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Tomato, Mozzarella and Parma Ham Tart January 3, 2011

Filed under: Favourites,Tarts & Pies — delishuss @ 10:06 pm
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This is an adaptation of a recipe I saw advertised for Jus-Rol Pastry. It’s very easy to make, if you can slice things up and smear sauce on stuff, then you will well and truly master this. If you were having a few people over this takes no time at all and it looks impressive.

Ingredients

1 sheet of Jus-Rol puff pastry

50 ml of pizza-sauce

1 1/2 balls of mozzarella cheese, sliced

2 on the vine tomatoes, sliced

3 slices of parma ham, halved

handful of basil leaves

Olive oil for greasing baking tray

Method

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees celsius, gas mark 7.
  2. Grease the baking tray with the olive oil.
  3. Roll the pastry out onto the baking tray.
  4. Smear the pizza sauce with a knife but leave about 5 cm of an edge.
  5. Starting on the left side of the pastry, place a slice of tomato, then a slice of mozzarella, and finally a roughly rolled up piece of ham on the sauce.  Repeat this sequence. You should get about three rows.
  6. Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden.
  7. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with basil leaves.

Serve with some roasted vegetables and side salad.

 

 

Farfalle with Sundried Tomatoes

Filed under: Fast Food,Favourites,Pasta — delishuss @ 9:25 pm
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This recipe is from Mama’s Italian Cookbook. It’s basically pasta and pesto with sundried tomatoes but it’s very tasty. It’s very quick to make which is always a bonus. I made one addition to the recipe and that’s lemon to the basil sauce.

Serves 4

Ingredients

30g/1 oz of sun-dried tomatoes (I used some in oil)

55g/ 2 oz pine kernels

1 handful of fresh basil

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 tsp salt

100 ml/3 1/2 fl oz olive oil

1 tsbp grated Parmesan cheese

400g/ 14 oz dried farfalle pasta

1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper

Method

1. If you used sundried tomatoes not in oil, pour water over them and soak for 25 minutes. Then pour off the water, squeeze out the liquid and chop.

2. Roast the pine kernels in a dry frying pan until golden brown. Grind half the pine kernels with the basil leaves, garlic and salt in a large mortar. Gradually work in the olive oil, lemon. Add the cheese last. To save time and effort you could also do this in a blender.

3. Stir the chopped tomatoes into the basil sauce.

4. Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the instructions on the packet until tender, but still firm to bite.

5. Drain the pasta and combine it, still dripping wet, with the basil and tomato sauce in a warmed bowl.

6. Serve on warmed plates, seasoned with pepper and sprinkled with the remaining pine kernels.

 

Quick Chocolate Cake January 1, 2011

Filed under: Cakes — delishuss @ 7:24 pm
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It’s my nephew’s birthday today so we decided to make him a chocolate cake. This is a Georgina Campbell recipe and excuse the pun it’s a piece of cake.  It’s also delishussly wicked.

Makes a 7 “/18 cm sandwich cake

Ingredients

6 oz.175g self-raising flour

1 rounded tablespoon cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

6 oz/175g soft margarine or butter

60z/175g dark soft brown sugar

2 oz/50g ground almonds

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Chocolate Cream

4 x 35g bars of fine chocolate

5 fl oz/ 150ml sour cream

Method

  1. Preheat a moderate oven, 350 degrees Fahrenheit, 180 degrees celsius, gas mark 4.
  2. Butter two 7″/18 cm sandwich tins.
  3. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt into a mixing bowl, cut in the butter or margarine and add the almonds and the eggs.
  4. Mix with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes, until thoroughly mixed and no traces of butter remain.
  5. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until springy to the touch and just beginning to shrink from the tins.
  6. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.
  7. Meanwhile make the icing.
  8. Break the chocolate into a bowl and place over a pan of hot water, stir over low heat until dissolved, taking to prevent water or steam from coming into contact with the chocolate.
  9. When completely melted, remove the bowl from the heat and add the sour cream, stirring well.
  10. Allow the mixture to cool to a spreading consistency then, using a palette knife to spread it, sandwich the two cakes together and spread over the top with a palette knife.
  11. Decorate the cake with your choice of toppings.

