Tempering Chocolate

There is nothing more frustrating when making chocolate than having your beautiful creations develop that horrible white stain on them. That stain is called bloom, and appears when chocolate has not been properly prepared for work. It is not dangerous, just terribly unsightly. The way to prevent this is to temper the chocolate before use. Tempering also gives your chocolate a beautiful shine, and that very satisfying ‘snap’ when you break them.

Different types of chocolate will have different temperature requirements. I find that the method described here works for 60% dark chocolate.

Break your chocolate up into small pieces; the smaller the pieces the quicker the chocolate melts. Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. Be careful not to have too much water in the pan, or to let the water boil too rapidly, or it might splutter and pollute your chocolate with water. If this happens your chocolate will curdle and go grainy and you’ll have to discard it and start again.

Let the chocolate melt in its own time, until it reaches 47^oC, and then take it off the heat. Not all the chocolate pieces will be melted by this time, but don’t worry; the chocolate will continue to melt even after you’ve taken it off the heat due to the heat contained in it.

Wipe the bottom of the bowl with a tea towel to ensure that no water is accidentally transferred to the molten chocolate.

Slowly stir your chocolate until all the pieces have melted. Don’t be tempted to whisk it vigorously; this introduces air bubbles which are a nightmare to get rid of later.

Pour 2/3 of the melted chocolate onto a clean cold surface. A slab of marble or granite is perfect, but any unscathed worktop is ok too. Quickly spread the chocolate thinly on your work surface with a metal spatula. Then scrape it back into a puddle and spread it thinly again. Use a digital thermometer to keep an eye on the chocolate; don’t let it get too cold. The temperature you want to reach is 27^oC. This technique is called tabling and is often used by pastry chefs.

Once the chocolate has reached the desired 27^oC, use the spatula to add it back to the 1/3 reserved chocolate that you left in the glass bowl. You now want to stir it all carefully until it reaches 32^oC. At this point the chocolate is ready to be worked with. It will quickly cool down, so unless you have a hotplate where you can keep it at a constant temperature you must work quickly, or else reheat it carefully at intervals.

Equipment needed:

Saucepan

Glass bowl that will fit over the top of the saucepan

Digital thermometer

Tea towel

Cold work-surface

Metal spatula

Red Chilli Chinese Restaurant in York

I found myself pleasantly surprised as I walked through the door at Red Chilli Chinese Restaurant in York last Friday. The place was buzzing but not noisy, busy but not rushed. As I found my friends who were already waiting in the bar seating area, a lovely waitress showed us to our table. We took our seats and flipped open the menus, and my heart sank. Not because there was anything wrong with the food on offer, but because I am terrible at making decisions, and there was just too much to choose from. And it all sounded delicious. Eventually all seven of us had made our decisions, and the waitress disappeared off with our orders.

Soon dishes began to appear, each prettier than the last. I had ordered Carrot and peanut soup for my starter, and a beautiful silky smooth (very orange) soup arrived. Unfortunately although the soup lived up to its name, the taste didn’t live up to my expectations. It was very carroty, but in a slightly tasteless way. It could have done with some seasoning to balance and bring out the flavour. My friends were, however, really enjoying their food. They had ordered the Deep Fried Squid in Batter and Vegetarian Hot & Sour Soup, both very prettily presented. As we ate our starters I looked around me and had to conclude that most of the other tables were populated by Chinese people, to me a very good sign that the food is both good and authentically Chinese.

After a suitable break our main courses arrived; a very impressive array of brightly coloured dishes. I had chosen Stir Fried Sweet Corn & Baby Corn with pine Kernel, which was exactly that, but very flavoursome and perfectly cooked. According to my friend, his Crispy Shredded Steak Fillet with Cantonese Sauce was also delicious. We had all ordered Egg fried rice to go with our food; served in a bowl for all to share, and very generously proportioned. The food seemed to go on and on, and we must have spent hours eating. But although the restaurant was full, we were never rushed by the waiters, who were all smiles all evening.

All in all it was a lovely evening, and I would definitely eat there again; hopefully sooner rather than later.

