Chocolate Mousse

Preparation time is about 2 hours. Takes only 10 minutes to make.

Ingredients

165g/6oz dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids, finely chopped
8 free-range eggs, whites only
4 tsp castor sugar
Fresh Lemon Juice

Method

1. Place the chocolate in a large bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the surface of the water) and leave to melt over a low heat. Turn off the heat once the chocolate is completely melted.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a bit of lemon juice (this help the egg whites from separating). Add castor sugar until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
3. Whisk a third of the egg whites into the melted chocolate mixture, then fold in the remaining egg white with a large spatula, taking care to maintain volume. Pour into a glass bowl or individual glasses and leave to set in the fridge for two hours, then serve.

Recipe Courtesy Raymond Blanc and BBC
Picture Courtesy She Knows

Spiced Sugar

Makes 1kg of sugar
3 fresh bay leaves
finely grated zest of 2 oranges
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
6 whole cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 gratings of whole nutmeg
1 vanilla pod, halved lengthways
1kg unrefined caster sugar

"What’s mad about this is that, even though all of these spices and flavours are so pungent on their own, they actually taste like tutti frutti sweets when together. You can use this sugar for so many things; from a sweetener for porridge, sprinkled over baked bananas, popcorn, or to make a gorgeous Chantilly cream. It will keep for a while, so if you’re going to make it, you may as well make a batch and keep it in an airtight container."

Whack the bay leaves, orange and lemon jest and all of your spices into a food processor and give it a good whiz. Once that’s well blended add your sugar and whiz again so you’ve got a lovely spiced sugar. Because there’s quite a bit of moistness in the zest and vanilla pod it’s a good idea to pour the sugar onto a baking tray, spread it out evenly then leave it to dry for a few hours.

Once the sugar is nice and dry, pass it through a sieve to catch any larger pieces of spices. Discard anything left behind in the sieve then put your sieved sugar into an airtight container, where it will keep happily for ages.

Recipe Courtesy Jamie Oliver.
Picture Courtesy Recipezaar.

Roasted cauliflower with cumin, coriander and almonds

1 head of cauliflower, outer green leaves removed, broken into florets
sea salt
olive oil
a knob of butter
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1-2 dried red chillies
a handful of blanched almonds, smashed
zest and juice of 1 lemon

"When most people think of ways to cook cauliflower they will come up with either boiling or gratinating - I'm sure this is the same for you. It may seem strange, but cauliflower is absolutely fantastic when lightly roasted, especially with herbs, spices, cheeses or breadcrumbs. It develops a really incredible flavour that I'm well impressed by. Here's a recipe I made up that is Indian-ish in style. But, hey, it's not about points for authenticity - it's about whether it's delicious or not and I think it is! Please try this one."

Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Blanch the cauliflower in salted boiling water for a couple of minutes then drain in a colander, allowing it to steam dry (you don't want any water left in your cauliflower or it won't roast properly). Toss it in a good glug of olive oil and the butter. In a pestle and mortar, bash your spices and chillies with a pinch of salt, then mix them with your almonds and put in a hot, dry ovenproof pan to slowly toast them. After a couple of minutes, add the cauliflower. When it gets a nice bit of colour on it, add the lemon zest and juice and mix around well. Fry for about a minute longer then pop the pan into the preheated oven for about 15 minutes to crisp up.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Jamie Oliver.

Pesto (serves 4)

½ a clove of garlic, chopped
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 good handfuls of fresh basil, leaves picked and chopped
a handful of pine nuts, very lightly toasted
a good handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil
optional
a small squeeze of lemon juice

"First I’m going to show you an easy recipe for making pesto and then I’ll give you some ideas on how best to use it, instead of just having it with pasta all the time. When it comes to making pesto, you can invest in a good processor if you like, but you can also make it using a pestle and mortar. If you have a blunt blade from your processor then don’t chuck it, but keep it specially for making pesto or marinades where you need to bruise out the flavour, instead of chopping. You may think it’s nice to toast the pine nuts until they’re coloured, to give them a nutty taste, but the really good pestos I’ve tasted in Italy just have them very lightly toasted, to give a creaminess rather than a nuttiness. Pesto is normally made with green basil, but purple basil looks good if you can get hold of some. Another way, slightly more American, uses rocket instead of basil – it’s fragrant and interesting with roasted meats, but I prefer this classic pesto recipe."

Pound the garlic with a little pinch of salt and the basil leaves in a pestle and mortar, or pulse in a food processor. Add a bit more garlic if you like, but I usually stick to ½ a clove. Add the pine nuts to the mixture and pound again. Turn out into a bowl and add half the Parmesan. Stir gently and add olive oil – you need just enough to bind the sauce and get it to an oozy consistency.

