Meeting Nigella Lawson at the books signing:)!

Hello everyone again, i hope you are all well and keeping warm! It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! out there. Today was spent dreaming peacefully about going to see Nigella Lawson after school to get her new book Nigellissima signed by the lady herself. It was if i must say the best experience, she was an absolutely lovely and beautiful person, she had a very welcoming personality and was very pleased to see me. We have been tweeting a lot to each other recently and the first thing she said to me was ” are you Ryan from my twitter” i was like OMG YESS ahaha!!

To my surprise she was very casual and had a beautiful purple dress on and i managed to get loads of pictures ( they are at the bottom of this post). She has only become a recent obsession to me, i was before her a little more obsessed with Lorraine Pascale, although i do still love her also and a new passionate chef of mine has got to be Rachel Khoo from the “Little Paris Kitchen” who i have also been talking to on twitter aha! Rachel Khoo has a fantastically simple way of making exciting French cooking an easy task and very enjoyable at that also! She has the most beautiful French apartment in the heart of Paris, with the markets literally at her doorstep. Anyway here are some of the pictures from the signing!

Thanks Ryan!

Coffee Kisses! (Nigella Adaptation)!

Hello again everyone, i hope you are all well and keeping warm as it is starting to get even colder here in Scotland! I wake up in the mornings and i open the curtains to find a thin layer of delicate white frost on the cars and then when i eventually leave the house to go to school, theirs an almost satisfying hit of cold air which wakens you up for the day ahead. Oh it’s now only 3 days until the book-signing of Nigella i can’t wait to go i wish it was right now:) Don’t worry i will be posting pictures! This little recipe is actually the sambuca kisses one from nigellisima although quite a few people i have spoke too say they are not a great fan of the aniseed flavoured liqueur. But because i couldn’t get a hold of any i had to substitute espresso instead which if i can say is absolutely fabulous served with more coffee. It’s essentially the lightest and easiest way to get that caffeine hit that everybody craves from time to time, although my habit is an everyday one! These little kisses as Nigella calls them are essentially little Italian inspired doughnuts well there more like air and have a fantastic texture. They have a subtle kick of espresso and they taste a little like tiramisu, they look like when you spray an air freshener and all the little particles of fragrance penetrate through the room and that’s only if you crush one in ones hand though. I love to make these for when we have people round for dinner or coffee as they make a great little conversation starter and you could change from coffee to anything you wish.

This weekend is the start of me trying to put together everything for the Christmas cake! I feel very sorry for my handy little microplane grater as i got given it a part of a gift from a friend a few years ago and i used it so much and never kept the caring instructions so it has become a little tatty, but luckily enough i found a new one in John Lewis and i placed it on order for Saturday! I really do recommend you make a little en devour into your wallets and buy one of these as they are probably one of the handiest pieces of kitchen equipment you will buy. And even better i get to visit the Xmas market after a very long wait aha!

INGREDIENTS:

1 egg

100g ricotta

40g plain flour

1 tsp b.powder

2 tsp of espresso or a tipple of choice!

1 tsp sugar

1 teaspoon orange zest

flavourless oil for frying e.g. vegetable

1-2 tsp icing sugar to dust

METHOD:

Put the ricotta and egg in a bowl and beat until uniform.

add the rest of the ingredients and then beat together to combine thoroughly.

place the oil in a saucepan about 2cm worth and heat to 180c then oil a teaspoon and drop a few into the oil wait until they puff up slightly and then take out and drain on kitchen paper and serve dusted with icing sugar and serve with some coffee!

Pork Belly Slices With Chilli And Fennel Seeds (Nigellisima)!

