Tag Archives: cooking

Andrea Lembke’s Recipe for Tangy Chicken and Mango Fajitas

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Britain is expecting its longest summer since 1910 with scorching temperatures staying around until September, but it seems it’s not just the forecasters expecting high heats. According to new research the British palate is longing for something hotter too.

Recipe for Tangy Chicken and Mango Fajitas

Mexican food is now one of the most popular cuisines in the UK, with fajitas featuring in the top ten. So why not join the fajita craze with taste developer Andrea Lembke, who’s serving up her favourite dish with a twist this summer with her favourite recipe for Tangy Chicken and Mango fajitas in this short video. The recipe is full of flavour, seasoning and spice and is a simple, sweet and scrumptious meal to enjoy with the family this summer.

Recipe for Tangy Chicken and Mango Fajitas

 

What you will need:
– 450g Boneless Chicken
– Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling
– 1 Medium Sized Red Onion
– 1 Green Pepper
– 1 Red Pepper
– 1 Yellow Pepper
– 1/2 Mango
– 1 Santa Maria Perfect Fajita Kit, includes 8 Soft Flour Tortillas, Santa Maria Salsa and Faijita Seasoning Mix
– Santa Maria Chipotle Paste

For the Guacamole to serve with:
– 3 Large Avocados
– 1 Large Lime
– 1 Large Ripe Tomato
– 1 Small Red Onion
– 1 Red & 1 Green Chilli (Optional)
– Handful of fresh Coriander Plant

 

Method
Coat the chicken in the oil and Fajita Seasoning Mix. Heat a heavy based frying pan until very hot and add the seasoned chicken, this should be fried for about 3 minutes or until well browned.

For the guacamole, combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

Chop the onion, peppers and mango and add into the pan, cook for a further 2 minutes or until the meat is cooked.

Warm Tortillas in a separate pan.

Serve with Salsa, Soured Cream, and Guacamole. Add some Green Jalapeños for an extra kick.

 

For more information, please visit www.santamariaworld.co.uk

 

 

The History of Tortelloni

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Seen in the UK as a quick, cheap and easy meal, the authenticity, quality and simplicity of pasta has been overlooked. We tend to follow the method of ‘guess boiling’ our pasta and drowning it with any sauce to hand, while the Italians care more for their iconic dish, focusing on the simplicity of fresh, locally sourced ingredients such as olive oil, cheese and wine.

The History of Tortelloni

 

In this video master pasta maker, Giovanni Rana, tells the story of his artisan pasta making and shows us how to make and serve the perfect spinach and ricotta tortelloni, while Antonella Rana recalls the legendary story of the creation of tortellini.

 

Giovanni Rana and his family have been making fresh filled pasta for more than 50 years after noticing that home-made, fresh pasta was on the decline since Italian women started to work.  His philosophy is simple: be true to yourself and the things that make you happy.  For him, perfect pasta comes from a passion for food and the joy of sharing that passion with the people you love.

howtomakeTortelloni

 

Recipe for the Perfect Ricotta and Spinach Tortelloni

More than 50 years ago, master pasta maker, Mr Giovanni, inspired by the old-world techniques of local women, began making tortelloni in a small shop in San Giovanni Lupatoto.

 

So he created a unique fresh-filled pasta, using the very best ingredients, and headed out on his scooter, to deliver his handiwork to the homes of families across Verona, The passionate, young pasta maker’s dream began to unfold across Italy and now the very same pasta is available in supermarkets in the UK today.

 

If you have the luxury of time, why not try Giovanni Rana’s unique recipe for these traditional Italian treasures; Ricotta and Spinach Tortelloni, using his short film.

 

Preparation: Pasta preparation: 25mins

Cooking: 2-3 minutes

Serves: 2-3

 

What you will need:

 

For the Pasta Dough

140g All purpose flour

2 eggs

 

For the Ricotta & Spinach Filling

85g Ricotta cheese

20ml double cream

15g Parmigiano cheese

30g of spinach, chopped

Pinch of salt and pepper

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

 

For the Seasoning

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

40g Ricotta cheese +15g Spinach leaves for serving per portion

 

