Sticky Toffee Pudding (2)

I had earlier posted a recipe for Sticky Toffee Pudding .. that is also a very good recipe which makes a smaller pudding but I must say, THIS recipe is by far the best ever! Best served with warm with couple scoops ice-cream … no ice cream here as I had none … lol

You will need 280g dates, stoned and chopped

Boil the dates in 425ml water for about 5 minutes until soft and pasty

Cream 115g unsalted butter and 350g soft light brown sugar until pale & creamy … here, as always with all my puddings & cakes, I would discount the sugar used by about ¼

You will need 350g self-raising flour and 4 eggs, beaten

Add the beaten eggs into the creamed, pale butter & sugar mixture and beat to mix well

Add 2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda to the date paste (this will make the mix fizz) .. .

…no quickly beat the dates, flour and 2 tsp vanilla extract into the creamed egg mixture

Pour the mixure into a buttered 9.5″ x 9.5″ x 2″ baking dish or pan … I used a Pyrex casserole dish which works well … and bake for 1 hour until just firm to the touch … I advise you to check the colour of the pudding after 45 mins … if the top looks well browned, lay a sheet of foil on top to stop it singeing before it’s cooked through

Ta-daaa!! The pudding is done .. what I’ve done here to keep the pudding moist and even richer is I poked about 30 holes right through and then pour some of the toffee sauce over the pudding, making sure the sauce soaked into the pudding through all the holes … sliced into 16 squares …..

…serve up warm with hot toffee sauce poured over the pudding and if so desired, with couple scoops of Vanilla Ice-Cream, too … to make the toffee sauce … mix 600ml double cream, 115g demerara sugar (again, I discount about 1/4 of this amount) and 4 tsp black treacle altogether in a saucepan over low heat and stir together until blended, bring to the boil and transfer to a jug to serve

Scotch Broth with Pork Drumsticks

Everyone knows that the traditional Scotch Broth is made with mutton/lamb (best with mutton) but now and again, I’d make it with pork and this time, I made it with Pork Drumsticks (pork shin) and it is just as good!  This is a very simple yet flavoursome soup which is perfect for the crockpot/slow cooker!

I never follow any recipe when I make Scotch Broth … just a guestimate of each ingredient … just as how Mama & Grandmama would tell me whenever I asked them for their traditional recipe … a bit of this, a dash of that, a pinch of other …. lol

Here, also Scotch Broth made with pork shin, but the pork is shredded once soup is ready and then chopped parsley stirred into soup just before being served up … with home-baked 5-Seeded loaf ❤

 

RECIPE

Ingredients :

6 pieces/1kg of Pork Drumsticks/Pork Shin

250g turnips/swede, diced

1 parsnip, diced

1 large carrots, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1 medium leek, chopped

1 large onions, chopped

¼ cup soup mix, soaked overnight (I used ½ cup because we love a thick broth)

2l beef stock (add more if you want a more diluted broth)

2 Tbsp oil

1 bay leaf

freshly ground black pepper & Salt, to taste

parsley sprigs, for garnish (optional)

Methods :

•  Boil the Pork Drumsticks/Pork Sheen in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes then use  slotted spoon, lift out and rinse in cold water
• Heat a soup pot with oil, sweat the onions & leeks for few minutes
• Add in all other chopped root vegetables, sweat for further 5 minutes
• Tip in the soup mix, bay leaf and then pour in the beef stock
• Bring to a boil (if using slow-cooker, pour everything into slow-cooker at this stage and cook on high for 4 hours and auto/low for 6 – 8 hours) and reduce heat and continue to simmer on low heat for 2 to 2½ hours
• Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper & salt
• Scoop onto a soup bowl and garnish with parsley sprigs and serve up piping hot, with a crusty bread

All Bran Fruit Loaf

An awesome tea-time treat …healthy with zero butter nor oil nor egg …. packed full of fruits ….and extremely easy to bake ….I was given this recipe by a friend of mine …. thanks, Janet Maybank 😉