Hello again everybody, i hope you are all warm and cosy inside, about an hour ago i was in the cold wet pouring rain with my friend playing tennis but it was so much fun! Now this recipe is from Nigella Lawson’s new book Nigellissima. I got given this by surprise from a friend as an early Christmas present as i am going to get the book signed by Miss Lawson herself aaaaaaah! i’m sooo excited i can’t believe that this is happening! And now onto the pork, these are fantastic when you’ve had one of those weeks were you have been constantly on your feet and had no time to relax then this is really the cure and medication (in food form) that will see you through! Recently i read an article online about chilli having a sort of chemical reaction inside your body it produces a chemical in your body which i don’t really know much about at the moment but i will get back to you on it and also that the chilli here is not for fire, it’s for warmth and heat which is perfect for those never ending November nights which seem to drag in, in my life. With the addition of a liquorish kick from the fennel really helps you battle on into the weekend ahead and boosts your ethic to leave the house tomorrow and go on a bit of a shopping expedition. Now the Christmas market has arrived today in Glasgow and i’m sadly not attending it until next weekend when i’m going on a hunt to find a new microplane grater as i think mine has really seen it’s day now aha! So let’s crack on with the most tender and sumptuous pork belly slices you will ever endeavor in!

INGREDIENTS:

60ml of garlic oil or regular olive oil heated gently with a few cloves of garlic!

2 tbsp fennel seeds.

2 tsp dried chilli flakes.

1 tbsp sea salt.

12 pork belly slices.

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 170c/Gas 5.

Put the garlic oil, fennel seeds, dried chilli flakes and salt into a wide shallow dish and stir to combine.

Rub all of the belly slices in this mix and then place them on a roasting tin rind uppermost (on its side).

Roast the pork belly for 2 hours turn the tin (not slices) around half way through. If not satisfactory after 2hrs then give them an extra 3omins.

Take the belly slices out and place delicately on a serving plate and take to the table of hungry mouths or snuggle up and eat them at your own free will Dig in!

Thanks R.

Chocolate Chip Cookies! :)

Hello everybody, today has been quite strenuous first a chemistry test then i whisked off to an orchestra audition then i had some homework and just had a phone call from the Scottish Ballet orchestra asking if i could maybe begin rehearsals a bit early aaaaah! i really felt the urge to say no straight away and put the phone down but i made the decision not to ruin such a lovely chance to perform the nutcracker with them this year. These past few weeks have been sooo busy and i truly sorry for not posting as often as i wish to. These little cookie delights are from Nigella express but i have altered a few things here and there to make them just a little more adequate. They have the power as Nigella says ‘to make even the strongest people weep with gratitude’. And they certainly do that to a T, i find they have this double chocolate hit which is sublimely divine and they are best eaten warm straight from the oven.

Now on Sunday night i began online shopping for my decorations for my Christmas cake and i came across an address for the publications office for Nigella Lawson in London, so i clicked on the link and it lead me to a page with the address for if you wish to get something signed by Nigella. So in a flash i had a photo at the ready and envelope and stamp all ready to be posted on Monday, i can now officially say that it has been sent and i hope in the 3 month waiting list that there will come a time in which Nigella will read my letter and sign my photo, which would actually make my life aha! These cookies are truly great for those days when you are in a melancholy mood, maybe pondering over something that upset you or put you down but these moreish treats are sure to make the world feel like a better place. In my mind i think they have a medicinal quality that seems to cure all forms of grief, sadness and gloom! And best of all they only take a few minutes to prepare in a mixer and they have that same simple pleasing sofa day feeling. So get into the kitchen, whip up a batch and devour them all to ones self. Okay so there is nearly 500g of chocolate in these but who cares it’s making you happier and diets in my mind are a waste of time and life so never pity yourself!

INGREDIENTS:

100g chocolate ( whatever kind you fancy on the day after all they are personal! )

125g soft butter (unsalted)

75g light brown sugar

50g caster sugar or 125g caster omitting the light brown!

150g plain flour

30g good cocoa

1 tsp bicarb

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp good vanilla

1 cold egg (fridge cold)

1-2 packets of chocolate chips ( any you fancy use 2 packs if you are really sad)!

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 170c.