Season to taste, then add most of the remaining cheese. Pour in some more oil and taste again. Keep adding a bit more cheese or oil until you are happy with the taste and consistency. You may like to add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to give it a little twang, but it’s not essential. Try it with and without and see which you prefer.

Recipe courtesy Jamie Oliver.
Picture Courtesy Mouse House Kitchen

Homemade Tomato Ketchup

• 1 large red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ a bulb of fennel, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 1 stick of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
• olive oil
• a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
• ½ a fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• a bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked, stalks chopped
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• sea salt
• 500g amazing cherry or plum tomatoes, halved plus 500g tinned plum tomatoes, chopped
or
• 1kg yellow, orange or green tomatoes, chopped
• 200ml red wine vinegar
• 70g soft brown sugar

Bizarrely enough for a chef, I really do take my hat off to Heinz, who have become the global brand of quality in the ketchup world. It’s such an everyday cupboard product that you’ve probably never thought to make your own. But if you’re growing tomatoes in the garden, or you catch sight of some really beautiful ones at the market in summer, just think how much of a treat it would be to offer your family or guests homemade ketchup. It’s great fun to make. And you can make different colours of ketchup using just yellow, orange or green tomatoes – simply exchange the cherry and tinned tomatoes for the same amount of your chosen coloured ones.

Place all the vegetables in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan with a big splash of olive oil and the ginger, garlic, chilli, basil stalks, coriander seeds and cloves. Season with the pepper and a good pinch of salt.

Cook gently over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes until softened, stirring every so often. Add all the tomatoes and 350ml of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently until the sauce reduces by half.

Add the basil leaves, then whiz the sauce in a food processor or with a hand blender and push it through a sieve twice, to make it smooth and shiny. Put the sauce into a clean pan and add the vinegar and the sugar. Place the sauce on the heat and simmer until it reduces and thickens to the consistency of tomato ketchup. At this point, correct the seasoning to taste.

Spoon the ketchup through a sterilized funnel into sterilized bottles (see page 324 for ways of doing this), then seal tightly and place in a cool dark place or the fridge until needed – it should keep for six months. Great with steaks and chips.

Recipe Courtesy Jamie Oliver.
Picture Courtesy whatsforsupper

Grilled Herb Shrimp (Serves 6)

3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup good olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled (tails left on) and deveined

Combine the garlic, onion, parsley, basil, mustards, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals, and brush the grilling rack with oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Skewer the shrimp. I use 5 or 6 shrimp on a 12-inch skewer for a dinner serving. Grill the shrimp for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. 

Recipe and picture courtesy Barefoot Contessa.

Chicken liver parfait (serves 8-10)

2 x 250g packs of butter
a small bunch of fresh sage, leaves picked
olive oil
2 red onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
a small bunch of fresh thyme, leaves picked
1kg chicken livers, preferably free-range or organic, trimmed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a small wineglass of brandy
mixed fresh bread, to serve

Parfait is basically a silky smooth pate. You can buy it in supermarkets and delis but it’s so simple and satisfying to make yourself. The ingredients are cheap, you get an amazing freshness and you have complete control on flavour so you can pimp it and make it really luxurious. Make it up to a week in advance and you’ll be laughing. It also makes a great present.

To make your clarified butter, pop a whole pack in a pan on a low heat or pilot light and let it tick away for 20 to 30 minutes until completely separated. The clear oil will separate from the white part in the bottom which is the whey. Skim the clear stuff off the top and put in a separate pan. Put this on a medium heat and add one sage leaf – this will act as your gauge so you know when it’s hot enough.

Meanwhile, heat a lug of oil in a large pan and when hot, add the onion, garlic and thyme leaves. Fry fast for about 4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until soft and starting to colour. Add a splash more oil, your chicken livers and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook on a high heat for no more than 4 minutes so still blushing in the middle, you’ll see them start to plump up. If you overcook them, they’ll be tough, and we want them silky and smooth.

Keep an eye on your pan of oil and when the sage leaf is frizzled and fried and it’s noisy, add the rest of the sage leaves and take the pan off the heat. They’ll go crispy, snappy and delicious. Leave to one side.

Add your brandy to the pan of livers, and let it cook off. You can flame it if you want – I like to do this as it’s a visual sign that the alcohol is burning off. Tip everything straight into a food processor with all the juices, and blitz until smooth – a liquidiser would be even better here if you’ve got one. You’ll notice that the smell changes straight away. Have a taste, and season to a degree where you’re happy, then add a little more as the seasoning goes down when it gets cold which is how you’ll serve it. Dice up your remaining pack of butter, and add it piece by piece, with the food processor still running. Wait for each piece to be combined before adding more. Keep whizzing when it’s all in, and you’ll see it start to shine. Taste again and season if necessary, then whiz for 2 or 3 minutes.

