No Bake - Chocolate orange & vanilla Cheesecake

Personally I am not much of a dessert person, I found patisserie very boring very unsatisfying even though "back in the day" I was relatively good at it, I once got a gold certificate in wedding cake making, I cant stand marzipan! I think the biggest reason I don't have much love for desserts is my lack of a sweet tooth, being a complete habitual I do of course like certain sweet items like smarties, bourbons, lindt lindor chocolate etc but desserts cakes they don't really float my boat, I would rather have a savoury item instead.
Cake and all things sweet seem to be in the increase with home baking at the moment, I think its a cross over between the generous pleasure given by a treat such as a cheesecake or a cream cake and the joy brought us by The Great British Bake Off. Supermarkets have dedicated isles for ingredients you wouldn't have found a decade ago.

I looked through some of my recipe books and food magazines alike and there was one general similarity with baking for the mass audience every recipe cost an amount of money which tips over that point of reason, also each recipes highlighted took a length of time to make which was not practical. I don't have all the answers of course I don't but I did make this recipe for 2 reasons, 1 practicality and 2 taste. Making this around a hyper active almost 2 year old was not the easiest of things involving him in the process was tricky. When he is a little older it would be perfect for him to get stuck in make or at least contribute more than the tasting!

to make you require;

• 1 pack Ginger Nuts
• 1 pack equal size digestives
• 1 pack 250g salted butter
• 3/4 tub soft cheese I used mascarpone
• 1 tub double cream 600ml
• 3 dessert spoons of caster sugar
• 4 drops of vanilla essence
• 3 bars of cooking chocolate
• 1/2 a terry's chocolate orange
• 12 chocolate orange matchmakers

To start we need to create the base a buttery biscuit base! To do this put the biscuits in a blender and blend to a fine crumb. mean while heat up a pan and melt 225g of the butter until melted. Combine the 2, once mixed thoroughly pour in to your cake tin, smooth this mix out with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Put this in the fridge to cool and set.

Whilst this sets, time to make the chocolate orange. boil a pan of water and set a mixing bowl over the top making sure that no water can boil over, essential no water gets into the mix. break up all the chocolate and put in the bowl, leave 4 cubes of chocolate refrigerated. add 10 matchmakers and the terry's chocolate orange segments. Allow this mix to melt but don't overcook, add the 25g of butter and mix in to a velvety rich mix. Take this off the heat and take you base out of the fridge palm down ensure it is cold and press set, when you touch it, it should feel firm and not move. pour your chocolate mix on to the base and smooth this out with a spatula or a bask of a spoon. this needs to be refrigerated asap.

Whipping cream by hand can be quite a pain in the arms literally but speed and consistency add the cream to your bowl and add the sugar, not only does this the sugar give a sweet taste it also binds and helps the cream thicken quicker. whisk until firm fluffy peaks are formed, you can hold the bowl upside down and the cream will sit staring at you not moving. at this stage fold in and  mix the Mascarpone and then the vanilla essence.

Fold the mix in to your set chocolate orange base smooth over and decorate using the chocolate that's left, grate curl flake the chocolate over. Chill for 3 hours.

Serves 16 reasonable portions, its a fun easy recipe which like all recipes I do can be amended to your liking. Enjoy

Brie, Mushroom & Cherry Tomato Tart

Whilst i love meat and if i am honest i eat meat probably most days of the year, I wanted to do a dish a recipe which was simple tasty and yet accessible for vegetarians which is not just a filler but a wholesome enjoyable dinner for veggies and non veggies alike. This recipe was a slight culinary accident as i planed originally to create a cheats Wellington, Stromboli or Pithivier, however i didn't have enough pastry so i had to improvise and settled for a puff pastry rectangle base, using whats available with out further expense is frugal to say the least but just also shows what can be done with a little imagination.

Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees C or 190 for fan assisted ovens. lightly oil/grease a baking tray and set aside. Pastry is delicate and needs to be treated with a little respect, it doesn't like to be over worked also doesn't like heat, sometimes the temperature in your fingers is too much and can melt the pastry. Leave refrigerated until just before expected use. I used pre-made sheets which for home cooking is perfectly acceptable, they are easily available and are very good quality.