Mix all of the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wets in another then mix the two together and using an ice-cream scoop place onto buttered and lined baking trays (6 on each).

Place in the oven for 18 minutes and then eat warm from the oven!

voila! in any case i hope these cure you in any degree of illness!

Thanks R.

 

Crepes Suzette :)!

Hello everyone once again, it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas here in Glasgow. Last night i went with a few friends to see a fabulous switch on of the Xmas lights in Glasgow’s George Square, the sight was fantastic and the whole square was suddenly filled with flashing, sparkly lights and a huge Christmas tree the height of the city chambers which was very impressive if i must add. There also followed a fantastic firework display which lasted about 20 minutes and was a real show stopper. As if this wasn’t enough we cheered the lights on with Christmassy coffees from Starbucks which are fabulous by the way. Okay so these Crepes that i’m about to tell you about are out of a packet, i know its shameful but sometimes i really don’t have the energy required to whip up a batch. Suzette if you are wondering is basically a simple orange syrup drenched over the scrumptious pancakes then a splash of warmed orange liqueur is sprinkled over and set a light to flambe them. It’s such a spectacular sight and is not complicated at all. So your are impressing your friends and family and also saving yourself the hassle of stooping over the stove all night long cooking an overcomplicated dish. I hope you enjoy these french delights as much as i do. Oh and by the way the orange liqueur is optional! Now you may be looking at this and wondering why on earth a syrup would call for 175g butter but this recipe was developed when butter was a sophistication not a spread on toast everyday ingredient. So diet restricted people and the health freaks turn away now.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Oranges, juice from two zest from 1.

75g sugar.

175g butter, soft, unsalted.

packet of 8 crepes or homemade.

75ml orange liqueur.

METHOD:

Place the orange juice, zest, sugar and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil then simmer for 5 minutes.

Arrange the crepes on a griddle like pan and soak with the syrup then when ready to light, heat the liqueur till warm and then pour over the crepes and set alight. Absolute bliss!

Thanks R.

Chocolate Pear Pudding! :)

Hello everybody i hope you are all well. I do hope the weather is lovely were you all are as the weather here in Scotland is absolutely horrible. Rain rain rain all day but i guess you just have to put up with it aha! Well anyway i visited the lovely deli across from my school today Peckhams and had a bite to eat with my friend after a long hard school day which consisted of teachers ramming information into your brain period after period. Then being told you have 3 tests at the end of the week :(! But on the bright side this little pudding is a fantastic standby for those days when you may have people coming over in a couple of hours or maybe just for a sofa day or when the weather is bad outside and you can’t leave the house. Its probably the easiest off all the puddings i have put on this blog, it simplu involes opening a couple of tins of pears and whipping up chocolate sponge in a food processor and then bake in the oven and divd in with a spoon!

INGREDIENTS: 2 tins of pear halves 125g plain flour 125g caster sugar 25g cocoa 1tsp b.powder 1/2 tsp bicarb 150g soft butter 1-2 tsp vanilla 2 eggs

METHOD: Line a pie dish with the pear halves and place all of the cake ingredients into the food processor then blitz to a smooth mix. Then smooth the mix over the peara and bake in a 220°c oven for 20 minutes and dive in while its just tepid and warm and it will be just heavenly!

Curry In a Hurry! (Nigella style) :)

