Wednesday, 11 August 2010

YET ANOTHER (!!) healthy lunch from RECOGNISE MAGAZINE

Cleo from Recognise Magazine sent me an email earlier subject title: My lunch is like Joseph's technicolour raincoat today & attached this picture. I replied what is it and Cleo said=pate, chorizo, red pepper humous, rocket, cherr tomart and cucumb. got it with rye ryveets

Friday, 6 August 2010

Friday night CHICKEN CURRY – korma kinda vibe

Its Friday night and its crap weather - instead of ordering an Indian take-away make this delicious cuzza recipe! MUGHLAI CHICKEN CURRY – its like a creamy korma kinda vibe & full of flavour!

This recipe serves 8–10 peeps - but for less just cut recipe in half! Originally inspired by Nigella but adapted by the Tarz! Chris McCormack was on Facebook and we were chatting about how he is having a night in with the lads this wkend and they might get a take-away curry - i then sent him this recipe thought best spread the curry love online.

2.5cm fresh ginger, peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli
4 tablespoons ground almonds
125ml water
5 cardamom pods, bruised
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5kg boned, skinned chicken thighs, each cut in 2
2 onions
250ml Greek yogurt
250ml chicken stock
125ml double cream
100g (golden if poss) sultanas
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon salt
75g flaked almonds, toasted if u can be bothered

Serving Size : Serves 8–10

1. Put the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander and chilli into a food processor, and blend to a paste. Add the ground almonds and water, then blend again, and set aside. OR - If you dont have food processor then pestle and mortar or a little spice grinder works.
2. Put the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cloves into a small bowl and set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces – in batches so they fry rather than stew – and cook them just long enough to seal on both sides, then remove to a dish.
4. Tip in the bowlful of spices and turn them in the oil. Peel and finely chop the onions, add to the pan of spices, and cook until softened and lightly browned, but keep the heat gentle and stir frequently. Pour in the blended paste, and cook everything until it begins to colour. Add the yogurt, 125ml at a time, stirring it in to make a sauce; then stir in the stock, cream and sultanas.
5. Put the browned chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected under them, and sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar and salt. Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20 minutes, testing to make sure the chicken meat is cooked through.
6. Pour into a serving dish and scatter with the toasted flaked almonds.

HEALTHY SALAD 4 lunch from Recognise Magazine

Cleo, Editor of Recognise Magazine emailed me this picture of her very healthy lunch plate she made up. Loving the rye bread with beetroot & cottage cheese!

FAIRY CAKES

Nat Attack made some fairy cakes the other day, although they were technically Dolly Cakes as dolly mixture on top of icing - see cakes below YUM!

Natalie Messer is a personal shopper and stylist .....add on Twitter http://twitter.com/nat_attack

After seeing this picture I got the bug and made some fairy cakes last night too....
Matthew Hoody was over so he lent a hand and decorated them!


Matthew Hoody books bands for me at WEST ROCKS add him on TWITTER http://twitter.com/matthewwillkins

GET BAKING PEOPLE!!!!

Tuesday, 22 June 2010

Orange & Strawberry Victoria Sponge

...last night i went for dinner at Katie Melua's house and so I made her a cake for afters...it was inspired by Sophie Dahl, as I saw her make it on the weekend and it looked so good I had to attempt to recreate. I changed some bits and bobs (as hers was with rasberries) and made it lactose friendly (so I could try it)- so no dairy was used!

Orange infused Victoria Sponge with orange butter icing & home made strawberry jam


For the sponge
  • 225g/8oz soya butter

  • 225g/8oz caster sugar

  • 4 eggs

  • 225g/8ozself-raising flour

  • 1 large orange - zest only

For the jam
  • 300g/9oz fresh strawbs

  • 2 tbsp fresh Orange Juice

  • 1 heaped tbsp caster sugar

For the icing
  • 250g/4oz soya butter

  • 250g/4oz icing sugar

  • 1/4 orange - the juice only

  • 1 large orange -the zest only


Making the cake!

  1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

  2. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking paper, and dust with flour.

  3. Using electric whisk, cream together the butter and sugar

  4. Gradually beat in the eggs, then add the flour and orange zest and mix

  5. Divide the mixture evenly between the two cake tins, then bake in the oven for 25 mins, or until golden-brown. Empty tins and put aside cakes to cool on a wire rack

  6. Next the jam, place the strawberries, oj and sugar into a small frying pan over a low heat. Cook for 30 minutes, or until the fruit begins to look jam like!

  7. Then the icing, beat the butter, icing sugar, oj and zest in a bowl until smooth.

  8. To serve, place one sponge on plate and spread half of the icing on top. Spoon over the jam, top with the second sponge and then sprinkle top of cake with icing sugar or as I did whipped some non-dairy cream and decorated with strawberries.....

The wack the kettle on and enjoy with friends!


Rosie Oddie of new band BONES & Katie Melua a la cake

Sunday, 20 June 2010

Lemon, Garlic & Rosemary Roast Lamb

Half shoulder of lamb
marinade:
2 1/2 cloves chopped garlic
2 1/2 sprigs rosemary
zest of 1 lemon
lug olive oil
s&p

1. rub the marinade on the lamb, put in pre-heated oven at 180 - cook to taste 
- best served medium rare, so apx 50 minutes to 1 hour cooking time..

2. when lamb in oven, par boil sweet potatoes until soft - apx 10 mins or so, 
then put them into another oven tray with a lug of olive oil, s&p, a sprig of rosemary 
and some slices of onion & 1 clove of chopped garlic. 

3. Then cut a few carrots length ways into quarters, sprinkle some cumin over and 
a teaspoon honey and place into the same tray as sweet potatoes, 
then put into oven on a high heat and cook until potatoes are crispy and 
the carrots are glazed.

4. once lamb is done take out oven and put aside to rest. 
keep the tray the lamb was cooked in and put generous lug of white wine in 
(if you have) - if not use hot water. stir and add some bisto powder to thicken.


5 mins before your ready to serve, heat your plates in the oven, boil some broccoli and peti pois.....



.....and VOILA!

Tommy G tucking in with his beer. lad









Hummus

½ can drained chick peas

sea salt to season

1/2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped as fine as u can!

1/2 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)

the juice of 1 lemon - fresh squeezed

ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup water

 

Put chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, water, salt & pepper into food processor. Give it a whizz until you get the consistency you like, add salt & pepper to taste as you go along. Then in like 2 mins you have home made healthy hummus and no need to use olive oil in this recipe - which keeps it a super healthy snack for the lads!




Tom Graham necked all the hummus