Soak all ingredients in milk except the flour for a couple of hours

Next, mix in the flour

Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan

This loaf was made with milk 😉

….and this loaf was made with orange juice 🙂

RECIPE

Ingredients :

4 oz all bran cereal

4 oz sugar

8 oz mixed dried fruits + appricots

½ pint milk

4 oz self rasing flour

Methods :

• Soak all bran cereal, sugar and mixed dried fruits & appricots in milk for a couple of hours
• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Mix in the self-rasing flour
• Pour mixture in a greased loaf tin
• Bake in pre-heated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour until skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean

Cock-a-Leekie with Barley

This ancient Scottish soup is normally made with Beef and Chicken to flavour the broth but here, I'm using only Chicken ....the unusual combination of Leeks and Prunes is surprisingly delicious and the addition of Barley makes it a wholesome meal for a light supper!

RECIPE

Ingredients :

2 medium sized Leeks, sliced into 1/2 in rounds

1/4 cup pear barley

1 bouquet garni

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3 – 4 cups quality home-made Chicken/Beef Stock

8 – 10 ready-to-eat prunes

salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Method :

• Pour the chicken/beef stock in a saucepan and add in the chicken breasts and bouquet garni, bring to a slow bowl and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes, skim off any scum when the stock comes to initial boil and occasionaly when simmering….when done, strain the stock and keep the chicken breasts aside
• Meanwhile, rinse te pearl barley and cook it in a pan of boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and add to the stock, bring it to the boil and lower heat and simmer gently for 15 – 20 minutes until the barley is just cooked and tender
• Season with salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
• Add the prunes and leeks to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until the leeks are just cooked
• Slice up the chicken breast, add to the soup and reheat if necessary and ladle into deep soup plates and garnish with sprinkle of chopped parsley, served up with some crusty bread if desired.

Smoked Haddock with Leeks/Spinach and Poached Egg

Our special Sunday Brunch treat ...there is something about the combination of eggs, leeks/spinach and "smoke" that really perks you up in the morning!

RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 undyed Smoked Haddock fillets

the green parts of Leeks (to the amount you wish to have) OR fresh spinach

2 eggs

milk

1/4 cup double (heavy) cream

white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp butter

Salt and Pepper, to taste

 Method:

• Over a low heat, poach the haddock fillets in just enough milk to come halfway up the fish, shaking the pan gently to keep the fish moist, for  about 5 minutes.  When cooked, remove and keep warm
• Increase the heat under the milk and allow to reduce by about half, stirring occasionally.  Add the cream and allow to bubble up.  Season to taste with salt and pepper …the sauce should be thickened but should pour easily
• Heat a frying pan then add butter and the leeks, stirring for a few minutes and allow leeks to sweat for a few minutes.  Season lightly then set aside and keep warm …if using spinach, stir fry in the butter for a few minutes & season lightly
• To poach the eggs, bring 1.5″ water to a simmer and add a few drops of vinegar.  Gently crack 2 eggs into the water and cook for 3 minutes.  Remove the first egg using the slotted spoon and rest in the spoon on some kitchen paper to remove any water.  Repeat with the 2nd egg.
• Plate up by laying a Haddock fillet on each place, topped with the leeks/spinach followed by a poached egg
• Pour over the cream sauce and serve immediately (note: we didn’t serve up with any cream sauce due to personal preferences).

Goa Pork Vindaloo

Home-Made Vindaloo Curry Paste

Cubed Pork marinated with some of the Curry Paste

Jaggery … an ingredient used in most Indian Curries … may be substituted with Gula Melaka or Brown Sugar

Goa Pork Vindaloo … ready to be served up!