Method

  1. Put the flour with the salt in a large bowl.
  2. Make a well in the middle then crack the eggs into the well, one at a time. Using your fingertips, mix well and begin to knead the fresh mixture into fresh dough.
  3. Put the dough on a table and knead well with both hands until the dough is smooth and elastic, rolling it out using a rolling pin if needed.
  4. Now for your filling; mix the ricotta and fresh spinach in a large bowl, adding a pinch of salt and pepper.
  5. Roll the pasta to as thin as possible and using a pasta cutter or a knife, gently cut into squares.
  6. Spoon out a teaspoon of the filling into the centre of each pasta square.
  7. Then for the art of tortelloni making; carefully fold each pasta square diagonally and pinch the edges until closed. Then bring the corners together with your fingers and squeeze together.
  8. Cook the tortelloni in a large saucepan of lightly salted boiling water and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes, avoiding overcooking.
  9. Drain the tortelloni thoroughly and finish by serving on a large bed of warm ricotta, with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and garnish with spinach.

 

Cook’s tip: If you don’t have all of the fresh ingredients available, why not try Giovanni Rana’s Simply Italian range, available in six delicious varieties including Tender Spinach & Ricotta Tortelloni. Based on homemade Italian family recipes, they are simple and quick to prepare   in less than 5 minutes.  RRP £1.99.

 

 

Michael Caines Grilled Turbot or Brill With Sweet Potato Chips & Mushy Peas

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turbotrecipe

Prep time; 45 minutes/ 1 hour

 

Serves 4 

 

Ingredients 

4 x 130g fillets of brill or turbot skin off

1kg Sweet potatoes

100ml Olive oil

1 large sprig of lemon thyme

1 sprig of rosemary

1 Lemon

 

Mushy peas

400g frozen peas

50g unsalted butter

1 clove of garlic crushed

Salt and pepper

 

Method 

 

Sweet potatoes need to be peeled and cut into chunky chips. Now place them into a pan and cover them with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 3 minutes, strain off and leave to air dry in the colander.  Now place these into a roasting try and sprinkle with olive oil. Pick off the leaves from the lemon thyme and rosemary and chop finely, sprinkle the herbs over the sweet potatoes, mix well and season with salt and pepper.

Place into a preheated oven at 180°C for approximately 20-30 minutes.

 

Mushy peas, take the peas and cook in boiling salted water until soft, then strain them from the water and blend them in a food processor until a coarse puree with the butter and garlic. Place them back into a pan, season with salt and pepper and keep warm with a lid on top.

 

Grilling the fish, take a non-stick tray and brush with olive oil, lay the fillets onto the tray and season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with olive oil.

Pre-heat the grill and then place the fish under the grill, but not too near the heat as its better to cook it slowly until cooked through, this should take around 8-10 minutes, but it will depend of the thickness of the fish.

Once cooked, squeeze some lemon juice over the fish and some picked lemon thyme leaves, and then serve onto the plate with the sweet potatoes and mushy peas.

Uniform Foodies App
Chef Michael Caines and Uniformdating.com, the UK’s top dating site for uniformed singles, have partnered up to develop an app dedicated to uniformed professionals favourite foods!

 

Following a national survey to find out the UK’s uniformed professions favourite dishes, Michael Caines has develop these dishes into a range of delicious, easy-to-make recipes. All these, and many more recipes are available on the Uniform Foodies recipe app.

 

Uniform Foodies is available on iTunes iOS, 69p
Please click here

Michael Caines Roast Pork Loin With Cider Sauce & Gratin Dauphinois Potatoes

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pork recipe

Prep time; 2 hours 30 minutes

 

Serves 4 

 

Ingredients 

1.5 kg loin of pork

Sea salt

Ground white pepper

1-2 tblsp groundnut oil

Cider sauce

20ml groundnut oil

1kg pork bones (ask your butcher), chopped small

1 large onion, peeled and chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

1 Leek chopped

1 celery stick, chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

1 bay leaf

2 thyme sprigs

2 sage sprigs

1 tblsp Plain flour

1 granny smith apple, chopped

300ml dry cider

400ml chicken stock

1 tblsp Dark Soy sauce

 

Gratin Dauphinois potatoes 

 

Equipment: Pyrex dish 290 x 200cm

Ingredients:

300ml milk

200g whipping cream

3 garlic cloves lightly crushed

1 bay leaf

5g salt

2g white pepper

20g unsalted butter softened

1 kg Désirée, Maris Piper or King Edward potatoes

 

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C/ Gas Mark 6. Season the pork loin generously with salt, rubbing it in well to encourage a crispy crackling, then season with pepper. Place a roasting tray or large ovenproof pan over a high heat, add the groundnut oil and heat to almost smoking point. Add the pork loin and turn to seal all over. Now place in the 500gr of the pork bones into the oven tray and put the loin on top. Transfer to the oven and roast for 1 ½ hours or until cooked through.

