Sweet Potato Mash with Crisp Sage Leaves, Ricotta and Pecan Nuts from Sally Clarke: 30 Ingredients

It's book review time and 30 Ingredients by Sally Clarke is a real treat, chef style food explained in clear and simple recipes for you to make at home.

About the book
30 Ingredients encapsulates Sally's innovative and uncomplicated approach to food  At its heart lies her simple concept of cooking with the freshest and best, produce the vision that has ensured Sally's success for the last thirty years.  Sally's philosophy is simple: fresh in-season ingredients used not only to suit every plate but also to please the eye. Sally has chosen a handful of recipes for each of her favourite 30 ingredients,



About the author
It is 30 years since Sally Clarke founded her now legendary Notting Hill restaurant Clarke's and become the pioneer of seasonal fine dining in British cuisine.  To celebrate this significant anniversary, the award-winning chef, restaurateur and author has now written and irresistible cookery book, 30 Ingredients.

The Ingredients and the Recipes
1. Apricot - this is one of my favourites too and I'll definitely be making Apricots baked with vanilla, cinnamon and lavender.
2. Asparagus - always popular in its season and Asparagus risotto with spelt, goat cheese and Prosecco is bound to prove popular too.
3. Aubergine - Sally prefers the paler aubergines/eggplants but the purple ones will do just as well in her Baba Ganoush and Caponata recipes.
4.. Basil - that tarts of summer in a herb features in a surprising Basil ice ream with sugared basil leaves, lemon and black pepper wafers.
5. Beetroot - another of my faves, that rich sweet earthy flavour will blend perfectly with the carrots in Baked beetroot and carrots with new season garlic.
6. Broad Bean - best picked fresh from the garden and a real star in the recipe for Cracked wheat salad with broad beans, courgettes and peas.
7. Cep - these flavourful fungi are served finely sliced with Parmesan, lemon. olive oil and parsley toasts a simple dish that I can almost taste.
8. Cherry - bursting with sweet juice, cherries go well with many flavours but just so well with chocolate that your mouth will be watering at Sally's Dark Chocolate souffle cake with Kirsch and cherries.
9. Chicory - not a vegetable I have cooked with but I do like the sound of a Chicory Tarte Tatin.
10. Clementine - my favourite of the easy peel oranges and as they start to come into the shops soon, I will be serving the Salad of clementines, feta, pine nuts and pomegranate dressing.
11. Cobnuts - I've tried cobnuts once, their availability tends to be localised to the south east of England, worth sourcing them to make the Cobnut salad with figs and peaches or, I guess, substituting the more common hazelnuts.
12. Fennel- Not everyone likes the aniseed overtones in a lovely Florence Fennel, I love it,  and Sea bass baked with potato and fennel sounds heavenly to me.
13. Fig - I'm beginning to think that Sally has been looking at my list of favourite foods!  Fig is certainly a favourite of mine and every recipe in this section sounds good to me, Figs with balsamic vinegar, chives blossoms and shaved Parmesan served with Spiced seeded flat bread sounds like a feast to me.
14. Landcress - this is a new one on me, and Sally does admit that it is not so easy to find, it is more peppery than watercress and she suggests that it is used with care. Crab Cakes with Landcress, Chilli, Creme Fraiche and Lime is bound to pack a punch, just what I like.
15. Leeks - a little more available, Sally uses leeks at every stage of their growth for different types of recipe. Smoked Haddock and Leek Pasties would be great as a starter or to eat on a picnic.
16. Lemon and Lime - two for the price of one here, so I'm going to give you two recipes too.  Lemon and Lime Icecream sounds delicious as does Lemon and brown sugar shortbread.
17. Olive - I would eat olives everyday if I could and I would love to eat the gutsy Black olive tapenade toasts with anchovies and capers, a taste explosion!
18. Blood Orange - also known as Ruby Oranges, always lovely and sweet, a Salad of Blood Oranges, Beetroot and Pomegranate would be well worth making and eating.
19. Pea - another star vegetable and one that I love in soup.  Sally's Chilled pea soup with mint, spring onion and yoghurt sounds like a real treat.
20. Peach - Cheers! Sally has whizzed up a White Peach Bellini for our delight.
21. Pine Nut - of course without pine nuts there would be no Pesto but Sally also brings us Sicilian-style ricotta and pin nut torta.
22. Potato - so versatile, the perfect ingredient and Sally shows us how to make perfect roast potatoes, the epitome of potato deliciousness.
23. Quince - I once managed to get some quince from a neighbour's tree but conditions for good quince do not seem to have returned.  If you can get hold of some then Sally's Quince and Rosemary Tarte Tatin sounds worth making.
24. Raspberry - nothing beats raspberries, that combination of sweet and sharp and bursting with deep pink juice.  Sally creates a Raspberry Jelly which also contains blackcurrants and strawberries creating a lovely red fruit jelly.
25.Rocket - Sally comments on the dramatic rise in popularity of rocket and extols it's peppery virtues, which are beautifully shown off in her recipe for Rocket wrapped in rare roasted beef, with mustard mayonnaise on toast.
26.Sage - the herb that just cries out for some pork!  Sally does not disappoint and her Pork, Onion and Sage Pie is on my list to make.
27. Squash and Pumpkin - those colourful gourds are so versatile, it's nearly the time of year when pumpkins are in abundance and a plate full of this rustic Spiced Pumpkin, Tomato and Chickpea Stew would go down a treat on a cooler day.
28.Strawberry- in season there is nothing quite like the taste of a strawberry and they herald the start of summer proper to me. Sally treats the strawberries simply but adds layers of flavour in her Strawberry Cannoli recipe, these are not tube shaped cannoli, more like little baskets to scoop up the ricotta and strawberries before popping in your mouth.
29. Sweetcorn - in this chapter Sally creates a Baked Sweetcorn and Polenta Pudding with Ricotta, maybe it's because we are heading towards autumn and winter that I find this so attractive, comfort food with a difference.
30. and finally Tomato - imagine that smell of ripe tomatoes straight off the vine, combined with sweet nectarines, feta and onions and decorated with nasturtium, marigold and rocket blossoms, that's one of the ways that Sally showcases tomatoes in Tomato Salad with Nectarines and Feta

So there we are, 30 ingredients and, although I have only picked out one recipe per ingredient, there are at least two and sometimes three for each.