Thin and crispy pizza

This pizza is wheat free, but not gluten free. It can also be made with ordinary flour, but you may need to adjust the amount of water for that. Because it's made with self raising flour it doesn't need time to rise, and so it's very quick and easy to make. You can use any vegetables you prefer, the list below is just a suggestion.

Serves 1

100g self-raising flour (I used Doves farm gluten free flour)

50g porridge oats

a pinch of dried mixed herbs

2 tablespoons olive oil

75ml water

1 ½ tablespoons tomato puree

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons water

a pinch of dried herbs

a dash of Tabasco sauce

120g cheese

½ mild green chilli

¼ small courgette

A few slices of orange or red pepper

1 chestnut mushroom

1 tomato

freshly ground pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 180^oC.

Sift together the flour, oats and herbs. Add the oil and water, and mix well until you have a ball of dough. Knead to work the ingredients together. The dough will be a bit crumbly.

Grease a baking tray and press the dough onto it to create a thin base.

Mix the tomato puree, oil, water, herbs and Tabasco sauce (amount of Tabasco sauce to suit your taste) and stir well. Mix well to create a smooth paste. Spread this onto the pizza base.

Slice the vegetables, and arrange with the cheese on the pizza. Put in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes.

Sweet Orange and Clementine Marmalade

Marmalades are very easy to make, and they fill the house with a lovely sweet smell of fruit. Not only are they cheaper to make than to buy, but it is also fun and satisfying to know that you made them yourself. And they are guaranteed free from preservatives. Oranges are especially good in the spring, but you can make marmalades at any time of year when you want to bring a little sunshine into your kitchen.

Makes about 3 jars

600g oranges

200g clementines

50ml lemon juice

500ml water

500g granulated sugar

Thoroughly wash your fruit; you don’t want any pieces of grit or grime in your marmalade.

Peel the fruit thinly. You don’t want any of the white pith, as this becomes bitter during boiling. Chop the peel into small pieces. Clean away all the white pith from the fruit, and dice. Add both fruit and peel to a thick-bottomed saucepan, add the lemon juice and water, and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent it sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Add the sugar, and boil for a further 30 minutes or so until it is sticky and set when you use a spoon to drip a few drops of the liquid onto a cold plate.

Leave the marmalade to cool while heating your clean jars and their lids in the oven to sterilise them. Make sure you put them in the oven while it is cold – if you add cold jars to a hot oven they will break. Bring the oven up to 100^oC. Use a dishcloth to extract the jars from the oven, and fill them with the still warm marmalade. Tighten the lids and leave to cool.

Leftover Pie

Pies are wonderful for using up those leftover bits of vegetables that are left in the fridge at the end of the week. I’ve suggested some vegetable here, because they were what greeted me when I foraged the fridge for ideas at the weekend. But you can use any combination that takes your fancy. And if there is anything left over after dinner, it tastes just as nice as a warmed up lunch the next day.

Serves 4

150g plain flour (I used Doves farm plain white bread flour)

1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

100g butter

2 tablespoons water

oil for greasing the pie dish

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

1 large onion

1 clove garlic

1 large carrot

4 chestnut mushrooms

100g savoy cabbage

1 yellow pepper
1 medium hot chilli

2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs

freshly ground black pepper

200g primula cheese (or other soft cheese)

100g grated cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 180^oC and grease a small pie dish.

Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the herbs. Chop the butter into chunks and add to the flour. Use your hands to crumble the butter and flour until you have a crumbly mixture. Add water and work the dough until well mixed.

Press the dough into the pie dish, and blind bake for about 20 minutes while you make the filling.

Finely chop the onion and sauté in the oil until soft. Add the chopped garlic and leave on the heat for a further minute while you finely slice the carrot into small pieces. Add the carrot and leave to simmer for a few minutes. Chop the mushrooms, cabbage, pepper and chilli and add to the other vegetables. Stir occasionally to ensure they don’t burn. When the vegetables are soft, add some freshly ground black pepper and mixed herbs. Stir in the cream cheese, and pour into the pastry base. Add grated cheese to the top, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

A green salad and some tomatoes with a balsamic dressing are perfect partners for this dish.