Note: I used milk chocolate for the cream as that’s my preference but dark chocolate also works.

 

 

Spaghetti with Meatballs December 27, 2010

Filed under: Meat,Pasta — delishuss @ 8:14 pm
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I got a couple of new cookery books as presents so I will be bombarding you with more recipes :-). This one is from Mama’s Italian Cookbook. It’s very tasty. The recipe requires passata; I had some left over tomatoes, so I used those and some passata. I’m not a big passata fan, maybe it’s the type I’m using but I always find it has a strange after taste. Does anyone know of a good brand that they can recommend?

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 potato, diced

400g/14 oz beef mince

1 onion, finely chopped

1 egg

4 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

plain flour, for dusting

5 tbsp virgin olive oil

400ml/14 fl oz passata

2tbsp tomato puree

400g/ 14 oz dried spaghetti

Salt and pepper

6 shredded fresh basil leaves and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish

Method

1. Place the pototo in a small saucepan, add cold water to cover and a pinch of salt, and bring to the boil.

2. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until tender then drain. Either mash thoroughly with a potato masher or fork or pass through a potato ricer.

3. Combine the potato, mince, onion, egg and parsley in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

4. Spread out the flour on a plate. With dampened hands, shape the meat mixture into walnut sized balls and roll in the flour. Shake off the excess.

5. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan, add the meatballs and cook over a medium heat, stirring and turning frequently, for 8-10 minutes, until golden all over.

6. Add the passata and tomato puree and cook for a further 10 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and thickened.

7. meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the pasta, bring back to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, until tender but still firm to bite.

8. Drain well and add to the meatball sauce, tossing well to coat. Transfer to a warmed serving dish. Garnish with the basil leaves and grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

 

Hearty Winter Soup December 12, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Soups and Stews — delishuss @ 12:59 pm
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This is my own little creation. It makes loads so you can make it and freeze. This will warm the cockles. Perfect if you are suffering with a cold and just need a bit of a boast. 

Ingredients

2 leeks, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 large potato, diced

2 medium sized onions, chopped

200g soup mix

1 bouquet garni

1 litre of boiling water

50 ml of liquid chicken stock

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Salt and pepper to season

Method

  1. Heat a large saucepan; add the olive oil and heat.
  2. Fry off the leeks, onions, potato, and carrots for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the bay leaves.
  4. Reduce the lid and cover with a lid. Saute the vegetables for 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in the soup mix. Add the bouquet garni, salt and pepper.
  6. Pour in the liquid stock and the water.
  7. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat.
  8. Simmer for 45 minutes. Adding more water if it has reduced too far.

 

Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve with some nice home made brown bread.

 

Kinda Sausage Cassoulet November 21, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Meat — delishuss @ 9:46 pm
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I tried this recipe this evening. It’s another one of Jamie Oliver’s 30 minutes meals. I thoroughly recommend this one. I’ll let you in on a little secret, I didn’t have any tinned tomatoes in stock so I had a jar of Gordon Ramsey’s pasta sauce in the press, so I used that.  Either way this recipe is awesome.

Serves 4-5

INGREDIENTS

CASSOULET
• 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
• 1 1/2 red onions
• a few sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1/2 a small bunch of fresh sage
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 2 leeks
• 400g good-quality chipolata sausages
• 3–4 thick slices of bread
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 x 680g jar of passata
• 1 x 390g carton of butter beans
• 1 x 390g carton of haricot beans

BROCCOLI
• 400g tenderstem broccoli
• 1/4 of a small red onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 ripe plum tomatoes
• 1 lemon

METHOD

CASSOULET

  • Slice 4 rashers of bacon about 1cm thick and add to a sturdy roasting tray with a few lugs of olive oil. Put over a high heat.
  • Halve, peel and slice 1½ red onions.
  • Pick the rosemary and most of the sage leaves and sprinkle into the tray with the bay leaves, keeping a few sage sprigs back for later.
  • Trim the leeks and peel back the outer leaves. Cut down the length of the leeks, then wash away any grit and finely slice. Add the leeks and onions to the tray with a few splashes of boiled water, stir, then leave to soften.
  • Lay the sausages in another roasting tray, drizzle and rub a little olive oil over them, then put under the grill to cook for 8 minutes. Stir your vegetables.

