Sunday 23 September 2012

pork,tomato and bean stew

2tbsp oil
500g pork fillet,cut into little slices
1 onion,chopped
1 garlic clove,crushed
1 red pepper,deseeded and sliced
400g can chopped tomatoes
1-2 sprigs of rosemary
2 x 300g cans cannellini beans,drained
1tbsp redcurrant jelly
2tsp cornflour
300g long grain rice to serve

Heat 1tbsp of oil in a frying pan and cook the pork until browned.Transfer the pork to a pan,leaving the fat in the pan.Add the rest of the oil to the frying pan and cook the onion until soft.Add the garlic and red pepper,then cook for another 2-3 mins ans add to the pork.Stir in the chopped tomatoes,rosemary and 100ml water.Cover,heat until simmering,then simmer gently for 15 mins.Rinse the beans.Add with the jelly,cover again and simmer for 5 mins.Remove the rosemary.Mix the cornflour with 2tbsp cold water,then stir into the sauce and continue to heat until it's simmering and slightly thickened.Meanwhile,cook the rice and serve with the pork.

Chocolate truffle fudge cake

250g butter
55g caster sugar
2tbsp milk
2tbsp golden syrup
1tbsp cocoa
2tbsp drinking chocolate
500g digestive biscuits,crushed
75g chocolate cake crumbs
60g glace cherries
75g raisins
250g dark chocolate

Melt butter,sugar,milk and golden syrup over a gentle heat in a large pan.Once the sugar as dissolved,add cocoa,drinking chocolate and half the biscuits.Mix well and then add all the remaining ingredients except the dark chocolate.Press the mixture into a 20cm/8in square tin.Melt the dark chocolate over a pan of boiling water.Once done,spread it over the biscuit base and leave to set.This should make 30 small bars.

Sunday 16 September 2012

Bread pudding

Tear 500g bread into piecces and put in a bowl with 375g mixed dried fruit and 1 level tsp mixed spice.Add 600ml milk,2 lightly beaten large eggs and 150g sugar.Mix well and soak for 30 mins.Preaheat the oven to 160c/140c fan/gas 3.Add 125g melted butter.Put in a greased tin and sprinkle on sugar.Bake for 1 hour 30 mins.Serve.

Sunday 2 September 2012

Tuna and sweetcorn pasties

2 x 198g cans tuna steaks in brine
198g can sweetcorn,drained
350g pot four cheese sauce
500g ready to roll shortcrust pastry
flour,for rolling
1 med egg,beaten

Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6.Line two baking trays with baking paper.Drain tuna and mix with the corn and one third of the cheese sauce.Season with pepper.Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a 2p coin.Cut out 11cm rounds.Re-roll the pastry trimmings and cut out more rounds.Brush one round with the egg.Put 1 heaped tsp of the tuna mixture in the middle.Fold over the pastry to make a turnover and press the edges together to seal.Repeat until all the tuna is used up.Put on the baking trays and brush with egg.Bake for 20-25 mins until golden.

Mango and lime cake

225g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
finely grated zest of 2 limes
225g softened butter
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
2 tbsp lime juice
25g icing sugar
250ml double cream
2 large mangoes,peeled,stoned and cubed or sliced

Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4.Grease two shallow,20cm round cake tins and line with baking paper.Sift the flour and baking powder together in a bowl.Set aside a little of the zest to decorate the cake.Beat the remaining zest together with the butter and caster sugar until soft and creamy.Add the flour mixture and eggs,and beat until mixed.Divide between the cake tins and bake for 25 mins until cooked.As soon as the cakes go in the oven,mix the lime juice with the icing sugar and set aside.When the cakes are cooked,turn out onto a wire rack.Sprinkle on the lime juice mixture and leave to cool.Whip the cream until it just holds it's shape.Sandwich the cakes with half the cream and mango.Spread the remaining cream on top.Decorate with the rest of the mango and zest.

Aldi's Banana Ghosts

500g Greek Yogurt 100g Desiccated Coconut 25g Milk Chocolate Chips 4 Large Bananas (firm, not overly ripe) Method Peel the bananas and cut i...