Peel, half and slice 1 medium onion and gently saute, slice 5 chestnut mushrooms and add to the pan on a medium heat allowing the vegetables to sweat but not brown, crush 1 clove of garlic and add to the pan, half 10 cherry tomatoes and to the mix adding a sprinkle of basil (fresher the better) oregano and seasoning. Once all soft take off the heat and allow to cool.

Unroll your pastry and put on to oil baking tray, add a tomato and basil sauce i used old El paso spicy sauce for a fiery kick. Apply evenly then slice the brie into thin strips and place randomly. add your mix to the top and pop in the middle of the oven for 18 to 22 Min's or until the pastry is golden.

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Lunch, Brunch or Dinner 2 ways with Smoked Salmon and Eggs

Healthy, easy and delicious. Salmon in general is very versatile and is easily sourced. This recipe was due to indecision, Breakfast/lunch maybe a midway brunch, the beauty of this dish is that you can create a variation of both or just one for any time of day.

Way number 1............

3 Slices of smoked salmon
1 Roll (crusty was my preference)
1 Egg
Seasoning and dill to top.

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees

Slice roll in half slicing the top off
Pluck out the bread from the roll creating a well
Line the hole with salmon slices, season
Crack egg in the well, season again.
Bake for 15-20 mins until egg is cooked through
Yolk should still be runny, sprinkle dill on top to finish, this is so easy to make and tastes amazing.

Way number 2................

3/4 slices of smoked salmon,
1 Egg
Remaining half of roll
30g Melted butter
Salad leaves & cherry tomato
Seasoning & Dill to top.

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees

Melt the butter and glaze over the half Bun
Slice the bun in to 5 strips and bake for 15 mins
Place a deep pan of water on the heat, bring to boil.

Place the lettuce leafs on the plate and chop tomato's in to quarters, arrange and then add the sliced smoke salmon on the plate around the salad, sprinkle the salmon with the dill and seasoning, stir the boiling water vigorously with a spoon and crack the egg into the swirling water. Reduce the water from a boil  to a simmer, allow egg to cook for 2-3 minutes until poached. Take out and place egg on to the salmon, remove soldiers and place on plate.

The options combined is a tasty healthy snack/meal, however doubling up either option is a dead cert for scrumptious food goodness.




 

Review - Buddies USA

Kennedy Burger add bacon Buddies Rushden Dec 2013

As a food fanatic, I like to think I can try and enjoy almost any food and try any new food. I like to think of my self as a an adventurous foodie, however the reality is actually I am more of an Habitual. Someone who prefers creature comforts, sticks to what I know is good, probably has 1 of maybe only 3 items from the menu. This is definitely the case with me at Buddies,

Located throughout the heart of Northamptonshire and newly Buckinghamshire this independent chain of "Diners" brings you dangerously close to what I can only imagine actual American diners are like. Take out over exuberant happy American waiting staff bouncing around like you see on the movies, everything else screams US of A. Having never been to the states I can again only sit in a booth close my eyes and picture an American town or city with a Buddies in.

The sheer amount of variety of big hearty heart stopping food is overwhelming, their menus are so big its often hard to engage a conversation, the menu's tower over head height packed full from edge to edge front and back. Its speciality I guess are their burgers, 4 sizes of beef patties, optional chicken breasts, add on ribs, wet fries, the most amazing "slaw" and the meals are all very reasonably priced.

For me the winner is always their Kennedy Burger with added bacon, a 8oz burger in a fresh chunky bun, topped with an over generous amount of Garlic mayo, cheese, and mushrooms, add in the bacon and we have lift off. A large pot of slaw and a ridiculous amount of crisp chunky fries finish off the meal, wash down with a Diet Coca Cola and I am in burger heaven.

From the first time I went until the next time it remains one of my favourite restaurants to date. I have never ever experienced bad food at any of their restaurants I have dined in, my Local is located on the A45 east bound just before the Rushden turn off. The town centre (Northampton) is the best for décor and service but is often hard to get a table, the one by Grange Park (A45 West Bound just before M1 J15) although a competitor and rival of mine is also very good offering again  
very good service.

No doubt my Partner and I will be heading back in a weeks time for her birthday.

www.buddiesrestaurants.com

Seasoned Lamb steaks with Potato Dauphinoise

Lamb although expensive is one of my favourite meats, its certainly a meat to be respected and enjoyed. As with most red meats, keep refrigerated until roughly 30 Min's before expected cooking time, then allow to breath and come "to life" at room temperature.
