Hello again everybody, i hope you all well and good! I’m very tired my body is going into bodily shut-down mode:(. Today was spent buying a friend a Christmas present,meeting with a friend for early morning coffee and doing the dreaded homework. But on the bright side i had a fabulous evening at my friends last night which consisted of watching the movie insidious which in fact is absolutely terrifying! Now i thought the woman in black was bad but that was a whole new level aha. Anyway it’s very soon until the Xmas market comes to Glasgow, i can’t wait no more. I just love the exciting new stalls and colours that come every year. At the French stall you are taken aback  by the endless stalls of freshly roasted chestnuts, and traditional sweets and drinks. The Italians also like to show off with there beautiful liqueurs in fancy bottles and zesty citrus fruit sprays and baubles and tree decorations. Now this market wouldn’t be a Christmas market without The German stalls, with the most beautiful all butter stollen and rich Christmas Scented mulled wine. Enough of me getting to excited. My little adaption of Nigella’s curry in a hurry is absolutely fabulous. It’s creamy with a thick luscious sauce and tender pieces of chicken, truly divine. Also this is the perfect curry for when you get that lunchtime phone-call from a friend reminding you that there coming over for dinner and you completely forgot. Best of all this curry is so easy to make it’s literally not cooking at all, you simply take a few store cupboard ingredients and some frozen veg and off you go. I hope you enjoy this as much as me and my family and friends do! All thanks to the goddess Nigella!

INGREDIENTS:

• 30 ml wok oil
• 3 tablespoon(s) spring onions finely chopped
• 3-4 tbsp Green thai curry paste
• 1 kg chicken thigh fillets (cut into strips about 4 x 2cm)
• 400 ml coconut milk
• 500 ml chicken stock (concentrate or cube)
• 15 ml Fish stock or more chicken
• 185g Frozen peas
• 200g Frozen soya beans
• 150g Frozen fine beans
• 2 tbsp coriander chopped

Heat the wok oil in a large saucepan that owns a lid, drop in the spring onions and cook, stirring for a minute or two, then add the curry paste.

Add the chicken pieces and keep turning over heat for 2 minutes, before adding the coconut milk, stock (i.e. the water plus stock concentrate or cube) and fish sauce, then the frozen peas and soya beans.

Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the frozen fine beans to the mix and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Serve with rice or noodles, sprinkling the coriander over as you do so. Put out a plate of lime wedges for people to squeeze over as they eat.

 

Quick Chocolate Mousse!

Hello again everybody, it seems like years since i last posted even though it was only three days ago. I have just been so busy with violin and my homework pile is now slowly but surely decreasing in volume thankfully. Goodness knows what Scottish weather is all about, it’s completely all over the place one day i leave my house in the morning and it’s absolutely freeezing! and other mornings it’s just a calm but cool winter day. I’m sure hope someday that a scientist out there discovers how to keep the weather at a pleasant temperature for each season aha! Anyway this post is to relax and let my thoughts run wild, this quick chocolate mousse which i have adapted (this time from Nigella Express Aha)! It’s Incredibly simple to make and doesn’t mean you have to be waiting for hours on end for a mousse with eggs to set. In the case of this mousse you just simply replace the eggs with mini-marshmallows which release their gelatine agents and help to set the mousse perfectly within 20 mins. And because this dessert is so simple and quick to make, you can then give a little more attention the starter and mains and the occasional canope here and there. Now i thought i would mention this sometime soon: Don’t think the kitchen is one of those daunting rooms calling for you to bake a dramatic cake for 200 or for a very complex main dish which eventually spoils your bond with the kitchen. And as that old cliche goes ‘The Kitchen Really Is The Heart Of The Home’. So make the most of it, start with really simple dishes first and then start to experiment with more complex and challenging recipes. That’s how i taught myself and it really has paid off. NOW ON WITH THE MOUSSE!

INGREDIENTS:

150g Mini-Marshmallows.

50g Butter.

250g Milk or Dark Chocolate Chips ( melt faster and are slightly less expensive BARGAIN!

5-6 tbsp recently boiled water.

284ml Double Cream.

1 tsp Vanilla.

METHOD:

In a medium saucepan combine the marshmallows, butter, chocolate and water and melt down until the chocolate and butter have completed melted into a gorgeously silky smooth mixture. The marshmallows will be the last to melt but don’t worry if they all don’t melt as i like some for added texture later.

Now whip the cream to firm but still soft billowy peaks are formed and add the vanilla.

Then incorporate the chocolate mixture slowly into the cream and then swirl into glasses and pop in the fridge for 20 mins to set, which will give you just enough time to finish off the main and stater. Just before serving i like to grate a little chocolate of choice over the mouse for added indulgence. Done!

