Winter Vegetable Stir-Fry

Ingredients

• Onion
• Chilli
• Parsnip
• Carrot
• Mushrooms
• Garlic
• Chinese Leaf
• Sugar
• Egg Noodles
• 2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
• 2 tablespoons White Wine
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice
• Lemon Juice

Method

1. In wok, fry sliced Onion and Chilli (5 mins)
2. Ribbon Carrot, remove core from Parsnip, slice and add to wok (5 mins)
3. Add sliced Mushrooms and chopped Garlic (3 mins)
4. Add sliced Chinese Leaf and Sugar (3 mins)
5. Remove from Wok
6. Mean while boil then drain Noodles (7 mins)
7. In wok, fry Soy Sauce, White wine and Five Spice (1 min)
8. Stir in Noodles and Vegetables (2 mins)
9. Squeeze over Lemon Juice and serve

Vegetable Biryani

Ingredients

• Onion
• Cumin Seeds
• Cardamom Pods
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Chilli
• Coriander Powder
• Cinnamon Powder
• Potatoes
• Carrots
• Vegetable Stock
• Sultanas
• Basmati Rice
• Turmeric
• Coriander Leaves
• Poppadoms

Masala:

• Chopped Tomatoes
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Chilli

Method

1. Fry Onion, Cumin and Cardamom (10 mins)
2. Add chopped Ginger, Garlic, Chilli, Coriander and Cinnamon (2 mins)
3. Add sliced Potatoes and Carrots (2 mins)
4. Add Stock to cover, then simmer
5. Meanwhile boil Basmati Rice with Turmeric (10 mins)
6. Drain Rice and stir into Vegetables
7. Stir in Sultanas
8. Place in oven dish and bake @160C (20 mins)
9. For Masala, Fry Ginger, Garlic and Chilli (2 mins)
10. Add Tomatoes and simmer
11. Serve with chopped Coriander Leaves and Poppadoms

Strawberry Pannacotta

Ingredients

Pannacotta:

• Vegi Gelatine (1 1/2 sheets)
• 300ml Double Cream
• 200ml Milk
• 80g Caster Sugar
• Vanilla

Coulis:

• Strawberrys
• Lemon Juice
• Caster Sugar

Method

1. Bring Cream, Milk, Sugar and Vanilla to Boil
2. Remove from Heat and whisk in Gelatine
3. Allow to cool a little, then pour into glasses
4. When completely cool, chill (at least 2 hours)
5. For coulis, blend strawberries with lemon juice and caster sugar
6. Serve Pannacotta with coulis on top

Trout with Fennel & Capers

Ingredients

• Fennel
• Leek
• Carrot
• Whole Trout
• Capers
• Shallot
• Bay Leaf
• Lemon
• Fish Stock
• White Wine
• Crème Fraiche
• Chervil

Method

1. Remove fronds from Fennel
2. Slice Fennel, Leek and Carrot  into large chunks, season then drizzle with oil
3. Bake @ 200C (20 mins)
4. Dice Fennel fronds, Capers and Shallot and stuff into Trout
5. Also stuff Lemon Slices into Trout
6. Reduce oven to 140C, and remove Vegetables
7. Add Fish Stock and White Wine
8. Place Trout on top of Vegetables, cover with tin foil, Bake (75 mins)
9. Remove Fish
10. Drain Vegetables (keeping the liquid for sauce)
11. Add Crème Fraiche and Chervil to liquid and bring to boil
12. Reduce until slightly thicker
13. Serve fish whole with Vegetables and plenty of the sauce

Siamese Kitten

Photos this week are of a new family member, my sisters Siamese Kitten!

Squash & Fennel Spelt

Ingredients

• Butternut Squash
• Cumin Seeds
• Chilli Flakes
• Fennel
• Garlic
• Walnuts
• Sunflower Seeds
• Pearl Barley
• Sugar Snaps
• Lemon Juice
• Goats Cheese

Method

1. Scoop Seeds out and cube Squash (you can leave skin on) and season
2. Sprinkle over Cumin Seeds and Chilli Flakes
3. Drizzle over oil and Bake @180C (15 mins)
4. Add Sliced Fennel, whole Garlic (with skin) and return to oven (20 mins)
5. Add Walnuts and Sunflower Seeds, return to oven (5 mins)
6. Meanwhile boil Pearl Barley (17 mins)
7. Add Sugar Snaps to Pearl Barley and boil (3 mins)
8. Drain Barley and Sugar Snaps
9. Remove Squash and Fennel from oven
10. Take out Garlic, remove skin, mash and mix back in to Squash and Fennel
11. Mix in Barley and Sugar Snaps
12. Squeeze over Lemon Juice
13. Top with Goats Cheese

Mango Dhal

Ingredients

• 250g Red Lentils
• 800ml Water
• Vegetable Stock Cube
• Turmeric
• Pinch Salt
• Mango
• Coriander Leaves
• Onion
• Cumin Seeds
• Chilli Flakes
• Naan Bread
• Mango Chutney

Method

1. Boil Lentils, Water and Stock Cube (10 mins)
2. Mash Lentils
3. Add diced Mango, Turmeric and Salt (5 mins)
4. Meanwhile fry Onion, Cumin Seeds and Chilli Flakes (10 mins)
5. Place lentils in bowl top with onions and Coriander Leaves
6. Serve with Naan Bread and Mango Chutney

Mushroom & Cheese Crepes

Ingredients

• Mushrooms
• Gruyère Cheese
• Chives
• Garlic
• New Potatoes
• Sugar Snaps

Batter:

• 250g Plain Flour
• Pinch of Salt
• Pinch of Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 410ml Milk
• 125ml Water

Method

1. In a bowl mix Flour, Salt and Sugar
2. In separate bowl whisk Water, Milk and Eggs together
3. Gradually pour fluid into flour, whisking until smooth
4. Chill (20 mins)
5. Fry Mushrooms (10 mins)
6. Add Garlic and Chives (2 mins)
7. Set aside to cool
8. Grate Cheese
9. Get a pan hot with oil and butter
10. Pour a ladle of batter and spread out
11. Place mushrooms and Cheese on top
12. Fold over then flip
13. Serve with New Potatoes and Sugar Snaps

Peperonata

Ingredients

• Onion
• Garlic
• Red Pepper
• Aubergine
• Paprika
• Tomatos
• Eggs
• Green Beans

Method

• Fry Onion (10 mins)
• Add Peppers, Aubergine, Paprika and Garlic, simmer with lid (10 mins)
• Add Tomatos (5 mins)
• Make hollows and break in eggs, season
• Bake @180C (10 mins)
• Serve with Green Beans and Bread

Strawberry Cakes

Ingredients

• 110g Butter
• 180g Caster Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 125g Self Raising Flour
• 120g Plain Flour
• 125ml Milk
• Vanilla
• Strawberry Jam
• Icing Sugar

Method

1. Cream together Butter Sugar until pale and smooth
2. Add Eggs one at a time
3. Mix Flours in separate bowl
4. Mix Vanilla and Milk in another bowl
5. Add 1/3 Flours to Eggs, then 1/3 Milk – Repeat until all ingredients are incorporated
6. Gently fold in Jam so streaks still remain
7. Bake @160C (25 mins)
8. When cool, mix Icing Sugar with a little water and drizzle over Cakes