Who is it for?
I would say this is a book for people with a passion for food who want to make the most of every ingredient they use.  Although  the 30 ingredients are all vegetables, fruits, herbs and nuts , this is not a vegetarian cookbook, there are non-meat recipes, as well as those with meat, fish and poultry. It would make a beautiful gift for anyone who loves to cook.

Pros
The photographs are stunning, there is not a photo for every recipe, but the quality of the photos is very high.  The whole book is beautifully produced and could sit quite happily on that 'coffee table' to be picked up and oohed and aahed over. Each ingredient is given a page of text, which is easy to read and the recipes are clear and well written with a couple of paragraphs of 'story' where appropriate.

Cons
It's quite a big book, however it does stay open so you can read the recipes - hurrah! At £25 it's not cheap but I think this is justified by the quality of the production and the excellence of the recipes.

The Verdict
Add it to your wish list for birthday or Christmas, then you too can spend hours drooling over the exciting recipe ideas and the beautiful pictures.


Sweet Potato Mash with Crisp Sage Leaves, Ricotta and Pecan Nuts
Serves 6

1.5kg sweet potatoes
2tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp light olive oil
100g butter, plus a little extra for buttering the dish
1 bunch sage, small leaves picked, large leaves chopped finely
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed to a cream
salt
50g pecans, medium-finely chopped
250g ricotta or fresh goat cheese

Peel the sweet potatoes and place in a large pan of boiling slated water, cover and simmer until tender to the centre. Drain in a colander and when cool enough to handle, cut roughly into smallish pieces.

Toast the cumin seeds in a small pan over a medium heat until they are fragrant - do not allow to burn. Crush using a pestle and mortar or in a spice grinder.

Meanwhile heat the olive oil and half the butter in a pan until foaming.  Fry the small sage leaves until crisp (though not too dark), remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.  Add the remaining butter to the pan and add the ground cumin, chopped chilli and chopped sage, and cook until fragrant (approximately one minute).  Remove from the heat, add the garlic and stir well.

Place the sweet potato in a large bowl and beat with a hand whisk or electric whisk until smooth (I put the sweet potato through the potato ricer). Little by little add almost all the seasoned butter ingredients until well amalgamated.  Add salt to taste.

Preheat the oven to 175C
Brush an oven-proof dish with butter and spoon the potato mash in, levelling the top a little. Drizzle over any remaining melted butter and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and scatter the pecans with crumbled ricotta or goat cheese on the top, and continue to bake for a further 3-4 minutes or until piping hot.

Garnish with fried sage leaves and serve alongside a crisp green and bitter leaf salad or with roasted pork, turkey or chicken.

You really need to add lots of chopped sage for the flavour to come through, hard to judge 'a bunch' and I probably underplayed it, will be trying again with more sage.  Pecans and sweet potatoes is a marriage made in heaven though and the cumin and chilli add a nice spicy lift without overpowering the sweet potato. 

Sally Clarke: 30 Ingredients
Published by Frances Lincoln Limited Publishers
RRP Hardback £25

Labels: 30 Ingredients, book review, cookbook review, pecan nuts, review, ricotta, sage, Sally Clarke, Sweet Potato

posted by Janice @ 19:42 4 Comments

Quinoa with Summer Roasted Vegetables and Harissa Marinade and a Giveaway

I thought quinoa was going to be the grain that finally defeated me.  I have tried to cook with it several times and never managed to get rid of the soapy taste.  When I saw this recipe in "At home in the wholefood kitchen- celebrating the art of eating well" I thought I'd give it another chance and I'm so glad that I did as this recipe for Quinoa with Summer Roasted Vegetables and Harissa Marinade was packed with flavours and none of them were soap!


The Blurb
With her love of whole food and expertise as a chef, Amy Chaplin has written a book to entice everyone to eat well every meal, every day. She provides all the know how for creating delicious, healthy dishes based on unprocessed, unrefined food - from the basics of good eating to preparing seasonal feasts all year round.

About the Author: Amy Chaplin has worked as a vegetarian chef for over twenty years. She is the former executive chef of New York’s renowned vegan restaurant Angelica Kitchen, a recipe developer, a teacher, and a private chef whose clients include Natalie Portman and Liv Tyler. Amy’s delicious vegan and vegetarian cuisine has appeared in numerous publications, including Martha Stewart Living, Vogue, the Wall Street Journal, New York magazine, the Guardian, the Vegetarian Times, Oprah magazine and the Washington Post. A native of Australia, over the last two decades Chaplin has worked as a chef in Amsterdam, London, Sydney, and New York. She currently resides in New York City. Find more of her original recipes at amychaplin.com.

What's in the book?
This is a large book and something of a wholefood primer.  My own introduction to wholefoods came about in the late 1970s and it was Gail Duff who influenced my interest in whole and healthy foods.  Amy Chaplin had the benefit of growing up on a community farm by parents who cooked and ate the food that they grew there. After Amy's introduction and biography, you move on to The Pantry, which for Amy includes vegetables and fruits that sit out on the kitchen worktop. Amy introduces us to whole grains, beans and pulses, nuts and seeds, superfoods such as goji berries and help seeds; oils, vinegars, seasoning and condiments.  But it doesn't stop there, we learn about seaweeds, spices, pantry vegetables and a feast of ingredients for the fridge and freezer.  Natural sweeteners, bottled and canned items and I doubt if the pantry door will close!

Amy then gives us a run down on equipment we should aim to have in our kitchen, although she does recommend slowly collecting good-quality pans to last a lifetime.  Two luxury items are included which Amy uses daily, a pressure cooker and a Vitamix blender.

Cooking from the Pantry, this section is divided into Grains, Beans, Nuts and Seeds and Roasting Vegetables.  Before you start cooking any of the recipes, each chapter has detailed instructions on how to prepare and the ingredients. Here are a few of the recipes I liked: Simple Quinoa (this was the basic recipe I followed for the featured recipe), Lemony Marinated Lentils sounds delicious, Tamari Toasted Seeds are bound to be a hit for snacking or sprinkling on salads.  The Roasted Vegetables are prepared with coconut oil and fresh herbs.

Pantry Recipes takes these basics a little further with a range of creative dishes such as Steamed Greens with zesty flaxseed dressing, Wholewheat fettucine with kale, caramelised onions and marinated goat's cheese, Dijon mustard marinated tempeh and garlic tamari-braised tofu. There are some really great Make-Ahead Condiments including the harissa, I made for my recipe, tahini sauce and toasted almond butter.