Thanks R.

 

Hokey Pokey (Honeycomb)! From Nigella Express:)

Hello everybody, I haven’t really done any tinkering with this recipe at all. In fact the Only thing i have adapted, is that you may coat your hokey pokey in chocolate after cooking but hey! its optional. Well this recipe is a bit of a bargain, you can give it to friends and family as a spectacular gift or just get comfy on the sofa and relax with the hokey pokey! The added bonus of this being only 3 ingredients long and takes less than 25 mins to make and box, means you can get ready to go out or get the hot choc made and slippers on :)! Hokey Pokey consists of golden syrup, caster sugar and bicarb beaten in a pan and left to set till the crumbly texture is achieved. Then best of all you get to bash! it with a clean hammer until it forms golden,glistening shards of perfection! And if you are a traditionalist then it has to be coated in chocolate but i love it just on it’s own shining in all its golden glory:) It’s also really popular at Christmas with my family, i usually add some mixed spice to the mix before i add the bicarb to give it that subtle Xmas feel! Now i promised 3 ingredients so here goes:

INGREDIENTS:

100g Caster Sugar.

4 tbsp Golden Syrup.

1.5 tsp Bicarb.

METHOD:

Begin by adding the sugar and golden syrup to a pan and stir to combine before heat is applied to prevent a grainy texture from forming. Then apply heat ( and lots of it ), and bubble away till a bubbling golden-amber molten emulsion is formed. then remove from the heat and whisk in the bicarb and the mixed spice if using and you will see the hokey pokey turning into a huge foamy mass. Slowly pour onto a baking tray or parchment paper and leave to set for 15mins until set, then bash! with the hammer or rolling pin and present in a little bowl or box ready for the sofa night in or for the party or friend.

Thanks R.

 

Updating The Christmas Cake Recipe!

Hello everybody once again, i thought i would let you all know that i found an even better Christmas cake recipe. It is an adaption of Nigella’s Christmas cake, well i’m calling this an adaption but really i’m reducing something down slightly or changing a spice around. This cake has a much better texture and is much more moist than the previous recipe. Nigella decorates this cake with a fantastically simple array of coffee beans covered in dark chocolate and gold stars and baubles. I’m sure it will please everybody that takes a slice and adds a delicately satisfying smile to there faces. This cake is also so simple to make, i can’t stress enough to you that it’s all bung in a pan and whack in a hot oven and eat. Today was spent pondering around Waterstones looking at some cookery books and noting down some recipes down. The cake will really captivate your guests and whisk them off to the land of Christmas where all those beautiful aromas of Mulled wine and spices, and to top that off , it all happens to you and your home when you bake this cake. the butter, fruits and spices blend together perfectly here with subtle hints of Christmas orange seeping through. Pure Nigella Bliss. The ingredients list is quite long but once you start rummaging your way through your store-cupboards you are sure to find almost everything you require.

INGREDIENTS:

250g raisins

25g currants

350g prunes

125ml tia maria or black tea

175g unsalted butter soft.

1 tsp mixed spice

175ml honey

175g muscavado sugar

2 small or 1 large orange (zest and juice)

2 tbsp cocoa

3 eggs beaten

150g plain flour

75g ground almonds

1/2 tsp bicarb

1/2 tsp b. powder.

TO DECORATE:

chocolate coated coffee beans

edible gold glitter

edible gold stars

edible gold baubles

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to Gas 2 or 150°C.

Heat the mixture of fruit, sugar, butter, orange, tia maria, spices, honey and cocoa in a large pan over a gentle heat. Bring slowly to the boil and then simmer for 10mins.

Remove from heat and leave to cool slightly while you line your loose bottomed cake tin with parchment.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixture and combine. Then pour the mix into the cake tin and cook for 2 hours.

Leave to cool then decorate. Life couldn’t get much more simpler!

Thanks R.