You can serve the parfait in whatever you like - individual terrines or in a big bowl or platter. Push it through a fine sieve and smooth it out, then pop in the fridge covered with a piece of greaseproof paper until set. Use a slotted spoon to pop the sage leaves on top in the centre of the parfait, then pour over the clarified butter. Pop back in the fridge and it will go hard and opaque and act as a seal. You don’t have to eat the butter later if you don’t want but it will have amazing flavour from the sage.

Keep it in the fridge for up to a week then I like to serve it with toasts, cornichons, watercress and a few wedges of lemon, with some lovely sweet dessert wine to wash it down. If you’re having it at a party, put it out with a toaster and a loaf of bread and let people serve themselves.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Jamie Oliver.

Smoked salmon and scrambled eggs (serves 2)

30g butter, plus a little extra for spreading
6 large free-range or organic eggs
2 slices sourdough or crusty white bread, griddled or toasted
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices of smoked salmon
1 lemon, quartered

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a moderate heat until it’s foaming. Whisk the eggs in a bowl and add to the saucepan. Stir the eggs continuously with something flexible like a spatula to get right into the corners, and cook until little pieces of cooked egg are surrounded by soft, smooth and still quite runny egg. The egg will continue to cook even when the heat is turned off, so undercook them slightly and leave them in the pan while you butter your toast. Season the eggs to taste and pour over the toast. Drape the salmon over the eggs and serve it with the lemon wedges. Add plenty of black pepper and serve immediately.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Jamie Oliver

Cinnamon Chocolate Fudge

Butter for greasing the pan
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound (about 2 cups) bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate chips (recommended: Ghiradelli)
*see Cook’s Note
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
Kosher or flake salt (optional)


Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch baking pan. Line the pan with a sheet of parchment paper, about 14-inches long and 7-inches wide, allowing the excess to overhang the sides. Set aside
In a medium glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the condensed milk, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips and butter. Place the bowl on a saucepan of barely simmering water and mix until the chocolate chips have melted and the mixture is smooth, about 6 to 8 minutes (mixture will be thick). Using a spatula, scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with salt, if using. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm.
Run a warm knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the fudge. Remove the fudge and place on a cutting board. Peel off the parchment paper and cut the fudge into 1-inch pieces. Store refrigerated in an airtight container or freeze.

*Cook’s Note: The fudge can also be made using 1 pound (about 2 1/2 cups) of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 6 to 8 minutes
Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours

Recipe Courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Picture Courtesy Sugarlaws

The Full English (serves 2)

Ingredients:
6 good-quality pork and leek sausages
4 field mushrooms, wiped
2 small tomatoes – scored on top
250g smoked dry cured back bacon
170g black pudding, sliced
1 x 420g can of baked beans
2 knobs of butter
6 eggs, preferably free-range or organic, cracked into a bowl and beaten
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ a loaf of thick-sliced bread, for toasting

Preheat the grill to high. Set the oven to its lowest heat and pop 2 plates in it to keep warm.Put the sausages, mushrooms and tomatoes, scored-side up, on to a large grill pan and place under the grill, about 5cm from the heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning the sausages once or twice.

Add the bacon and black pudding to the pan and grill for 5 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until they are cooked and crispy. Put the baked beans in a saucepan and warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place a non-stick saucepan over a low heat. Melt 1 knob of butter in the pan, add the eggs, season to taste and stir gently until just scrambled. Remove from the heat. Put the bread in the toaster, and arrange the sausages, mushrooms and tomatoes with the bacon, black pudding and beans on the warm plates. When the toast pops up, butter it, then put a slice on each plate and top with scrambled egg. Serve with HP sauce or tomato ketchup on the side, and a pot of tea.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Jamie Oliver.

Tequila Chicken

1/2 cup gold tequila
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon minced fresh jalapeño pepper (1 pepper seeded)
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 whole (6 split) boneless chicken breasts, skin on

Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeño pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight.

Heat a grill with coals and brush the rack with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill them skin-side down for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from the grill to a plate. Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Recipe and Picture Courtesy Barefoot Contessa.

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip (Makes 2 cups)

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped (8 tomatoes)
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
10 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts)

Purée the tomatoes, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Tabasco sauce, salt, and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the scallions and pulse twice. Serve at room temperature.

Photo and Recipe Courtesy Barefoot Contessa.