We are just about half way through 'At home in the whole food kitchen' and we are just starting with breakfast.  I wouldn't refuse spelt almond waffles, blackberry cornmeal muffins or pumpkin bread with toasted walnut cinnamon swirl or coconut and quinoa pancakes.

Soup is easy to make and easy to keep healthy and whole food, I really must make pea and courgette (zuchinni) soup with dill.  Miso soup was one of our 70's stand bys, Amy makes a hearty winter miso soup with adzuki beans, squash and ginger and I love the sound of the luscious spicy carrot soup with Kaffir lime leaves and coconut.

Salads doesn't herbed spelt berry salad with peas and feta sound good?  As does shaved fennel beetroot salad with blood orange and crushed hazelnuts and, of  course, the quinoa with roasted summer vegtables and harissa marinade (recipe below).

Everyone loves snacks, nibbles and drinks and this chapter doesn't disappoint, rustic pea spread, roasted red pepper macadamia pate, black sesame rice crackers and to wash it down rhubarb rose infusion or turmeric lemonade.

We are by no means finished yet, Whole Meals serves up dill roasted plum tomato tart with pine nut crust, tempeh portobello burgers, butternut squash lasagne with wholewheat noodles and sage tofu ricotta and heirloom bean bourguignon with celeriac mash.

Desserts can be whole food too, there is a range of tarts including fresh peach with walnut crust, coconut custard tart with toasted coconut crust, date pistachio praline tart and dark chocolate truffle tart with Brazil nut crust. Other sweet treats include apricot coconut bars, pistachio sultana cookies with cardamom and earl grey fruit cake.

At home in the whole food kitchen  finishes with a little essay on tea, in all it's forms, Amy's thoughts on cleansing and healing with whole foods, some guidelines and menu suggestions and finally why we should eat organic foods.


Who is it for?
This book would suit both the novice whole foodie and experienced vegetarian and vegan cooks.  The extensive information about ingredients, and how to prepare them, is well written and, so far, the recipes have worked for me.  The recipes themselves are interesting and varied, with some rather different combinations of ingredients to satisfy the most adventurous cook.

Pros
Well written recipes including instructions on how to prepare various pantry ingredients.  Lots of well styled clear photographs.

Cons
It is a big heavy tome of a book, certainly not for reading in bed!  When I first looked at the recipes I was a bit put off by some of the ingredients, but on closer inspection most are easily available and there are only a few that I would struggle to source.

The Verdict
If you want to eat more healthily or simply explore some different recipes, then this is a great place to start.  You will learn the how and why of whole foods as well as having recipes to follow, allowing you to create your own healthy vegetarian and vegan recipes.  I was so impressed by the recipe, not only was the quinoa perfectly cooked, the harissa was the best I've ever tasted with the combination of the ingredients making a fabulous meal.


Quinoa with Summer Roasted Vegetables and Harissa Marinade
Serves 4 - 6

2 courgettes (zucchinis), roll cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
2 red peppers (capsicums), deseeded and cut into 2.5cm (1in) pieces
300g (10 1/2 oz/2cups) cherry tomatoes, large ones cut in half
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
1 red onion cut into 1.2 com (1/2 in) wedges
720g (1lb 9oz/4 cups) cooked quinoa, cooled (see below)
80ml (3fl oz/1/2 cup) homemade harissa (see below)
40g (1 1/2 oz/1 cup) chopped flat-leaf parsley
140g (5oz) goat's milk feta, drained and crumbled
Olives, to garnish

Pre-heat oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark.  Line 2 baking trays with baking parchment. Place courgette (zucchini), peppers (capsicum) and cherry tomatoes in a bowl and toss with 3 tbsp of the olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt.  Divide vegetables between baking trays and spread out in a single layer.  Roast for 25 minutes.  Gently stir vegetables, rotate trays and roast 10 minutes more or until browning, Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Warm remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Add red onion and saute for 5 minutes. Lower heat a little and cook for 15 minutes longer, stirring every minute or so, until soft and caramelised.  Stir in a pinch of salt remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Transfer quinoa to a large bowl, fluff with a fork, add harissa and mix well.  Add roasted vegetables, caramelised onions and parsley; toss gently to combine and season to taste with additional salt. Crumble feta over top and serve garnished with olives.


Harissa
Makes about 80ml (3fl oz/1/3 cup)

1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/8 tsp sea salt
 60ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Warm a small to medium frying pan over medium heat.  Add cumin, coriander and caraway seeds, toast seeds, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes or until fragrant.  Transfer to an electric spice grinder and grind until fine.  Place ground spices in a bowl then add paprika, cayenne, garlic, salt, olive oil and lemon juice.  Stir until smooth.  Store in a  sealed glass jar in the fridge for up to two months, or as mentioned above leave out the lemon for storing indefinitely.

Simple Quinoa
Makes 720g (1lb 9oz/4 cups) cooked quinoa

170g (6oz/1 cup) quinoa
240ml (8fl oz/ 1 cup) filtered water, plus more for soaking
pinch of sea salt

Wash and soak the quinoa in at least 720ml (24fl oz /3 cups) water for 8 to 24 hours.  Drain and rinse the quinoa.  Place in a 2 litre (3 1/2 pint) pan and add filtered water and salt.  Bring to the boil over high heat, cover pan, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and set aside, covered, for 5 - 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork and serving.  Once cool, quinoa can be stored n the fridge for up to  four days.

At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen Celebrating the Art of Eating Well by Amy Chaplin

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Labels: amy chaplin, at home in the whole food kitchen, cook, cookbook review, Harissa, quinoa, review, roasted vegetables, Vegan, Vegetables, vegetarian, whole food

posted by Janice @ 20:26 98 Comments

Roasted Carrot Hummus and the One Pot Gourmet Gardener Review

I can't recommend this Roasted Carrot Hummus highly enough, it is so good.
It's one of the recipes in the One-Pot Gourmet Gardener by Cinead McTernan, delicious container recipes to grow together and cook together.  If you have been following my blog then you'll know that I'm growing vegetables in containers this year, so this book is right up my street.



Author CINEAD McTERNAN is a horticulturally trained writer and gardening editor of The Simple Things magazine. She was previously editor of The Edible Garden magazine and worked on The English Garden and BBC Gardeners’ World magazines. Her previous book Kitchen Garden Experts was published by Frances Lincoln in 2014.