Millet-Filled Peppers with Sautéed Leeks and Orange Sauce

I originally created this dish for a friend who was in need of some extra energy and vitamins while revising for exams. There is no reason why the different components can’t be made separately to go with other dishes, but I’ve presented them together here because I thought they worked really well as a dinner composition.

 Serves 2

Orange Sauce:

1 tablespoon butter

1 small onion

2 table spoons flour (I used Doves Farm gluten free plain flour, but you can also use ordinary plain flour)

500 ml orange juice

500 ml vegetable stock

Filled peppers:

2 red peppers

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil

1 onion

1 clove garlic

a handful of millet seeds

1 medium carrot

water

pinch of salt

6 green beans

½ courgette

a handful of fresh coriander

a handful of spinach

5 cherry tomatoes

Sautéed Leeks:

½ leek

3 chestnut mushrooms

a handful of savoy cabbage

100 ml white wine

⅓ tin of haricot beans

1 teaspoon mixed dried herbs

To serve:

cheddar cheese

chopped fresh coriander

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Orange Sauce:

Finely chop the onion, and add to the melted butter. Sauté the onions until soft (about 5 minutes) and add flour. Stir well until all the flour is well mixed in with the onion. Add the orange juice and leave to boil for about 20 minutes or until reduced to half the original amount. Add the vegetable stock, and again boil for about 20 minutes until reduced to half the original amount. Stir occasionally to prevent it sticking to the sides of the pan.

Filled peppers:

Slice the peppers in two, clean out seeds and stalks. Bring a pan of water to the boil, and add the peppers. Let them simmer for 20 minutes until soft.

Warm the oil in a pan, chop the onion and add to the pan. Chop the garlic and add to the onion. Leave to sauté until the onion is soft (about 5 minutes).

Add the millet seeds, a pinch of salt, and a little bit of water. Chop the carrot and add to the pan. The millet behaves in a similar way to risotto rice, so keep adding water and stir occasionally while the millet cooks, until it is soft. Chop the green beans and courgette, and add to the pan.

Add the chopped coriander, spinach and tomatoes a few minutes before serving.

Sautéed Leeks:

Finely chop the leek into think strips. Also chop the cabbage and mushrooms thinly. Add these to a pan. As they start getting warm, add the wine. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes until soft. Add the beans and herbs and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Serving tips:

Arrange the different components of the dish on a plate, and serve with grated cheese and chopped coriander.

Creamy Carrot Casserole

We all know that carrots are good for you, with their carotene, vitamin A and antioxidants that work wonders for your body. But some times it can be difficult to find exciting ways to eat them. This dish is a celebration of carrots, and it actually tastes pretty good too.

Serves 2

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion

1 clove garlic

1 pinch herbal salt

2 medium carrots

1 large leek

1 large broccoli

1 orange pepper

600ml carrot juice

fresh thyme

fresh chives

50ml double cream

Chop the onion, heat the olive oil in a pan and add the onion. Sauté until the onion is soft, then chop the garlic and add this to the onion. Add a pinch of herbal salt, and sauté for a few more minutes. Chop the rest of the vegetables and add these to the pan. Leave the vegetables got get warm, while stirring, and then add the carrot juice and thyme.

Let the casserole simmer for about 20 minutes until all the vegetables are soft but not overcooked.

If you are serving with rice, cook this according to the instructions on the packet.

Add the cream immediately before you serve the casserole. Let the casserole get warm again, but do not let it boil, as the cream will split. Sprinkle some chopped chives over the casserole when serving it.

Pancake Day

I know Pancake Day is really a day to clear out your cupboards and eat old leftovers before lent starts, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a bit of a treat on Pancake Day. And pancakes shouldn’t be reserved just for this one day every year; they can be a breakfast treat on a weekend or birthday, or an afternoon snack if friends are coming over. There is no end to the possibilities for occasions or flavours. They can be fat ones or thin ones, small ones or large ones, with fillings or without….. And the list goes on. I’ve given some examples here, all using the same base that I’ve just added different flavours to.

Serves 2 people as breakfast

Pancake Base

100g flour (I’ve used Doves farm gluten free white bread flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 medium egg

100 ml whole milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. (If you are adding any other dry ingredients such as sugar or spices, add these now.)