BROCCOLI Put a small saucepan on a high heat. Trim and discard the ends of the broccoli.

CASSOULET

  • Tear the slices of bread into large chunks and put into a food processor with a pinch of salt & pepper, ½ of the reserved sprigs of sage, 2 cloves of garlic and a good drizzle of olive oil. Pulse until you have fairly even, coarse breadcrumbs.

Stir the passata and the beans and their juices into the tray of vegetables.

BROCCOLI

  • Peel and coarsely grate ¼ of a red onion into a mixing bowl.
  • Crush over 1 clove of garlic.
  • Halve the 2 plum tomatoes, discard the seeds, then carefully grate them, flesh side down, through the coarse grater. Discard the skins left behind.
  • Add a couple of lugs of extra virgin olive oil, season carefully then squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon and mix.

CASSOULET

  • Take the sausages out of the oven.
  • Sprinkle half the breadcrumbs from the food processor over the veg and beans.
  • Lay the sausages dark side down and sprinkle over the rest of the breadcrumbs.
  • Pick the rest of the sage leaves, drizzle with olive oil and scatter on top.
  • Put the roasting tray into the oven on the middle shelf for around 4 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden.

BROCCOLI

  • Put the broccoli, stalks down, into a pan of boiling water and put the lid on.
  • Cook for a couple of minutes, or until tender.

TO SERVE

  • The broccoli should be tender by now, so drain it, then scatter on a platter and spoon over the dressing.
  • Toss quickly, and take straight to the table.
  • Remove the cassoulet from the oven and take to the table with a nice bottle of red wine.

Notes: I couldn’t get chipolate sausages, so I got some cumberland sausages instead and cooked them in the pan for longer. I also couldn’t find haricot beans so I popped in some cannellini beans.

I’m not a big fan of broccoli, so I used green beans instead.

 

Cottage Pie November 14, 2010

Filed under: Meat,Potatoes — delishuss @ 10:22 pm
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This is a great winter warmer.  I normally refer to this dish as Shepherds’ Pie but I found out recently that it can only be called Shephards’ Pie if lamb mince is used. I love lamb but I personally think Beef mince is nicer in this dish.

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 large potatoes

3 large carrots (2 chopped in half, 1 diced)

2 onions, chopped

500g beef mince

2 Oxo cubes

500ml beef stock

25 ml milk

Couple of knobs of butter

1 egg beaten

Salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

Couple drops of Worchester sauce

50g frozen peas

Method

  • Boil potatoes and carrots halves together with a good sprinkle of salt.
  • Heat olive oil in a large pan and fry off onions and diced carrots for a few minutes. Add in the mince and fry until browned.
  • Crush the oxo cubes into the mince and stir. Pour in the stock, add the Worchester sauce and cook until reduced.
  • Add in the peas and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Pour the mince into the base of a square oven dish and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to Gas mark 6, 200 degrees Celsius, or 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Take the potatoes and carrots off the heat; add the butter, milk, salt and pepper and mash.
  • Add the potato/carrot mixture to the mince and smooth over.
  • Brush with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the top has browned.
 

Beetroot and Feta Salad

Filed under: Salads and Dressings,Vegetarian — delishuss @ 9:58 pm
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This recipe forms part of one of Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals menus.  Salads are not really winter food but I think you can get away with this recipe because beetroot is a root vegetable. I served this with Avoca’s nut loaf and rocket salad. Spiffingly good food.

Ingredients

1 x 250g pack of cooked
vac-packed beetroots
balsamic vinegar
½ a lemon
a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
50g feta cheese

Method

  • Grate the beetroot in the food processor. Remove the bowl from the processor, take out the grater attachment and pour in a couple of lugs of balsamic vinegar and a few lugs of extra virgin olive oil.
  • Squeeze in the juice of ½ a lemon.
  • Finely chop a bunch of parsley and add most of it. Stir to dress, then tip into a nice serving bowl. Scatter over the rest of the parsley.
  • Crumble over the feta. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and take to the table.