 

In the meantime, prepare the cider sauce. Place a heavy-based pan over a medium-high heat and heat up, add the oil. Heat well before you add the pork bones and colour until golden brown stirring frequently.

 

Add the vegetables, garlic and herbs, lower the heat and cook or 8-10 minutes or until softened and golden, now add the plain flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chopped apple and cider. Bring to the boil and reduce by half before adding the stock and soya sauce. Bring back to the boil, skim and simmer again for 45minutes.

 

Pass the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean pan and simmer to reduce by at

least half, to thicken and concentrate the flavour.  Keep warm.

 

Gratin dauphinoise potatoes, 

Pre heat your oven to 170°C / Gas Mark 3. Place the cream, milk, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes before using.

Take a piece of garlic and rub the Pyrex dish well with it, and then rub the dish with the softened butter.

Peel and slice the potatoes thinly using a mandolin and layer them into the dish, overlapping the slices evenly layer by layer. Finish off the top with a neat uniformed layer, now pass off the liquid over the top of the potatoes and down through the layers. Make sure that the potatoes on top are covered lightly with the cooking stock before placing them into the oven on a tray. After 10 minutes take a spatula and press down to ensure that potatoes remain covered.

Cook for 45 minutes to an hour then check to see if nicely coloured and continue to cook until the potatoes are soft.  Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

 

Remove the pork from the oven, transfer to a warmed platter and rest in warm place for 10 minutes. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan, and then add the meat juices to the sauce. Carve the pork, first removing the crackling in one piece to make it easier to do so.

 

Arrange the pork slices on warmed serving plates. Add a portion of crackling and a large spoonful of gratin dauphinoise. Enjoy!

 

Uniform Foodies App
Chef Michael Caines and Uniformdating.com, the UK’s top dating site for uniformed singles, have partnered up to develop an app dedicated to uniformed professionals favourite foods!

 

Following a national survey to find out the UK’s uniformed professions favourite dishes, Michael Caines has develop these dishes into a range of delicious, easy-to-make recipes. All these, and many more recipes are available on the Uniform Foodies recipe app.

 

Uniform Foodies is available on iOS, 69p
Please click here

 

 

Michael Caines Vegetable Curry With Lentils, Cauliflower, Baby Corn & Spinach

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vegcurry

Prep time; 1 hour

 

Serves 4

 

Ingredients 

 

Spice mix

4 cloves

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp madras curry

4 gloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1tsp Root ginger grated finely

2 tblsp white wine vinegar

½ tsp salt

1 tsp palm sugar

150g Red lentils

40ml Vegetable oil

1 large cauliflower cut into even size florets

1 large fennel cut in half and the into 4

1 onion finely chopped

2 red chillies deseeded and finely chopped

200g of tinned chopped plum tomatoes

400ml coconut milk

400ml water

200g Baby corn cut into quarters lengthways

100g baby spinach

4 tblsp coriander chopped

1 lemon or lime

Large sprig of coriander

Sea salt

 

For the tarka or chaunk

30ml Vegetable oil

1tblsp mustard seeds

1tsp cumin seed

1tspfennel seed

3 curry leaves

3 Bay leaves

 

Method

First you need to make the spice paste. For this toast the coriander and cumin seeds in small pan for a minute. Now place into a spice grinder and grind to a finely, alternatively use a pestle and mortar or a blender/food processor.

Place into a small bowl and add the turmeric, madras powder, crushed garlic, grated ginger, white wine vinegar, salt and palm sugar and mix together well. Set aside.

 

Place the lentils in a pan and cover with 500ml of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 15/20 minutes until the lentils are a thick puree. Cover and set aside until later.

 

Heat half the oil in a large pan and over a medium heat; caramelise the cauliflower florets evenly until golden brown. Remove and place on a plate. Now caramelise the 8 fennel pieces and remove. Add the remaining oil and heat, add the chopped onion and fry until golden brown, now add the spice mixture and cook out for 2 minutes. Add the chopped tinned tomatoes and chopped chillies and cook for 5 minutes before adding the coconut milk, cauliflower florets, fennel and baby corn. Bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer and leave to cook for 15 minutes stirring from time to time.