Award-winning photographer JASON INGRAM has worked on numerous garden and food magazines. His published books include The Ethicurean Cookbook and Kitchen Garden Experts

The Blurb
With these exciting container recipes, you can grow all the ingredients you need for a single dish in a single pot. One-Pot Gourmet Gardener presents 25 carefully devised container recipes grouped into soups and salads, delicious main courses, handy picnics, quick suppers and divine drinks and puddings, including gazpacho, garden pizza, ratatouille, smoothies, sauces and tarts. Each one-pot recipe provides every step from sowing to serving. And after being guided through an introductory masterclass on how to grow crops in pots, readers will have the confidence and skills to devise their own one-pot recipes. With a little planning you can prepare the food for a one-pot celebration, when you sow the crops in spring!

My thoughts
The concept of this book is simple, plant up a container with a variety of herb and vegetable plants, then when they have grown, you are ready to make the recipe.  All of this is explained in the Introduction which tells you how to get started and encourages everyone with even the smallest patio balcony or roof garden to give growing your own a go. Everything from choosing a pot, tools and equipment to compost, positioning your pot, watering, pests and diseases, harvesting and storage is covered at the start of the book .

The Recipes
For each recipe there is a 'Grow Me' section and an 'Eat Me' section.  Here are some of the recipes which I found attractive:  Courgette and Fennel Tart, Hummus Three Ways (including Carrot Hummus), Honey and Thyme Blackberries with Thyme Shortbreads. Kale and Celery Soup, Rainbow Chard Pesto, Radish and Shallot Pickle and Pimms Jelly.

Who is it for?
Anyone who wants to grow vegetables in containers, but also cooks who would like to try making something a bit different with produce.  Whether you grow your own vegetables or not, you can still enjoy the produce from farmers markets or greengrocers or even the supermarket.

Pros
Everything you need to learn how to grow vegetables and herbs in containers.  A variety of interesting, well written recipes, good photographs and clear instructions for sowing and growing.

Cons
For those of us living a bit further north, some of the containers would be unlikely to thrive.  I know this because I have been gardening for many years, however not everyone would be aware that tomatoes and aubergines are unlikely to thrive outside in Scotland and might be disappointed, especially in a summer like this one, where even my courgettes have failed to thrive. Some information on regional differences would have been helpful.

The Verdict
A fun book which would be a good gift for a gardening cook or a cooking gardener! The containers looks as attractive as containers of flowers with the variety of plants really complementing each other. As you will see below, I was impressed by the Carrot Hummus, and I'm sure many of the other recipes will be well worth making too.


Roasted Carrot Hummus
200g/7oz carrots
Drizzle of olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 x 440g/15oz tin cooked chickpeas
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 heaped tsp tahini
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp ground cumin

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6.
2. Place the carrots on a baking sheet, drizzle with oilive il an season. Roast in the oven until soft - about 30 minutes.
3. When the carrots have cooked, place them adn the remainder of the ingredients into amixer and blitz until blended and smooth. Spoon into a bowl and level to remove any air pockets.
4. Serve immediately, with warm pitta bread, or cover with a film of olive oil to preserve it and store in the refrigerator. 

Labels: Carrot Hummus, Container gardening, cookbook review, gardening, grow your own, hummus, One Pot Gourmet Gardener, review, Roasted Carrot, vegetables carrots

posted by Janice @ 20:27 17 Comments

Cheat's Seeded Crackers: A lot on her plate by Rosie Birkett

Rosie Birkett grew up in a family who lived to eat. Rosie was exposed to cooking by a talented mother who turned even the simplest ingredients into delectable delights.  Now Rosie has taken that love of the edible and followed in her parents' journalistic footsteps to forge  a successful career as a leading food writer and stylist.

A Lot on her Plate is a culmination of Rosie's favourite recipes inspired by years as  a food writer and hungry traveller, featuring over 80 fun and creative dishes that will appeal to a wide range of home cooks.

Rosie's writing style is infectious and very readable, she starts by telling us How to Shop and encourages us to get to know our local suppliers, but there is an acknowledgement that not everyone is able to do this, at least not all the time.

I loved the equipment flow chart from essential to less essential (but still really useful). Basic Ingredients are also outlined and kept pretty much to the sort of things that I would keep in my fridge, freezer and larder.

Recipes that caught my eye,  by chapter

Breakfast + Brunch: Elly's pea, feta and spring onion frittata is a simple but tasty dish easy to make in the morning. Guacamole Bread with fried eggs and chipotle salsa sounds and looks (in the photo) quite amazing, definitely a brunch dish worth making.  I also liked the sound of  Basted Eggs with Kale, lemon and chilli great flavours to wake up your tastebuds.

Starters and small plates: Crab and Tarragon mezzaluna (little tarragon pasta parcels filled with crab), Leeks vinaigrette looks simple but delicious served with gorgonzola and walnuts, more 'chipotle love' with Winter Squash soup with chipotle, roasted garlic and crunchy seeds.

Snacks and Sides: Cheat's seeded crackers are such a clever idea (see below); Baby potato and rosemary pizzas; Marmite gougeres, love 'em or hate 'em and Chilli, garlic and sesame kale chips.

Bigger Plates and Super Suppers: I love risotto so the Parsley, bacon and broad bean risotto will be  a recipe on my plate.  The Oxtail French dip sandwich looks amazing and is sure to be popular, another Risotto of Leek, Smoked Mackerel and toasted almonds, oh my goodness, I love the sound of that. I'm also drawn to Rosemary-fried mackerel fillets with buttered new potatoes, pickled samphire and radishes. 

Feasts for Friends: Rosie likes to feed her friends and I'm sure they are not disappointed with dishes like Chicken, mushroom and tarragon cassoulet, Maple-braised pigs' cheeks with apple, roasted hazelnuts and Parmesan polenta. I'm sensing a chipotle theme going on in the book, or is it just that I'm seeing them as  chipotle chillies are my favourites?  Anyway, Chipotle Roast Chicken sounds the business.

Salads and Vegetables: I love figs so the Fig, rocket and Gorgonzola salad with toasted almonds and maple dressing appealed immediately.  Surprisingly the Shredded sprout salad, two ways looks fabulous who knows it may convert some sprout haters. Summer watermelon, feta and radish salad with mint just screams summer at me, I hope we get some warm weather as I'd love to eat this outside with some grilled meats.