Gourmet Blend of Wild & Whole Grain Brown Rice, served up with the Pork Vindaloo

RECIPE

Ingredients:

15 – 20 Whole Red Chillies (preferably Kashmiri type)

1 tsp Cumin Seeds

6 Cloves

 5cm (2in) Cinnamon Stick

10 Peppercorns

1/4 Star Anise

1 tsp Poppy Seeds

2.5cm (1/2in) piece of Ginger

6 plump Garlic Cloves

1 Tbsp Tamarind Pulp

4 tsp Cider Vinegar

65ml (2.5fl oz) oil

3 med Onions, finely chopped

700g (1.5lb) stewing Pork, cubed

800ml (1.3 pints) water

Salt

1/2 tsp Jaggery, to taste

15 curry leaves

Method:

• Deseed and soak the dried chillies in hot water to soften
• Grind the first 7 ingredients finely
• Tip ground spices into a blender, add ginger, garlic, tamarind pulp and cider vinegar and blend into a smooth paste
• Rub a little of the paste onto the cubed pork and marinate for minimum 15 minutes
• Heat the oil in a pan/pot and fry the onions for about 15 minutes until brown
• Add the spice/curry paste and fry a further 5 minutes, stirring constantly and add 2 tablespoons of water,  if necessary
• Add the pork and saute in the spice mixture for 5 minute
• Add 800ml (1.3 pints) of water, salt and jaggery to taste and cook over a low heat until tender
• Stir in the curry leaves and simmer for 3 – 5 minutes
• Your Goa Pork Vindaloo is now ready to be served.

 

Roast Pumpkin & Coriander Soup

Roast Pumpkin & Coriander Soup

Pumpkins chopped into chunks …here, you will see I’ve peeled, seeded & removed the ‘beared’ fibres but it is not necessary to peel the pumpkin

Lay pumpkin chunks in a large roasting pan and drizzle generously with olive oil, season well with salt & pepper

Roast in pre-heated oven until nicely browned

Tasty bowl of Roast Pumpkin Soup served with a garnish of Chopped Coriander & Crème Fraîche

RECIPE

Ingredients :

2 small Golden Nugget Sqaush / 1 medium Pumpkin

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 – 4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1L Chicken/Vegetable Stock 

Salt and Pepper to taste

Chopped Fresh Coriander for garnish

Crème fraîche for garnish (optional)

Method :

• Preheat oven to 200°C
• You can either not peel or peel the pumpkin/squash…chop them into chunks and scrape away the seeds and surrounding ‘beard’ fibres
• Lay the chunks of pumpkin/squash in a large roasting pan, drizzle generously with EVO
• Roast in pre-heated oven, turning once or twice if you like so that pumpkin/squash pieces are well roasted and nicely browned around the edges
• Heat up 1 Tbsp EOO, add in garlic and coriander powder, pour in 3/4 of the Chicken/Vegetable Stock
• If pumpkin/squash is unpeeled, scrape the soft flesh of the roasted pumpkin pieces away from the skin or if peeled, tip the flesh into the stock…stir and bring to a low boil
•  Liquidize in batches, until completely smooth
• Return the blended soup to a clean pot, taste soup and adjust the seasoning according to liking
• Add extra stock, if necessary, to get a thick and creamy consistency
• Heat the soup through without re-boiling and serve each bowl of hot soup garnished with some chopped fresh coriander and a Tbsp of Crème Fraîche

Tandoori Jumbo Parawns

Was too busy baking away yesterday (Sunday) so Hubby dearest fixed our dinner …. TANDOORI JUMBO PRAWNS …it was finger-lickinglicious <3<3<3RECIPE Ingredients: Jumbo Size Prawns Jar Tandoori Paste Plain Yoghurt Lemon/Lime Method: Clean & devein jumbo prawns ….leave head & tail in tact Marinate prawns with Tandoori Paste mixed with Yoghurt Grill prawns on your BBQ grill  Served up with lime/lemon wedges + Salad of your choice

Breakfast à la Hubby

Breakfast à la Hubby

Breakfast Served up by Hubby ❤

Anti-Pasti Platter

Anti-Pasti Platter

Anti-Pasti Platter I served up one Christmas