To finish, add the spinach before stirring in the lentil to required texture and consistency and now add the chopped coriander.

 

For the tarka or chaunk

Heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the spice and bay and curry leaves until the seeds start to pop. Now drizzle over the curry.

 

 

Uniform Foodies App
Chef Michael Caines and Uniformdating.com, the UK’s top dating site for uniformed singles, have partnered up to develop an app dedicated to uniformed professionals favourite foods!

 

Following a national survey to find out the UK’s uniformed professions favourite dishes, Michael Caines has develop these dishes into a range of delicious, easy-to-make recipes. All these, and many more recipes are available on the Uniform Foodies recipe app.

 

Uniform Foodies is available on iTunes, iOS, 69p
Please click here

 

 

 

Chocolate and Raspberry Cake

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Baking cakes is one of the best pleasures in life and they are so easy to do. All you need to have is the basic foundation ingredients and you can simply add whatever the devil you like. We love a good chocolate cake but sometimes you need to have a few fresh and new ideas up your sleeve. Not that chocolate ever gets boring. This recipe is totally delicious and perfect for those who are Lactose intolerant.

Chocolate and Raspberry cake

P1150955 P1150960So very easy and delightful on the taste buds.

Chocolate and Raspberry cake

You will need:

  • 250g Plain flour
  • 250g Dark brown sugar
  • 175g pure Cocoa
  • 2 eggs
  • 250ml of lactose free milk
  • 1 tbs Vanilla essence
  • 1 tsp of baking podwer
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tray of fresh raspberries
  • 2 tbs icing sugar
  • 150g Dark chocolate

Chocolate and Raspberry cake

Place all the dry ingredients into a large bowl along with the eggs.

Chocolate and Raspberry cake

Bash up the chocolate while its still in the wrapper.

Chocolate and Raspberry cake

Drop it into the bowl and mix well, then add the raspberries. Leaving a handful to garnish later.

P1150751Place this into a lined greased large cake tin and level off.

Chocolate and Raspberry cake

Pop this into the oven for about 35-50 minuets depending on how soft and gooey you want it to be in the middle.

Chocolate and Raspberry cake

Take out of the oven and leave it to totally cool before dusting with icing sugar and serving.

P1150902 Chocolate and Raspberry cake P1150955  P1150952

All done within an hour too! Let us know how you get on making this, and how long it takes to devour the entire lot!

Follow me on Twitter @sarahbacchus for more food and fun updates.  For all our Fashion and style check out www.slbstyle.com and for all interest in the photographic side of my work head to www.sarahbacchus.com

How Much Are Mum’s Worth?

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Mum is Worth £100k Per YearmumInfograph thanks to prezzybox.com

Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots By Jessica Soffer Book Review

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Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots By Jessica SofferTomorrow There Will be Apricots is written by Jessica Soffer who is a mere 25-years-old. It is an impressive book, drawing you in immediately and not letting you go until the very last page. Not one word is wasted in this heartwarming- and at times heartbreaking- book about redemption, love and food.

It is impossible to not fall in love with the characters: Lorca, a troubled 13-year-old who just wants her cold mothers loves and will go to any length to get it, and Victoria, recently widowed and finding it hard to cope. They find themselves through cooking and friendship.

I don’t want to give too many spoilers but this absolutely amazing book is now one of my favourites. I love the characters and I learned a lot about food and other cultures. I was very hungry when I was reading it and even got inspired to learn how to cook. No mean feat for someone who usually hates cooking. Buy this, steal this*, borrow this: just read it.

*not really.

 

Two women adrift in New York – an Iraqi immigrant widow and the latchkey daughter of a famous chef – find each other and a new kind of family through their shared love of cooking.

 

Lorca, a sensitive and troubled thirteen-year-old, spends hours poring over cookbooks, seeking out ingredients for her distracted chef of a mother, who is about to send her off to boarding school. In one last effort to secure her mother’s love and prove herself indispensable, Lorca resolves to replicate her mother’s ideal meal.

 

Victoria, an octogenarian Iraqi immigrant, teaches cooking lessons. Grappling with grief over her husband’s death, Victoria has been dreaming of the daughter they gave up forty years ago.

 

Together these two women – a widow and an almost-orphan – begin to suspect they are connected through more than a love of food.

Tomorrow There Will be Apricots