Wash and peel 8-10 medium potatoes, most consistent potato and my personal preference is always Maris Piper, Slice the potatoes, to cook evenly ensure they are sliced uniformly, if your knife skills are not the most competent then use a mandolin, boil a large pan of water add a pinch of salt, add the potatoes and allow to gently boil for exactly 6 minutes, take off heat and drain put in to a pan of cold water. meanwhile finely slice 2 large brown onions, and crush or slice 1 garlic clove add both to a pan on a medium heat, add a good glug of olive oil, add some sliced streaky bacon or pancetta as soon as they start to brown take off the heat.
Add a 2 oz knob of butter to a small sauce pan, heat through gently as if clarifying butter, once the butter is melted add equal parts milk (semi skimmed) and thick double cream, blend together making sure not to over cook, add a hand full no more, of mature cheddar, season, and add the onions, garlic and pancetta. drain the potatoes and add to the cream mix. pour into a oven dish sprinkle another hand full of cheese and bake for 30-35 Min's until golden. sprinkle on fresh cut parsley.

Lamb, remove from the fridge and set aside to breath, finely slice a garlic clove, add to the lamb, add a good drizzle of olive oil, season heavily, and add in some fresh parsley and some dried thyme. Usually rosemary goes hand in hand with garlic and lamb but thyme is very underrated.

Heat a pan to a medium high heat, add a drizzle, not much, of olive oil and add the seasoned steak, cook on both sides until cooked to YOUR preference, for me medium rare is perfect 2 Min's each side until the marbling has started to dissolve. take off the heat and rest on a chopping board.

Remove the Dauphinois from the oven and carefully remove a good slice on to your plate, add your lamb and enjoy.





Roast Chicken Fajita's

Fajitas,

Commonly a Mexican dish a  Tex-Mex "little strips" ordinarily beef skirt cut up, fried and served with spices in a tortillas wrap with an array of finger foods. In restaurants it tends to be served on a red hot skillet leaving a trail of choking dense spicy smoke in its wake. The dish has been jazzed up for profitability, in the food economy beef has been replaced with cheaper meats like chicken and even pork.

The beauty of Fajitas just like all Mexican food is how versatile it is, it can be manipulated into literally thousands of combinations depending on your tastes, spice, meats, veggies, its open ended.

Roast Chicken, why roast chicken and not just chicken, well to be economical and price sensitive its actually cheaper to buy a fresh roast chicken then it is to buy a pack of chicken fillets, once sliced up and fried the results is all too commonly dry, rubbery and a complete waste of money, down side to a roast is the time to cook, but put this aside and the meat is always moist, tender and delicious.

Roast Chicken Fajitas Brought from Tesco's Serves 4 £16.81 = £4.20 per person.

• 1 x re fried spicy beans 215g tin £0.78
• 1 x discovery fajita seasoning £0.89
• 1 x 8 large tortillas wraps £1.40
• 1 x Tex Mex multi pack dips £2.20
• 1 x 250g mature cheddar grated £2.00
• 1 x iceberg lettuce £1.00
• 3 x large loose brown onions £0.57
• 1 x Whole chicken 2-4 pers £4.96
• 1 x Tesco pancetta cubed £3.00

Pre heat the oven to 220 Celsius, remove packaging and wash the chicken with cold water. put the chicken in a roasting tin brush with oil and cook for generally 30 Min's per 500g plus 30 Min's extra, medium chickens normally cook in 90 Min's, check the packaging for full instructions and remember to ensure the juices from the thickest part of the breast meat are running clear.

Once the chicken is cooked take out and remove from the roasting tin on to a clean chopping board, cover with foil, fry off the Pancetta, set aside, and then peel and chop the onions, fry off and again set aside in a separate bowl. slice the lettuce in to a bowl. Open and drain the re fried beans put into a microwavable container and microwave for 90 seconds or until hot, alternatively fry gently.

uncover the chicken and slice the chicken in my version I had plain breast meat and the remaining meat I sprinkled over the fajita seasoning.

Lastly place your wraps in a microwave for 30 seconds or wrapped in tinfoil in the oven for 2 minutes, to allow a bit of heat in them gives them a warm elasticated feel, easier to actually wrap.

Assemble the wraps as you please and enjoy.