus extra to pour over cooked bread
Sea salt to garnish.
Method
Pre heat the oven to 220 c. Mix all the ingredients together except the sea salt. Kneed well until the dough is smooth and developed. Roll out onto a tray until about 2 cm thick and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to double in size in a warm place. Remove the cloth and press indentations with wet fingers. Spinkle with salt and add mozzarella, herbs. Bake for 30/35 mins and finish off with a good gulg of olive oil, parma ham or your preferred salamis.
I disscused this and othert recipes with James Piecowye on Dubai Eye 103.8 fm, the link is below.
http://nightline.podomatic.com/entry/2011-02-22T23_28_12-08_00.
02/16/2011
Toad In The Hole
Landing at Glasgow airport to a tundra like landscape, grasses burned from the sub zero frosts,ice and snow. We headed north to the snowcapped Trossach hills and made deliveries of meat. I wondered how the supply was kept up during the months of harsh weather but true to the hardyness of the Scots , they did. We drove onto Glasgow finished the deliveries and went for a well deserved lunch, sharing langustines, fish n chips and brown crab.
Then onto James's new outlet of Dalduff butchery and fine foods. A well stocked counter in Dobbies, Breahead. The area on the banks of the river Clyde still has ships being build. Quite an uncanny feeling when you walk along side the river seeing ships taller than houses. The area is still served by a small ferry joining Clydebank to Renfrew. Situated next to Ikea a favourite shop of mine for stocking salt liquorice, smoked fish roe, Swedish Anchovies and crispy breads. Back at the Dalduff www.dalduff.co.uk , counter James selected some Venison, sausages, rib of beef and some aged lamb mince for me to cook. We enjoyed Venison the first night.
Meeting up with my son Zac and my good friend Neil I knew we would be in for a treat. I started by a simple roasted rib of beef served with baby potatoes, spinach, chestnut mushrooms and pan juices thickened with dijon mustard. Then the next day I cooked one of Zac's favourites.
Toad In The Hole
Ingredients
3 eggs
milk
plain flour
a handfull of cherry vine tomatoes
6 sage leaves torn
cooking oil
Method
Preheat an oven to 2oo c .
Make the batter the same as used for yorkshire pudding. By first whisking the eggs in a bowl with equal quantities of flour and milk. You want to achieve the the consistency of double cream, if too thick then let the mix down with a little cold water. Grease an oven proof dish or baking tray.
Allow the mix to rest for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the vegetables. I served it with January King cabbage, a favourite with its purple tinged outer leaves surrounding more delicate green inner leaves, dressed with Rape seed oil. To liven the dish up more serve it with sweet potato mash. Brown the sausages in a baking tray in a little cooking oil for about 5 minutes. Add the batter mix . Place the torn sage leaves in between the sausages and push them down into the batter with a cherry tomato. Bake for about 30 minutes serve with the vegetables and onion gravy.
Next stop was lunch at Ockenden Manor, Cuckfield, Sussex To experience a real value for money set lunch starting with home cured Bresaola, crunchy vegetables and horseradish cream. A main course of Poached Smoked Haddock, mashed potato, french beans and poached egg.
Then to finish the best caramelised lemon tart with blackcurrant sauce I have ever eaten. Made with the thinnest of pastry crusts and a centre with a creme brulee like consistency.
Tomorrow we are taking my son Zac to experience his first Michelin Star lunch then baking focaccia with mozzarella and parmesan cheese in the evening.
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