Four nut chocolate brownies

Ingredients:

25g/1oz macadamia nuts
25g/1oz Brazil nuts
25g/1oz pecan nuts
25g/1oz hazelnuts
50g/2oz dark chocolate (75 per cent cocoa solids)
110g/4oz butter
2 eggs, beaten
225g/8oz granulated sugar
50g/2oz plain flour
1 level tsp baking powder
1/4 level teaspoon salt

You will also need a well greased oblong tin measuring 18x28cm/7x11in, lined with baking parchment, allowing the paper to come 2.5cm/1in above the tin.


Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Begin by chopping the nuts roughly, not too small, then place them on a baking sheet and toast them in a preheated oven for 8 minutes exactly. Please use a timer here otherwise you'll be throwing burned nuts away all day!

While the nuts are cooking, put the chocolate and butter together in a large mixing bowl fitted over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water.

Allow the chocolate to melt, then beat it until smooth, remove it from the heat and
simply stir in all the other ingredients until thoroughly blended.

Now spread the mixture evenly into the prepared tin and bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 30 minutes or until it's slightly springy in the centre.

Remove the tin from the oven and leave it to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into
roughly 15 squares. Then, using a palette knife, transfer the squares on to a wire rack to finish cooling.


Makes 15

Recipe by: Delia Smith
BBC Food

A classic sponge cake (with passion fruit filling)

Ingredients:

For an 8 inch (20 cm) cake:
6 oz (175 g) self-raising flour
1 rounded tsp baking powder
3 large eggs at room temperature
6 oz (175 g) very soft butter
6 oz (175 g) golden caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
a little sifted icing sugar, for dusting

For the filling:
6 passion fruit
9 oz (250 g) mascarpone
1 level dessertspoon golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
7 fl oz (200 ml) fromage frais

Note: You will also need two 8 inch (20 cm) 1½ inch (4 cm) deep sponge tins, lightly greased and the bases lined with silicone paper (parchment).


Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.

Take a very large mixing bowl, put the flour and baking powder in a sieve and sift it into the bowl, holding the sieve high to give it a good airing as it goes down. Now all you do is simply add all the other cake ingredients (except the icing sugar) to the bowl and, provided the butter is really soft, just go in with an electric hand whisk and whisk everything together until you have a smooth, well-combined mixture, which will take about 1 minute. If you do not have an electric hand whisk, you can use a wooden spoon, using a little bit more effort. What you will now end up with is a mixture that drops off a spoon when you give it a tap on the side of the bowl. If it seems a little too stiff, add a little water and mix again.

Now divide the mixture between the 2 tins, level it out and place the tins on the centre shelf of the oven. The cakes will take 30-35 minutes to cook, but do not open the oven door until 30 minutes have elapsed.

To test whether the cakes are cooked or not, touch the centre of each lightly with a finger: if it leaves no impression and the sponges spring back, they are ready.

Next, remove them from the oven, then wait about 5 minutes before turning them out on to a wire cooling rack. Carefully peel off the base papers, which is easier if you make a fold in the paper first, then pull it gently away without trying to lift it off. Now leave the sponges to get completely cold, then add the filling.

To make this, first slice the passionfruit into halves and, using a tsp, scoop all the flesh, juice and seeds into a bowl.

Next, in another bowl, combine the mascarpone, fromage frais, sugar and vanilla extract, using a balloon whisk, which is the quickest way to blend them all together. After that, fold in about two-thirds of the passionfruit.

Now place the first sponge cake on the plate or cake stand you are going to serve it on, then spread half the filling over it, drizzle the rest of the passionfruit over that, then spread the remaining filling over the passionfruit. Lastly, place the other cake on top, press it gently so that the filling oozes out at the edges, then dust the surface with a little sifted icing sugar.


Serves 8

Recipe by: Delia Smith (BBC Food)

Sweet potato gratin

Ingredients:

1kg/1lb 2oz sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly - about the thickness of a 10p piece is ideal
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½-1 red chilli (depending on variety and heat strength), chopped
finely (or 1 tsp dried chilli flakes - not powder)
250ml/8fl oz single cream
salt and black pepper


Method:

In a large mixing bowl toss the sweet potato slices with the oil and all the other ingredients until the slices are well coated and the garlic and chilli well-distributed.

Transfer to a lightly oiled gratin dish, spreading out the slices with your fingertips, you do not have to layer the gratin piece by piece, but try to ensure that the slices are mostly lying flat.

Pour over any cream remaining in the bowl and trickle the remaining oil over the gratin.

Bake in a preheated, fairly hot oven (180C/350F/Gas 5) for 40-50 minutes until the sweet potato is completely tender and the top is browned and crispy.

For extra crispness you can finish under the grill for 1-2 minutes.

Serves 6

Recipe by : Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
BBC Food

Tomato ketchup

Ingredients

6kg/13lb ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
8 medium onions, peeled, halved and sliced
2 large red peppers, seeds and white filament removed, chopped
150g/5oz soft brown sugar
500ml/17fl oz cider vinegar
1 tsp mustard
½ tsp large piece of cinnamon stick
1 tbsp whole allspice
1 tbsp whole cloves
1 tbsp ground mace
1 tbsp celery seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 garlic clove, peeled and bruised
salt
paprika, to taste (optional)


Method:

Combine the tomatoes, onion and peppers in a large heavy pan over a medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until very soft.