Add the egg and milk, and whisk carefully. Make sure you whisk carefully and not for too long, as this can give the pancakes a more rubbery texture.

Add your flavours and mix into the batter. Leave the batter to rest for about 20 minutes. This gives the pancakes a better consistency and gives the flavours a chance to blend together and develop. But if you are in a hurry there’s nothing stopping you from frying them straight away.

Melt the butter and add to the base just before frying.

Heat a frying pan to medium heat. Add a knob of butter, or if you’ve got a non stick pan you won’t need this. Pour a little batter onto the frying pan, and cook for a couple of minutes on each side. Keep an eye on the temperature to make sure they don’t get burned.

 

American Style Jammy Pancakes

 

Jammy pancakes are great for those afternoons when you just need a little encouragement to get that great project started…

1 tablespoon cottage cheese

1 tablespoon strawberry jam

icing sugar and fresh strawberries for serving (optional)

American Style Banana and Raisin Pancakes

This recipe gives deliciously lumpy pancakes; they’re fantastic to share with good friends over a cup of steaming tea.

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 ripe banana

2 tablespoons seedless raisins

maple syrup, banana and raisins for serving (optional)

Cinnamon and Honey Pancakes

This makes quite a runny batter and thin pancakes, if you want them to be thick American style, use less milk. The warming cinnamon and sumptuous honey makes them a great comfort food on a rainy Sunday morning.

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons honey (runny honey is easier to work with, but use one that you think tastes great)

maple syrup or runny honey for serving (optional)

Fruity Salad with Cheese

This salad works really well as a starter; it is light and refreshing and really whets your appetite before a meal. It is also very easy and quick to make. For a well rounded taste, leave the fruit to soak up the dressing for about 10 minutes. If you can’t get Vacherin Fribourgeois cheese, you can use any other hard cheese.

Serves 2 as a starter

½ papaya

3 large strawberries

a handful mixed green baby salad leaves

1 tablespoon walnut oil

1 tablespoon fig vinegar

1 teaspoon maple syrup

3 sprigs fresh thyme

50g Vacherin Fribourgeois cheese

freshly ground pepper

Chop the papaya into 1cm x 1cm cubes, and slice the strawberries lengthways into 6 pieces. Place them in a bowl, and add salad leaves.

To make the dressing, add the oil, vinegar and maple syrup in a jar with lid. Chop the thyme finely and add to the liquid. Put the lid on the jar, and shake well. Pour over the fruit.

Leave the salad for about 10 minutes if you can.

Arrange on plates with the cheese, and grind some fresh pepper over.

Marinated Halloumi with Asparagus and Tomatoes

This is a very simple and tasty meal that can be made into a feast both for the palate and the eyes, as the simple flavours combine into a mouth-watering experience and the colours complement each other, creating a vibrant plate of food.

Serves 2

2 ½ tablespoons rapeseed oil (or other mild flavoured oil)

⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika powder

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

1 clove garlic

½ teaspoon lime juice

250g halloumi (1 packet)

1 small red onion

1 teaspoon olive oil

125g cherry tomatoes

a pinch of salt

1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 teaspoon lime zest

125g asparagus

Mix the rapeseed oil, paprika powder, herbs, garlic and lime juice well. It’s easier to get a good mix if you make it in a jar (with a lid) and shake well. No salt is needed, as the cheese itself is quite salty. Pour the mixture over the halloumi and set to one side for about 30 minutes.

Gently heat the olive oil in a pan. Finely chop the red onion and add to the oil. Gently sauté for about 5 minutes until soft, then slice the tomatoes in halves and add these to the onions. Stir, and add the salt, herbs, lime juice and zest. Leave to simmer gently until soft, stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking and getting burnt.

Place the asparagus in a pan, add water and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until they are soft.  Only add enough water to just cover the asparagus, and be careful not to overcook them. The less water you cook them in the quicker they cook, and the more nutrients are kept.

While the asparagus cook, fry the halloumi in a frying pan with the marinade. They will take about 5 minutes; make sure you turn them half way through to cook evenly on both sides.

Once all the components are ready, dish up and serve. You can add a splash of balsamic vinegar syrup for effect on the plate.