All posts by admin

Lasagne

Beef, Mains, Pasta and Rice

Ingredients

Method

  • Make your bolognese
  • Make your white sauce
  • Add a layer of meat to your dish, followed by lasagne, then a layer of white sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan
  • Repeat meat, pasta, white sauce, parmesan until you get to the top which should be parmesan.
  • Cover with a double layer of foil and cook for the required time of the lasagne sheets (usually dry for around 30mins and fresh for 20mins).
  • Take the dish out of the oven, cover the top with mozzarella and cook until cheese is melted and browning on top.

Meat Sauce for Lasagne

Beef, Mains

Serves 6-8 for bolognese or lasagne. Scale down the mince to 500g for 2-4 person bolognese, and based on your preference you can change to 1 tin of tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 750g lean beef mince
  • 100ml red wine
  • 1 medium-large onion, finely sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
  • 1/2 a stick of celery, diced small
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 2 tins of plum tomatoes
  • 1 200g tube of tomato puree
  • Dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • Dry basil
  • Dry oregano
  • Garlic granules (optional)
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil

Method

  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Add the mince and use a whisk to break it up and remove any chunks. Season the mince with salt and pepper.
  • Cook the mince until all of the liquid has evaporated and the meat is starting to brown/stick to the pan (don’t worry, it will come off). This will take your bolognese to another level of flavour.
  • Add the red wine and cook for about a minute to release the alcohol, then add the onion, garlic, celery and rosemary.
  • Cook for another 5mins or so to soften the onions then add the tomatoes. Break them up with a spoon/masher/knife if you want smaller chunks.
  • Take one of the tins and fill it 2/3 with water, and add that to your sauce.
  • Add about 2/3 of the puree (you might need to add a bit more later), a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a good sprinkle of basil and oregano – I’d say around a tablespoon of each.
  • Re-season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Turn down to simmer with a lid on for 30mins

White Sauce for Lasagne

Sides

This recipe is for a 6 person lasagne. Simply calculate the values down for a smaller portion (10g butter and flour per 100ml milk).

Ingredients

  • 100g unsalted butter
  • 100g plain flour
  • 1 litre semi-skimmed milk
  • A pinch of ground nutmeg
  • 40-50g Cheddar cheese
  • 40-50g Parmesan/Grana Padano/Pecorino

Method

  • Melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat.
  • Stir in the flour to form a paste, called a roux
  • Whisk in the milk little by little until you have a thick white sauce (bear in mind the cheese will thicken it a bit as well)
  • Take it off the heat and mix in the cheese and nutmeg
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste

Roast Beef in Red Wine Gravy

Beef, Mains

Chef’s Tip: You will need to increase/decrease the amounts based on the size of the beef joint you buy.

Ingredients

  • Beef brisket (at least 450g)
  • Gravy granules
  • 100ml red wine
  • 1/2 pint water
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 1 onion

Method

  • Take the string off the beef and lay it in a deep oven dish
  • Chop the onion and slice each garlic clove in half. Put these around the beef in the dish.
  • Pour the wine over the beef
  • Sprinkle a generous amount of gravy granules on and around the beef
  • Add the water.
  • Cover with foil and cook on 130 for a 2.5-3hrs

Pork, Sage and Onion Stuffing

Christmas, Sides

Ingredients

  • 1 pack of pork sausage meat
  • 1 large onion (or two small)
  • 2 apples (braeburn or gala)
  • Dry sage
  • Black pepper

Method

  • Peel and roughly chop the onion and apple.
  • Put these in a mixer with the meat.
  • Sprinkle with a good helping of pepper and sage.
  • Mix until a smooth paste
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper or foil
  • Use spoons to create stuffing balls and cook on 200 for 25-30mins

Baked Italian Cheesecake

Cakes, Desserts, Fruit

Ingredients

  • 300g digestive biscuits
  • 100g butter
  • 250g creme fraiche
  • 250g ricotta
  • 250g Greek yoghurt
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • Make Jam for the topping (or use a jar if you’re being lazy), or use fresh strawberries.

Method

  • Crush the biscuits.
  • Add the butter to the biscuits and mix with your hands.
  • Press the biscuit mixture into the bottom of your dish
  • Separate the eggs and keep the whites to one side
  • Add the sugar to the egg yolks and beat well. Add the creme fraiche, ricotta and yoghurt.
  • Whip the eggs to stiff peaks (you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without them falling out).
  • Mix in the cheese mixture
  • Spread the mixture on top of the biscuit base
  • Bake for 30-40mins on 180.
  • When the cake is cool, add the jam or strawberries (or whatever topping you like) to the top.

Strawberry Jam

Desserts, Fruit, Sides

Ingredients

  • 500g strawberries
  • 500g jam sugar (this is way too much in my opinion, I would use 300- 400g)
  • Knob of butter
  • Dash of lemon juice

Method

  • Take the tops off and middles out of the strawberries and place the good bits in a saucepan.
  • Put these on a low heat and when they soften a bit, add the sugar
  • Stir until the sugar dissolves and then add the butter
  • Turn the heat up and make it boil fast. You should not be able to control the bubbles by stirring.
  • When it gets to this point, time it for 4 minutes and then remove from the heat.

“Melt in the Middle” Chocolate Puddings

Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts

Chef’s Tip: I like to put the mixture in the fridge for at least an hour before cooking. This helps keep the middle molten when cooking, although you might have to add 1-2mins on.

Ingredients

  • 100g dark or plain chocolate
  • 100g butter
  • 150g soft brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 50g plain flour

Method

  • Put a saucepan on the hob on a medium heat with a bit of water in the bottom.
  • Place a bowl on top of the saucepan with the chocolate and butter in it. Melt the chocolate and butter until smooth.
  • Leave for 15mins to cool down.
  • Stir in the sugar.
  • Mix in each egg one by one.
  • Add the vanilla and finally the flour.
  • Divide the mixture into 4-6 ramekins.
  • At this point you can put them in the fridge for later, or cook them for 10-12 minutes on 200C.

 

Apple Sauce

Christmas, Sides

Chef’s Tip: You could also use a masher to smooth out lumps in your sauce.

Ingredients

  • 450g chopped cooking apples
  • 25g caster sugar
  • Dash of lemon juice
  • 2fl.oz. water
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • Teaspoon of butter (maybe a little more)

Method

  • Chop the apples and put in a saucepan with all the ingredients
  • Cook on a medium heat for 15mins.
  • Then whisk to desired consistency – the more you whisk, the smoother the sauce.

 

Cranberry Sauce

Christmas, Sides

Ingredients

  • 200g sugar
  • 250ml water
  • 300g pack of fresh cranberries

Method

  • Bring water and sugar to a gentle boil.
  • Add cranberries and simmer for 10mins.
  • Add a dash of orange zest or orange juice/cinnamon.
  • Remove from heat and cool.