Push through a coarse-mesh sieve and return to the pot with the sugar, vinegar and mustard. Tie the cinnamon, allspice, cloves, mace, celery seeds, black peppercorns, bay leaves and garlic in a square of muslin and drop it into the stew. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Continue to cook, allowing it to bubble gently, stirring often and carefully, for at least 10-20 minutes, until thoroughly blended and quite thick.

Leave to cool, remove the muslin bag of spices, then pour the mixture through a funnel into suitable bottles. Stored in the fridge this ketchup will keep for a month. If you follow the prescribed procedure for preserves and bottle in properly sterilised jars, it should keep for a year.

Use it as you would any commercial tomato ketchup, to accompany burgers, sausages, and plain grilled fish and chicken, but always with enormous self-satisfaction bordering on smugness.

Makes approx. 4 jars

Recipes by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Glazed Salmon

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Pineapple juice
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 4-oz pieces of salmon, cut from the thick part of the fillet so that they are narrow but tall rather than wide and flat
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 – 2 scallions, halved and shredded into fine strips


Directions:

Mix the pineapple juice, sugar, and soy in a shallow dish that will hold all 4 pieces of salmon, and marinate the salmon in it for 3 minutes on the first side and 2minutes on the second. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet on the stove.

Cook the salmon in the hot, dry pan for 2 minutes and then turn it over, add the marinade, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove the salmon to whatever plate you’re serving it on, and add the white vinegar to the hot pan.

Pour the dark, sweet, salty glaze over the salmon and top with the scallion strips. Serve with rice or noodles as you wish, and consider putting some sushi ginger on the table, too.


Source: Nigella Express Cookbook

Note: I've made a slight change on the ingredients from the original recipes.

Honey Fried Shrimp

Ingredients:

300 gm medium size prawns - skin off and tails remain and deveined
1/2 tsp lemon juice
400 gm all-purpose flour

For the Sauce:
1/2 of onion - julienne
2 tbsp oyster sauce
4 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp white pepper
100 ml water
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp chicken stock powder
Enough cooking oil


Directions:

Mix the prawns with lemon juice. Coat the prawns with the flour. Fried.

For the Sauce:
Heat the pan, add in the onion and saute until fragrant.

Add in the oyster sauce, honey and white pepper. Stir until well combined. Add water and let it simmer till the sauce thicken. Add in the lemon juice and the chicken stock.

Serve prawns with the sauce.

Serves 5

Banana Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 brown sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about two small bananas)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

In another bowl, mash the bananas. Whisk two large eggs and add those to the bananas. Add the oil, milk, brown sugar, and sour cream. Blend well. Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips.

With a spatula, mix the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture. Stir until just
combined. Spoon the batter into 10 to 12 well-greased muffin tins. Ten muffins will give you large, nicely-domed muffins. Fill any unused muffins cups half full of
water.

Bake for eight minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking for another 6 to 10 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick. Let the muffins sit in the tins for a few minutes and then remove them to wire racks to cool.


Source: Internet

Italian Tuna Salad Toss

Ingredients:

Serving Size 2 cups

1 (10-ounce) package salad greens
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained, quartered
1 (9-ounce) package tuna in water, drained, flaked
1/2 pound green beans, cooked, drained
1 cup sliced plum tomatoes
1 bottle (8 oz) Italian salad dressing - fat free

Place greens on serving platter. Arrange artichokes, tuna, beans, and tomatoes over greens. Top with dressing.

Makes 6 servings


Source: Healthy Salad

Chinese Style Steamed Grey Mullet

Ingredients:

1 grey mullet about 700 gm - scaled and gutted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1tbsp light soy sauce
1 large carrot - cut into fine strips
4 spring onions (green onions) cut into fine strips
1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger
1 tbsp sesame oil (optional)


Directions:

In a small bowl, combine salt, vegetable oil and soy sauce. Make 4 deep slashes along each side of the fish, and rub inside out with sauce mixture. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Spread half the carrot, spring onions and ginger in the centre of a large piece of foil. Place the fish on top, then sprinkle with the remaining vegetables and ginger and any remaining oil mixture.

Loosely fold over the foil and seal. Transfer the fish to a steamer or a rack set over a roasting tin half filled with water. Cover the steamer tightly with a lid or the roasting pan with foil. Cook for 20 minutes or until the fish is firm and cooked through. Put the sesame oil, if using, into a small saucepan and heat. Drizzle over the fish and garnish with coriander.


Serves 2

Roasted Herb Chicken

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts - on the bone with skin on

Herb Filling:
2 tbsp thick natural yogurt
1 clove garlic - crushed
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped oregano
2 tbsp finely chopped thyme
2 tbsp finely chopped dill
2 spring onions (green onion) finely chopped
salt and finely ground black pepper


Directions:

In a small bowl, combine together all the herb stuffing ingredients and mix well.

Using your finger tips, scoop up a quarter of the mixture and gently push under the skin to smooth the stuffing out. Attach skin with a toothpick to side of breast if needed. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Cover, and refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours.

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C. Place the chicken on a roasting rack and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Remove to a chopping board. Remove bone carefully and cut into thick diagonal slices. Skim fat, from pan juices and pour over the chicken.


Serves 4 - 6