 

Rogan Josh November 2, 2010

Filed under: Curries,Vegetarian — delishuss @ 9:55 pm
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This is another Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals. It’s pretty good but I think I would add lamb nex time.

CURRY
2 onions
1 medium butternut squash
1 small cauliflower
optional: 1 fresh red chilli
4 cloves of garlic
a bunch of fresh coriander
½ a 283g jar of Patak’s rogan joshpaste
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
100g prewashed baby spinach
1 x 500g tub of natural yoghurt

Method

  1. Peel and slice the onions and add to the large pan with a splash of water and a few good lugs of olive oil.
  2. Carefully cut the butternut squash in half across the middle (for speed I’m only using the seedless neck), wrap up the base and put in the fridge for another day. Quarter the neck lengthways, then slice it into 1cm chunks – no need to peel them .Add to the pan.Trim the cauliflower and remove the outer leaves. Cut it into bite-sized chunks, and throw them into the pan.
  3. If you want some extra heat, slice up the chilli and add it now. Crush in the unpeeled garlic.
  4. Finely chop the coriander (stalks and all). Reserve a few leaves for garnish and add the rest to the pan with a couple of generous splashes of boiled water.
  5. Add the rogan josh paste and the tin of chickpeas, with their juices. Season and stir well, then put a lid on. Cook hard and fast, stirring occasionally.
  6. Check and add a splash of water if it looks a bitdry. Stir, then replace the lid.
    Take the lid off. Do you need to adjust the consistency at this point? If so, you can add a generous splash of boiled water, depending on whether you want it drier or wetter. Or mash up some of the veg for different textures.
  7. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if needed, then add the spinach and stir through.
  8. Transfer the rice and curry into large serving bowls. Spoon the remaining yoghurt over the curry, sprinkle with the rest of the coriander leaves and take both bowls to the table.
 

Jool’s Pasta October 28, 2010

Filed under: Favourites,Meat,Pasta — delishuss @ 9:08 pm
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A lot of people wouldn’t be Jamie Oliver fans but I have to go against the grain on this one. I think he and his recipes are great. The ingredients are very easy to get and he does simple, tasty food. Here’s another one from the 30 minute meals series. The dish was lovely, I’m not very fond of fennel seeds so I think I would leave them out next time. They have an aniseed flavour, which is an acquired taste.

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the pasta

  • 4 spring onions
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 1-2 fresh red chillies
  • 1 x 6-pack of good-quality sausages (approx. 400g)
  • 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 500g dried penne
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
  • A few sprigs of Greek basil, or regular basil

Method

To start: Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Fill and boil the kettle. Put a large frying pan on a high heat. Put the standard blade attachment into the food processor.

Pasta: Trim the spring onions, carrot and celery. Roughly chop all the vegetables, then blitz in the food processor with the chillies (stalks removed). Add the sausages, 1 heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds and 1 teaspoon of oregano. Keep pulsing until well mixed, then spoon this mixture into the hot frying pan with a lug of olive oil, breaking it up and stirring as you go. Keep checking on it and stirring while you get on with other jobs. Put a large deep saucepan on a low heat and fill with boiled water. Fill and reboil the kettle.

Pasta: Top up the saucepan with more boiled water if needed. Season well then add the penne and cook according to packet instructions, with the lid askew.

Pasta: Crush 4 unpeeled cloves of garlic into the sausage mixture and stir in 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and the tinned tomatoes. Add a little of the starchy cooking water from the pasta to loosen if needed.

Pasta: Drain the pasta, reserving about a wineglass worth of the cooking water. Tip the pasta into the pan of sauce and give it a gentle stir, adding enough of the cooking water to bring it to a silky consistency. Taste, correct the seasoning, then tip into a large serving bowl and take straight to the table with the rest of the Parmesan for grating over. Scatter over a few basil leaves.

Note: you can swap the celery for courgette also if you prefer.