All posts by Heather

White Chocolate Cheese Cake

Desserts, Family Favourites

  • SERVES 10-12
  • Oreo biscuits 16
  • Butter, melted 50g
  • Creme fraiche 200ml
  • Philadelphia cream cheese 600g
  • Sugar 200g
  • Cornflour 20g
  • White chocolate, melted 220g
  • Essence of vanilla 2.5ml
  • Eggs, lightly beaten 4
  • White chocolate Shavings to serve

Heat the oven to 140C/fan oven120C. Line a 20cm springform cake tin with non stick baking paper. Put the Oreo biscuits into a food processor and make into crumbs, then add the melted butter whilst still running. Put into prepared tin and press flat. Chill
Use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, creme fraiche, sugar and cornflour. Add the melted white choc (I melt it in the microwave).Stirin the eggs, Add the vanilla essence and make sure all is mixed well and pour over the cookie base. Bake for 70 minutes- time is very important. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in for a further hour. Chill overnight then cover surface with grated white chocolate. Loosen the ring and put on serving plate. Try not to eat too much!!!

Coriander Chicken & Cucumber Salad & Rice Salad

Chicken, Holidays, Salads

  • Coriander Chicken
  • 6 x Chicken Legs
  • 1 x Lrg Bunch Coriander
  • 2 tsp Black Peppercorns
  • 2 Tsp Sea Salt
  • 3 Cloved Garlic
  • 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
  • 1 Tsp Cumin Powder
  • 1/2 Strong Red Chilli Deseeded
  • Veg Oil
  • Limes
  • Cucumber Salad
  • 2 Tbsp Lime Juice
  • 1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Sugar
  • 1 Cucumber, Quartered and Chopped Chunky
  • 1 Handfull Chopped Coriander
  • 1/2 Red Chilli Sliced and deeseeded
  • Rice Salad
  • Olive Oil
  • Lime Juice x 2 Tbsp
  • 750g Basmati Rice Cooked
  • Ginger – fine findes sliced about 1 inch
  • Spring Onions Chopped
  • Mint Leaves – 2 Handfulls Chopped

Chicken

Slash the Chicken
Blend all other ingredients and marinade (1hr Min)
Grill on medium grill or BBQ

Cucumber

Mix all ingredients and chill (best served cold)

Rice

Mix up all ingredients and serve luke warm

Hot and Sour Pickled Prawns

Hot & Spicy, Starters

 

  • Serves 4 as a starter
  • 16 large cooked Mediterranean prawns
  • 1 level tablespoon drained capers
  • 1/2 medium yellow pepper, very thinly sliced
  • 1/2 medium red pepper, very thinly sliced
  • 2 oz (50 g) red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
  • 5 fl oz (150 ml) light olive oil
  • 1 level teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2 fl oz (55 ml) cider vinegar
  • juice 2 limes
  • 1 dessertspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 dessertspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1/2 level teaspoon salt
  • 1 level teaspoon white sugar
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • To garnish:
  • sprigs of coriander
  • 1/2 lime, thinly sliced

To prepare the prawns, remove the shells and heads (if there are any) but leave the tails on as they look very attractive. Then use the tip of a small sharp knife to cut a slit all along the back of each prawn and remove the black thread that sometimes runs from head to tail. Then place the prawns and capers in the dish together with the sliced peppers, onion and lemon.

Now in a bowl or jar whisk the oil, mustard, vinegar, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco together, adding the salt, a little coarsely ground black pepper and the sugar, then pour this mixture all over the prawns. Cover the container and place it in the fridge for at least 48 hours, giving the contents a shake or stirring them around from time to time.

Serve the prawns garnished with sprigs of coriander and slices of lime with plenty of the marinade poured over and lots of bread to mop up the juices.

Aubergines with Goat’s Cheese and Cherry Tomatoes

Holidays, Main Courses, Starters, Vegetarian

  • 2 large aubergines, about 225g/8oz each
  • 2-3tbsp olive oil
  • 1 red pepper, halved, seeded and chopped
  • 3 shallots, chopped
  • 175g/6oz cherry tomatoes
  • 175g/6oz firm goat’s cheese, sliced
  • 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • Seasoning

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Cut the aubergines in half, prepare and salt. Brush cut sides with a little oil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes until the flesh is tender.

2. Scoop out the flesh to within 1cm/1/2in of the skin. Chop the flesh, then heat one tablespoon of the oil and fry the pepper and shallots until soft. add the flesh and seasoning, mixing well.

3. Pile the mixture back into the shells. Arrange the tomatoes and goat’s cheese in alternate lines along the top. Drizzle over the remaining oil and sprinkle with the thyme. Return to the oven for 20-25 minutes.

Serves 4

Beef Rendang

Beef, Hot & Spicy, Main Courses

DSCF1387.JPG

  • 1 large red onion
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 10cm/4in piece of peeled ginger
  • 5cm/2in peeled galangal (optional)
  • 1 red pepper
  • 4 dried hot chillies
  • 10ml/2tsp ground coriander
  • 10ml/2tsp ground cinnamon
  • 5ml/1tsp ground cloves
  • 5ml/1tsp ground turmeric
  • Dash of vegetable oil
  • 1.1 kg/21/2lb stewing or braising steak
  • 1.1 litres/2 pints coconut milk
  • 1 stalk lemon grass
  • 2.5ml/1/2tsp salt

1. Process the onion, garlic, ginger, galangal, pepper, chillies, spices and a splash of water until smooth.

2. Heat the oil in a large, wide casserole and cook the spice paste for 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the coconut milk, lemon grass and salt.

3. Bring to the boil, stir, reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours or until the meat’s tender and the sauce thickened.