Desserts and drinks: Combining just about every food trend going a Salted butterscotch popcorn cheesecake is a fun dessert for a party or a movie night in. For a creamy treat Black Cherry Brulee hits all the right spots and it's made with a mix of greek yogurt and cream, so a little lighter than a traditional brulee. Little Orange and Ginger madeleines would go well with coffee or a dessert wine, a nice combination of flavours. For a real showstopper, I would go for the Raspberry and white chocolate Jelly, set in a mould it has the wow factor. In the drinks department there is a homemade elderflower cordial  recipe.

Finally there is a chapter for 'Essentials' things that will take your dish to the next level. Preserved lemons are featured as are Chicken  and Fish Stocks, some mayonnaise variations, salsa and Cumin Brioche.




Cheat's Seeded Crackers
makes about 40

1 egg
1 tablespoon ground cumin
pinch of red chilli flakes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 wheat or drum tortillas
1 tablespoon chia seeds (available from most health food stores0
1 tbsp za'atar spice mix

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F/Gas 4)
2. Beat the egg with the ground cumin, chilli flakes, and a little salt and pepper. Use a pastry brush to brush the spice egg wash over the tortillas. Scatter with chia seeds and za'atar, then cut each tortilla into triangles with scissors, Bake for about 10 minutes until crisp and golden, turning them over halfway through cooking.
3. Keep a really close ye on them when you're baking them though, as they can easily burn because they're so thin.

Labels: A lot on her plate, cookbook review, crackers, Hardie Grant books, homemade, review, Rosei Birkett, seeded, Tortilla Chips

posted by Janice @ 07:00 10 Comments

What to Bake and How to Bake it: Festive Fruit Cake

Do you make a fruit cake for Christmas?  Usually I have my cake made at the end of October and maturing until it is iced a couple of weeks before Christmas.  However, this year I was in danger of not having any cake at all, as I've just been so busy.  Thank goodness I was sent a copy of What to Bake and How to Bake it by Jane Hornby and took the opportunity to bake Jane's Festive Fruit Cake. 


Jane Hornby is an experienced food writer, baking expert and cookery teacher.  She has spent many years working on bestselling food magazines where she has honed her clear, friendly, step-by-step style, and her passion for real home cooking.

The book begins with a comprehensive chapter full of technique, tips and answers to frequently asked questions.

Simple Family Baking contains recipes such as Golden Citrus Drizzle Cake, Peanut Butter Cookies, Favourite Swiss Roll, Lemon and Raisin Pancakes, Rocky Road  and Classic Crusty Bread.

Morning Coffee and Afternoon Tea, just imagine a tiered cake stand loaded with Classic Shortbread, Jaffa Marble Loaf, Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Lemon Glazed Ginger Cake and Seriously Chcolately Cookies.

As if these are not special enough the next chapter is entitled Special Bakes. The Chocolate Fudge Layer Cake looks pretty special and the Coconut Layer Cake is really pretty with it's toasted coconut chip decoration. Angel Cake with berries and Pumpkin Pie are classic US celebration cakes and almost everyone loves Frosted Cupcakes.  The Festive Fruit cake comes into this chapter (recipe below) as does another winter feast bake, Cranberry Stollen.

Finally we come to Desserts and After Dinner, the Flourless Chocolate Cake is a decadently rich and gooey dessert, I'm definitely going to try the Tart au Citron, it's one of my favourites.  Another citrus favourite is Whole Orange and Almond Cake, the instructions look incredibly easy.  Want to master choux pastry?  Jane provides the perfect step by step Chocolate Profiterole recipe and pastry is also de-mystified in the recipe for One-Crust Apple and Blackberry Pie.  Macarons, biscotti and Salted Caramel Shortbread bites complete this indulgent chapter.

There is a really useful index of bakes by occasion, for example, Bake-sale bestsellers and Mother's Day.  There is a standard index as well, so you can easily find your favourites.

Who is it for?
You would think this is a book for beginners, the step-by-step photos and instructions certainly make it ideal for a beginning baker.  However, although I have many years of baking experience, I probably made the best fruit cake I have ever made using the Festive Fruit Cake recipe, so it is well worth investing in for anyone who wants to improve their baking.

Pros
It's a beautiful book and would make a great gift.  The photographs are clear without too much styling to get in the way of what you need to do, you could frame the illustrations at the start of each chapter,  and hang them on your wall, they are so delightful (see the cover for an idea of the style).   The written instructions are very detailed and neatly laid out down the side of the photos.  If my experience is typical, the recipes really work.

Cons
There are an awful lot of baking books on the market, and I seem to own quite a few of them.  Many of the bakes in What to Bake and How to Bake it are standards such as Victoria Sponge, Swiss Roll, Shortbread, Brownies which will feature in other books you may own, but perhaps not in such detail with a step-by-step format.

The Verdict
Beautiful book, well written recipes.  I'm not sure I could resist if I didn't already have a copy.

Festive Fruit Cake
1 lemon
100 g glace cherries, drained
600 g dried mixed fruit, such as raisins, sultanas or currants
100 g candied mixed citrus peel
120 ml brandy or dark rum
225 g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
225 g light brown soft sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 eggs
225 g plain flour
2 tsp ground mixed spice
1/4 salt
50 g toasted flaked almonds

1. Finely grate the zest from the lemon and squeeze the juice.  Cut the cherries in half.  Put them into a large saucepan with the dried fruit and peel and 100 ml of the alcohol. Cover, then bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and leave to stand for at least an hour, or overnight if you can.  The fruit will plump up and absorb the liquid.

SOAKING ALTERNATIVES
If you'd rather not use alcohol, strong black tea makes a good substitute, as does orange or apple juice.  Alcohol is added to act as a flavouring as well as to preserve the cake until Christmas.  Any dried fruit can be substituted, although I'd recommend a balance of sweet and tart fruit for a more interspersing end result. 

2. When ready to make the cake, preheat the oven to 160C (140C fan/gas 3).  Double-line a deep 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment.  To do this, fold a 65 x 30 cm piece of parchment in half lengthways.  On the folded side, make a fold about 2 cm of the way in.  Snip at 2 cm intervals along the length of the seam, up to the fold, a make a frill. Cut 2 circles for the base.

3. Grease the tin with butter, then line the sides with the frilled paper, with the frills at the base of the tin, overlapping slightly.  Grease the circles with butter, then sit them on top trapping the frill below.  This preparation is neede to protect the cake during the long baking time.

4. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl, then beat with an electric mixer until pale and creamy.  Add the vanilla, then beat in 1 egg.  When the mixture is fluffy and light, add the next egg and repeat.  If the batter starts to look a little lumpy, beat in 1 tablespoon on the flour.  Repeat with the remaining eggs. This is one creaming-method cake that can't be sped up; don't try to make it using the all-in-one method.

5. Sift in the flour, spice and salt into the bowl and fold into the batter with a spatula or large metal spoon.  Now fold in the soaked fruit, plus the nuts.  It will make a stiff batter.

6.  Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and level the top.  Make a depression in the middle of the batter with the spatula.  This will  help the cake rise more evenly.

7. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, then turn the oven down to 150C (130C fan/Gas 2) for 1 1/4-1 1/2 hours more. When ready, the cake will be dark golden and a skewer inserted into the centre will come out clean.  If not bake for another 15 minutes and check again.  Leaver to cool in its tin on a rack.  When still warm, prick holes all over it with a cocktail stick and spoon in the rest of the alcohol, tea or juice.  Once cool, remove from the tin then wrap carefully in clean baking parchment and store in an airtight container in a cool place.

The recipe also includes instructions for how to marzipan and ice your cake, I love marzipan but this year I decided to leave my cake 'naked' and enjoy it in all it's fruity glory. 

What to Bake and How to Bake It by Jane Hornby
Photographs by Liz and Max Haarala Hamilton
Illustrations by Kerry Lemon
Published by Phaidon 
RRP £19.95

Digital image of Santa Claus from Jingle all the way by Kate Hadfield

Labels: baking, Christmas Cake, cookbook review, fruit cake, Jane Hornby, Phaidon, Step by Step, What to Bake and How to Bake it

posted by Janice @ 20:31 16 Comments

St Andrew's Day Slow Cooked Challenge and a Giveaway

St Andrew's Day is a day of celebration for Scots, both in Scotland and for those who live elsewhere. Last year I wrote about St Andrew and how he became the patron saint of Scotland , this year I'm concentrating on the food, because all celebrations generally involve food!

So for the November Slow Cooked Challenge I'd like you to make a dish that would be suitable for St Andrew's Day.  It can be a traditional Scottish dish like Cock-a-Leekie Soup, porridge or stovies, it could use Scottish ingredients such as Scotch Beef or Scotch Lamb.  It could even be a Dundee Cake or a bread like a Selkirk Bannock.

OR you could simply make a dish that is delicious to eat and would be suitable to serve on the 30th of November, something warming is probably in order.

As a bit of a bonus, and only loosely connected to Scotland, I was delighted to receive a review copy of Slow Cooked by Miss South of North South Food blog from Ebury Press and to offer a copy to one lucky reader (scroll down for Rafflecopter)  Miss South does acknowledge the Scottish side of her family and the cooking of Northern Ireland, where she was brought up, has a lot in common with Scotland.


Slow Cooked is the first book from Miss South, one half of the popular North South Blog. In this book Miss South is on a mission to reinvent one of her favourite kitchen appliances, her beloved slow-cooker.

Chorizo Butter Benas -one of the best recipes I've ever made in my slow cooker

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Labels: Butter Beans, chorizo, cookbook review, crockpot, giveaway, Miss South, review, slow cooked, Slow Cooked Challenge, slow cooker, St Andrew's Day, win

posted by Janice @ 08:22 27 Comments

Calling all budding Bake Off contestants - Mich Turner's Cake School

I've learned so much watching the Great British Bake Off.  It's clear that the bakers who excel on the Bake Off generally have a lot of knowledge and experience of a wide range of baking techniques and this gets them through, not only the bakes they have practiced, but more importantly, brings success in the technical challenges.

If you wanted to prepare yourself for Bake Off then learning the techniques in Mich Turner's Cake School would be a good place to start.  Although there are many recipes in the book, the real value comes from the step by step tutorials which teach the principles of cake making.

About the author

Lesson 1 - Making and Baking Cakes starts with the basics in a chapter about ingredients: sugars, flours, fats, eggs, spices, flavours and alcohols and other ingredients, each section with helpful tips from Mich.

Preparation comes next with tutorials on lining cake tins and removing cakes from various tins.

Then on to the different Cake-baking Methods. The Creamed Cake Method is a classic and Mich shows you how to create a perfect cake and also shows you how to test that your cake is ready. This is followed by a full page of  images of  cakes that have gone wrong, with clear explanations of what is likely to make your cake e.g. sink in the middle, bulge at the sides etc.  Recipes follow for Heavenly Vanilla Cake, Pineapple Upside Down Cake and Courgette Pecan Loaf.

The Whisked Cake Method is one of those I tend to avoid as these delicate cakes are slightly more temperamental, but the clear picture instructions are tempting me to have a go, especially with recipes like Coffee Hazelnut Roulade, Chocolate Cherry Genoise  and a beautiful Orange and Almond Cake.

The Batter and Foam Method is another one that I have used only infrequently, there are more steps to this cake method but the cakes turn out light and airy and make a great carrier for additional flavourings, they can also be refrigerated without drying due to using oil rather than butter.  I certainly would like to try to make the Orange Chiffon Cake or a Beetroot Cake. 

Back on familiar ground with the All-in-one Method, I've never had any trouble with it but I know some people do find it more difficult to get good results than the Creamed Cake Method, I am sorely tempted by the Marble Cake with a coffee glaze and the Coconut Cake made with creamed coconut.

The Melted Method is another with which I am very familiar, and Mich uses it to showcase a sticky Treacle Gingerbread, a Luxury Fruit Cake,  Sweet Potato Cake and Banana and Pecan Cake.

Cake Conversion tables are included covering a wide range of sizes for three of Mich's cakes.
There are also chapters on different fillings, icing and decorating all with fabulous photographs and clear instructions.


Lesson 2 is about Putting it all Together with fillings and frosting, fruit purees, citrus curds, sauces and cream based fillings.  Recipes include Lime and Pistachio Roulade with Creme Chantilly, Hazelnut Praline, Honeycomb and the gloriously rich Darina Kelly's Rum and Raisin Chocolate Biscuit Cake.  Recipes are provided for a Dark Chocolate and a White Chocolate Ganache  as well as the ubiquitous Vanilla buttercream.  As you can see in the photo above you also get instructions for How to Skim Coat a cake.

