Author: bridgete

Categories
Bakery Desserts

Lemon Cake

  • 200g (7oz) self raising flour
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 1/4tsp salt
  • 1/2tsp baking powder
  • 200ml (7fl oz) milk
  • 100ml (31/2fl oz) rapeseed oil
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • 2tbsp golden syrup
  • juice and zest of 1 lemon
  • For the drizzle
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • 100g icing sugar

Pre heat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Line and grease the base of a 1kg loaf tin with baking paper parchment paper. 

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a mixing bowl. 

Using an electric mixer add the milk, oil, golden syrup, lemon juice and zest.

Beat until the mixture looks like a smooth batter. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until when a skewer is inserted into the middle of the cake and it comes out clean. 

While the cake is cooking heat the lemon juice and sugar in a small saucepan until all of the sugar has dissolved.

When you have removed the cake from the oven, whilst it’s still warm prick all over with a cocktail stick and drizzle half the syrup over the cake so that it soaks into the sponge. Reheat the remaining syrup to pour over the cake just before you are ready to serve.

    Categories
    Desserts

    Strawberry Shots

    • 75 g ginger cookies
    • 15 g butter, melted
    • 350 g firm tofu
    • Zest and juice of 1 lime
    • 90 g icing sugar
    • 100 g strawberries, sliced
    1. Put the cookies into a plastic bag and, using a rolling pin, crush until they are fine crumbs. Alternatively, you can whizz them in a food processor. Tip into a bowl with the melted spread, and mix together. Divide between 8 x 50ml shot glasses and press evenly into the base. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.
    2. Whizz the tofu, lime zest and juice and icing sugar in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a disposable piping bag and snip off the end.
    3. Pipe the mixture into the shot glasses, leaving 3mm clear at the top. Decorate with the strawberries and leave in the fridge until ready to serve.
    Categories
    -sides Vegetarian

    Salsa Verde

    • 1/2 lemon (with peel), seeded, chopped
    • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
    • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 1 cup olive oil
    • 3/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
    • 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
    • 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
    • Fresh lemon juice (optional)

    Combine lemon, shallot, and garlic in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Let sit 5 minutes. Stir in oil, parsley, cilantro, and chives. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if desired.

    Categories
    Fish

    Furikake Salmon bowls

    • ———-Sauce
    • 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or GF BRAGGS)
    • 3 tablespoons Mirin  (see notes for substitute)
    • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
    • ———-Bowl
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    • one shallot, finely sliced
    • 2–3 extra-large handfuls of shredded cabbage
    • Pinch of salt, pepper and chili flakes
    • 8–10 ounces salmon (2 thick pieces)
    • 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed, sliced (or use Smoked Mushrooms!)
    • ———-Options
    • 1  1/2 – 2 cups cooked quinoa or other grain (optional, or sub more veggies)
    • 1 avocado, sliced
    • Feel free to add additional roasted veggies or steamed veggies
    • Garnish: scallions, furikake, cucumber, chili flakes

    Set rice or grain to cook, if using.

    Make the Sauce: Mix soy sauce, mirin  and sesame oil in a small bowl.

    Saute Cabbage:  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Add shallot and saute over medium heat until fragrant. Add the shredded cabbage, season with salt and pepper and saute until just wilted. Set aside in a bowl and drizzle with a couple of tablespoons of the Soy-Mirin–Sesame Oil Sauce.

    Sear the Salmon: Wipe out the pan and heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Season the oil with a generous pinch of salt, pepper and chili flakes and swirl. Add the salmon and mushrooms, and sear both sides, until golden. Turn heat off, letting the pan cool slightly (otherwise sauce may burn).  Spoon sauce over top of the salmon and mushrooms, swirling the skillet.

    Assemble the bowls: Divide rice or grains between 2 bowls. Sprinkle with furikake. Arrange sauteed cabbage, avocado wedges and any other veggies in the bowl. Top with seared salmon and mushrooms, and sprinkle it with Furikake spooning the remaining sauce over the avocado and other veggies.

    Serve immediately.

    Categories
    -appetizers Scallops

    Scallops Lime Coriander

    • 6 scallops, removed from their shells and cleaned (shells cleaned and reserved for serving)
    • 1 lime, juiced and zested
    • 45ml of olive oil, plus extra to cook the scallops
    • 1/2 red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped
    • 1 handful of chopped coriander
    • salt
    • pepper

    Begin by making the dressing. Place the lime juice into a bowl and slowly drizzle in the oil whilst whisking to emulsify

    Add the finely chopped chilli and coriander then season with salt and pepper to taste

    Season the scallops with salt presentation-side up. Place a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place the scallops in the pan presentation-side down

    Leave to cook undisturbed for around 2–3 minutes until a nice golden crust forms, then flip over and cook for a final minute. The scallops should feel springy to the touch when ready

    Place the scallops back in their clean shells and spoon over some of the lime dressing. Sprinkle over the lime zest and serve

    Categories
    -appetizers Shrimp

    Prawn Lettuce Cups

    Place the baby gem leaves in a bowl of iced water whilst you prepare the rest of the canapés. This will crisp up the leaves, giving them more structure to hold the filling, as well as a pleasing crunch

    Mix the ingredients for the Marie Rose sauce together. Taste and season with lemon juice, salt and pepper

    Mix the prawns through the sauce to evenly coat them

    Dice the avocado into 1cm cubes and dress with a little lemon juice. This will lift the flavour and help prevent discolouration

    Pat dry the baby gem leaves and spoon on some diced avocado followed by a spoonful of prawns

    Finish with a light dusting of paprika and serve on a plate with some lemon wedges

    Categories
    Scallops

    Granny Smith Scallops

    • 2 Granny Smith apples
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • 12 large sea scallops (about 1 pound), side muscle removed
    • kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 1/4 cup hearty sprouts (such as daikon or sunflower) or pea shoots

    STEP 1

    Core 1 apple; cut into 1-inch cubes. Place in a blender with lemon juice and 1/4 cup water; purée until smooth. Strain juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Peel, core, and cut remaining apple into 1/4-inch cubes. Add to bowl. Set aside.

    Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook scallops until golden brown and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; tent with foil to keep warm.

    Add butter to skillet. Cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Add reserved apple mixture and cook, stirring often, until juice is thickened and apple pieces are tender, about 4 minutes. Spoon over scallops; top with sprouts and season with salt and pepper.

    Categories
    -sides Vegetarian

    Classic Garlic & Lemon Hummus

    • 1½ cups (246 g) cooked chickpeas
    • 1 lemon, juiced
    • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) tahini 
    • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) extra virgin olive oil
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¼ cup (60 mL) ice water 

    Optional garnish

    • fresh basil
    • ground cumin
    • pomegranate seeds
    1. Add all of the ingredients, except for the water, to a food processor or blender and blend on high until smooth.
    2. While the mixture is blending, in a thin and steady stream, add half of the ice water to the food processor*. If desired, skip this step by simply adding the water in with the ingredients in step #1.
    3. Taste test the hummus. If too thick, add the remaining water. For a creamier consistency, add more olive oil and/or tahini. For more zest, add more lemon juice. Plate, garnish, and serve!

    Notes

    • * Adding the water in this way helps to aerate the hummus and make it more ‘fluffy’.

    Storage

    Categories
    Vegetarian

    Soba Noodle Bowl with BBQ Tempeh

    Marinated BBQ tempeh

    • 8.8 oz (250 g) tempeh, thinly sliced 
    • 1 cup (240 mL) barbecue sauce

    Dressing

    • 3 Tbsp (45 mL) sodium-reduced soy sauce 
    • 2 Tbsp (30 mL) tahini
    • 1 garlic clove, crushed
    • ½ lime, juiced
    • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) rice vinegar
    • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) agave syrup 
    • 1 tsp (2 g) freshly grated ginger
    • 1 tsp (5 mL) sambal oelek (optional) 
    • 1 tsp (5 mL) toasted sesame oil

    Noodles

    • 6.3 oz (180 g) dry soba noodles 
    • 1 cup (140 g) frozen shelled edamame 
    • 1 Tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
    • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 carrot, julienned
    • 3.5 oz (100 g) shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 
    • 1 large broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces 

    Optional garnishes

    • toasted sesame seeds
    • red hot chili pepper
    • sliced green onion
    1. Lightly boil or steam the tempeh in a pan on the stove for 10 minutes*. Then rinse and pat dry.
    2. Arrange the tempeh in a baking dish, pour on the BBQ sauce, and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours – the longer the better.
    3. Line a tray and preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)**.
    4. Place the marinated tempeh on the baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes, stopping to flip once halfway. Remove from oven and brush with additional BBQ sauce if desired.
    5. Meanwhile, add all of the dressing ingredients to a bowl and whisk.
    6. Add the soba noodles and edamame to a pot of boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the noodles are al dente*. Drain and rinse.
    7. Add the oil and garlic to a pan on medium-high heat. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the carrot and mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes.
    8. Then add the broccoli and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the drained noodles and edamame to the pan. Pour over the dressing and toss to combine. Divide into bowls, add the BBQ tempeh, garnish, and enjoy.

    Notes

    • * This is an optional step, but can remove bitterness.
    • ** We used top and bottom heating (not fan-assisted/convection).
    • * If your noodles need longer to cook, add the edamame in the last 5 minutes.

    Storage

    Categories
    Vegetarian

    Torte Pasqualina

    • 600 g spinach
    • 1 onion
    • 500 g ricotta
    • 2 cloves garlic
    • 100 g grated parmesan
    • 10 eggs
    • 1 pinch of marjoram leaves
    • 1 tsp nutmeg
    • Salt, pepper
    • Olive oil
    • 270 g fresh pastry (or see below for homemade pastry)

    Preheat oven 180c

    Cook the spinach in a pan with olive oil until wilted. Put in a colander and squeeze out as much water as you can. Set aside to cool.

    Chop the onion and garlic and cook it with 2 table spoons of olive oil. Onion first 5 min and garlic 1 min. When it’s golden, chop the cooled spinach and add to the pan. Add the parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. and stir well.

    In a large bowl, whisk 4 eggs and add the ricotta and the nutmeg. Add the spinach mixture and stir together.

    *note: you can drain the ricotta beforehand as well if it is watery.

    Separate 2.3 of the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out as thin as possible. I used a deep springform pan (you can use a deep pie tin). Butter it generously and line the inside and sides with the dough. You can rollout the sides separately and then re-attach inside the pan but I did it in one piece….carefully.

    Make 5 dents in the top of the spinach mixture, like little nests, and break the raw eggs (5) one into each indentation. Roll out the remaining 1/3 dough into a circle (a bit larger than the pan, wet the top edge of the dough and then lay the circle over the top, attaching to the wet edge.

    Whisk the final egg and add a bit of water. Paint over the top. Bake for 45 minutes. Watch it and if the top seems to be browning a bit too fast, place a sheet of aluminum foil to keep it from burning.

    Cool for at least 10 minutes.

    With the back of the spoon, make 6 small caves around the surface of the stuffing. Put the 6 eggs on these small holes.

    Cover with the 2 remaining sheets of dough (between the 2 sheets spread some olive oil).
    Close properly the cake with the dough.

    To make the crust nicer to see, spread it with some olive oil.

    Cook the torta pasqualina in the oven at 180°C for 1 hour.