There is information about applying a ganache and piping with buttercream and various nozzles to create different effects, once you have had a practice you will be ready to recreate the Raspberry Rose Cake, with its rose-like swirls of pink buttercream.

Recipes and techniques for Glace Icing, Italian Meringue, Swiss meringue buttercream,  and Royal Icing are all provided.  Then we are on to preparing marzipan/almond paste and covering a cake with it. Interestingly Mich doesn't make her own sugar paste (are you listening Mary Berry!) but she does colour it herself giving full instructions for this and covering a cake and the board with sugar paste.

She does however make her own 'fondant' this is a covering icing such as you would find on a fondant fancy. If you have plans to make a tiered celebration cake such as a Wedding Cake, then the instructions on how to make Royal Icing,   stacking cakes, using pillars and blocking are all explained.

Lesson 3 is all about Decorating 
There is a lot about piping with Royal Icing and some absolutely stunning looking cakes, my favourite was the Brush embroidery technique, if I have time, I might do this on my Christmas Cake this year.

As well as the techniques, Mich provides some outstanding examples of celebration cakes decorated with piping.

The final chapters cover hand moulding from a simple chocolate sugar paste rose to the most incredible, delicate Glorioso Lily.  There are even some ideas for special cookies  and for hand painting on sugar paste cakes.  Templates are provided for some of the designs, finishing with a list of tools and suppliers.

Who is it for? 
Anyone who would like to learn to bake or improve their repertoire of cakes and bakes.

Pros
Detailed step-by-step instructions with lots of excellent photographs, so you know exactly what your cake should look like at every stage.  Some really delicious looking recipes and some good basics which, once you have mastered the techniques and understood how the bakes work, can become the basis for you to start to experiment with your own flavours.

Cons
There really are no Cons.  The book does what it says it will, which is to provide you with a personal Cake School experience and I think it really does do that.

I haven't had the chance to make any of the recipes yet, however I have quite a few bookmarked and having read this book I feel more confident about trying or re-trying some of the different techniques that Mich explains so well.

If you would like a copy of Mich Turner's Cake School  you can order a copy at the discounted price of £24.00 incl P&P (RRP £30.00) telephone 01903 828503 or email mailorders@lbsltd.co.uk and quote the offer code APG212. 

Labels: book review, cake, Cake School, cookbook review, Great British Bake Off, Mich Turner, review

posted by Janice @ 07:00 13 Comments

Cranberry Flaxseed Scones - Top with Cinnamon

Cranberry Flaxseed Scones

Izy Hossack isn't your regular 18 year old.  Since her early teens she has been developing delicious recipes and styling and photographing them with a flair well beyond her years and recording it all on her blog Top with Cinnamon, her site has received international attention and was shortlisted in Saveur Best Food Blog Awards 2013.



Izy has compiled a collection of her favourite recipes for all occasions in her debut cookbook, Top with Cinnamon.  Here she showcases her impressive skill for food photography and styling as well as her natural ability to produced delicious, wholesome recipes.  Featuring some gluten-free recipes and healthy options, as well as step-by-step how-to;s, Top with Cinnamon has something to suit everyone - this is approachable, flavoursome home cooking with a modern fresh twist.

Here's a taste of what's in Top with Cinnamon:

Breakfast includes Coconut Berry Pancakes, Cornbread with Cinnamon Sugar, Cranberry and Flaxseed Scones (see below)  and Wholemeal Maple Pecan Buns.

Sides features Chickpea and Pomegranate Dip, Squash Feta and Sage Focaccia, Courgette 'Spaghetti' with Chilli and Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas (see these at FabFood4All) and Baked Rosemary Polenta Chips.

Mains covers a wide range of dishes including Sweet Potato and Shredded Beef Chilli, Crispy Augergine with Kale Pesto Fettuccine, Griddled ChickenSalad and Caramelised Onion Thyme and Bean Pot Pies

Sweet Snacks is full of recipes for lovely treats like Rainbow Biscotti Cubes, Spanish Olive oil Tortas and Malted Pumpkin Gingerbread.

More sweetness in the Desserts chapter and Izy brings us Boozy Mocha Coconut Layer Cake, Crustless Plum and Almond Tart, Sticky Banoffee Cake with Salted Caramel and a seasonal pear, Frangipane and Caramel Tartlets.

The final chapter is a useful 'Staples and How To's' offering with pastries, doughs, butters and sauces and a couple of step-by-step instructions.

Who is it for? 
This is a difficult book to categorise it would interest anyone with an interest in vegan, gluten-free and healthy options.  However, there are meat based recipes and sweet treats too.  I do think any cook or baker would learn from Izy's creativity.

Pros
There are a wide range of recipes for all occasions, they are not difficult to make but often slightly quirky or with less usual ingredients, there are also some classics with a twist. Izy brings a lot of originality to her recipes.

Cons
The photographs have a bit of a sepia feel which, I felt, didn't do the dishes justice and made everything look alike.

I love a freshly baked scone, so was intrigued by this recipe for Cranberry Flaxseed Scones.  If I were making these scones again, I would use slightly less milk as the mixture was quite wet.  The scones were very tasty and perfect with the molasses butter which is also featured in the book.


Cranberry Flaxseed Scones (makes 9)

250g (9oz/2 cups) plain (all purpose) flour
4 tbsp ground flaxseed
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
110g (3 3/4oz / 1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
80g (2 3/4 oz / 1/2 cup) dried cranberries
1 egg
125ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) buttermilk, plus a little extra for brushing
50g (2 o\/ 1/4 cup) demerara (raw) sugar, for topping
 Serve with Salted Treacle Butter


1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4)
2. Line a baking tray with baking parchment
3. Place the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and stir together.  Add the cubes of butter and use your fingertips to rub into the dry ingredients, leaving some pea-sized chunks of butter.  You'll have a moist mealy mixture.
4. Stir in the cranberries then make a well in the middle and add the egg and buttermilk.  Stir together until just combined.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times, then roll it into a square 2 cm (3/4in) thick.
6. Cut into 9 squares using a sharp knife, then transfer the squares to the lined baking tray, placing them 2.5cm (1in) apart.
7. Brush the tops o the scones with buttermilk and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned and risen. Serve with salted treacle butter.


Top with Cinnamon
Author: Izy Hossack
Publisher: Hardie Grant Books
RRP: £20

I was sent a copy of Top with Cinnamon to review, I was not paid for the review and all opinions are my own. 

Labels: book review, butter, cookbook review, Cranberry, Flaxseed, Izy Hossack, Molasses, Scones, Top with Cinnamon

posted by Janice @ 06:30 9 Comments

Mince and Cheese Pies and a PIE review

The pie is ubiquitous in every culture, whether it's sweet or savoury, large or small, open or closed, enclosing a filling with some kind of pastry or dough is a classic form of cooking and baking.

Dean Brettschneider has captured the joy of pies in this book dedicated to this ultimate convenience and comfort food.

About the Author
Dean Brettschneider is a professional baker, patissier and entrepreneur.  Arguably one of the world's best bakers, Dean is a truly a global baker.  He was based in Shanghai for several years and now resides in Denmark and New Zealand, where he heads up his global baking empire.

About the Book
The book starts with a History of the Humble Pie starting with pie pastry made with flour and water by the Greeks and ending up with the gourmet pies made by patisserie chefs. 

The Ingredients section is a useful reference for later recipes and the section on equipment, usefully includes Your Hands beside mixing bowls and sieves!

The first recipe chapter is all about Meat Pies and it was the very first recipe (and the cover recipe) which I couldn't resist: Mince and Cheese Pies. I have also bookmarked Spanish Chicken Pie, Steak Caramelised Onion and Red Pepper Mustard Pies and Coriander Chicken and Yoghurt Curry Pie.

Seafood Pies includes a delicious sounding Fish Pie with Leek and Chorizo and Salmon, Wild Rocket and Orzo Pie.

There is a chapter on Vegetarian Pies standouts include Tomato and Thyme Tarte Tatin and Gooey Leek, Potato and Vintage Cheddar Pie.

What is a pie?  The chapter Not-quite-a-pie stretches the boundaries of pie-dom to sausage rolls, empanadas and whoopie pies! This includes Cornish Pasties, Chunky Chicken and Apricot Spinach Pastry Plaits, Spicy Gingerbread, Cointreau and Choclate Eccles Cakes and the superb sounding Date, Apricot, Orange and Cardamom Flapjack Shortcake Tart.

Sweet Pies  are a favourite with most of us, stretch your repertoire to include Pear and Fennel Tart Tatin , Dark Chocolate Banoffee Slab, Lemon Olive oil and Blueberry Tart and possibly my favourite sweet recipe in this book: Caramel Macadamia Oaty Tart.

The book ends with a chapter of Basic Recipes, so many different sweet and savoury pastry recipes to add pizazz to your pies.  There are also a range of filling recipes and a section on Techniques such as lining a pie dish, tart tin or flan ring with pastry, baking blind and decorating.

Pros
There are some really interesting pie fillings and inspirational pastry recipes in this book. Every pie recipe has a full colour photograph and a few have step by step instructions  e.g raised pork pies. The recipes are well laid out and I found them simple to follow. The pastry recipes in the basic recipes chapter are really original.  I didn't have time to make my own puff pastry but I love the sound of Gingerbread Crust Sweet Pastry and Chilli Polenta Pie Crust.

Cons
About half the book is devoted to sweet pies, now I know they are pies, but I would have preferred more savoury pies and some of the 'pie' interpretations were rather wide e.g. Orange Blossom and White Chocolate Cheesecake 'Pie' and Gingernut Lemon Meringue Pie in a Glass! 

The Verdict
 Well if you love pies, then this is the book for you!  If you even just like pies then it would be well worth owning a copy of this book, many of the recipes could be adapted to create new pies once you have mastered the basic techniques. This book has earned a place on my bookshelf anyway.



Mince and Cheese Pies
Makes 4 individual lunch sized pies
Pastry
1 quantity of Butter Puff Pastry (I used ready made butter puff pastry)
Filling
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
 1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
500g lean beef mince
30g standard plain flour
175ml beef stock, ready-made is fine
125ml lager
2tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp Marmite (optional)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 ts dried mixed herbs
salt and peeper, to taste
200g tasty cheese or Cheddar, grated
1 egg beaten with 2 tbsp water for egg wash
2 tbsp black or white sesame seeds for the topping

1. Make the Butter Puff Pastry the day before and store wrapped in the refrigerator.  Cut off a quarter of the pastry block and set it aside for the pie lids.  On a lightly floured surface, roll out the larger piece of pastry to a square, approximately 4 mm think. Cut the square into quarters.  Line each individual pie dish, ensuring the pastry is firmly presssed against he sides and leaving some hanging over the edge of the dishes.  Roll out the smaller piece of pastry to a square into quarters, cover with clingfilm and set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan, then add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is golden.  Add the beef mince and cook until well browned, stirring occasionally to prevent large lumps of meat forming.  Stir in the flour and cook for approximately 30 seconds.  Gradually add the beef stock and beer, then bring to the boil.  Add the tomato puree or paste and Marmite (if using), balsamic vinegar, mixed herbs and salt and pepper to taste.  Lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool.

 I didn't have any Marmite and felt that the mince was rather anaemic looking without it, so added a tbsp of soy sauce, it was a triumph and the mince was delicious.

Fill each pastry lined dish almost up to the top with the mince filling then add a small handful of grated tasty cheese or Cheddar (I used Scottish Mature Cheddar).

Brush the edge of the pastry bases with water and place the lids on top. Seal edges and trim off any excess pastry with a sharp knife.  Brush the tops o the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Rest for 1-2 hours (or longer) before baking. 

I didn't have any sesame seeds, the pies were fine without them.

Bake in a preheated 220C (gas 7) oven for 25-30 minutes or until pastry is crisp and golden-brown in colour.  Allow to cool in the dishes for 10 minutes then remove from dishes and place on a cooling rack.  Serve with your favourite tomato sauce and a crisp green salad or a bowl of French Fries.  


 I served my pies with grilled tomatoes and broccoli, they were super delicious, the tasty mince, crispy pastry and gooey cheese, what a flavour sensation!

Pie by Dean Brettschneider
Photographs by Aaron McLean
Published by Jacqui Small LLP
RRP £25

Many thanks to Aurum Publishing Group for supplying me with a copy of Pies by Dean Brettschneider, I was not paid for this review and all opinions are my own.

Labels: book review, cheese, cookbook review, Dean Brettschneider, Mince, Mince and Cheese Pies, pastry, Pie

posted by Janice @ 09:30 7 Comments