rice

veg , meat, onions , garlic, ginger , beans etc . Anything which is strong enough to survive the cooking.

Make a stock based on JB Chinese Curry Sauce.

Marriande the main ingredients in JB Chinese Curry Sauce.

If using meat, Stir fry until sealed/browned.

Stir fry until veg start to soften.

Beans, prepare in your normal way. I used dried beans which have been rehydrated separately.

IMPORTANT Keep the Stock Hot .

Add the rice.

Laddle in the stock until everything is covered and give it stir to ensure everything is covered.

Cook on low / middle heat. Add small amounts of hot stock as needed.

I like to add chopped toms close to the end.

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Key to this is to allow for everything needing different cooking times. The best outcome is things are cooked but still have bite. i.e you have a piece of apple, the carrots have crunch.

Also make sure the pasta does not end up over cooked.

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Marinade

50 / 50 Rosemary & Basil

Sesome Oil

White Miso

Garlic

Ginger fresh not powder.

Pestle & Mortar into a paste.

i.e qty for 1 kg meat, 1/4 cup Basil, 1/4 Rosemary, 2 heaped tsp Miso, Garlic & Ginger to taste (use fresh not powder ) Oil to make a thick paste.

The Meat

It should be thin cut about 1mm to 2 mm thick slices / strips cut CROS GRAIN

Depending on quality, it will need tenderizing.

This can be with a tenderizing hammer. Hit each one to break fibre. Down side of this is with you need to cut the fibres but not thin the meat.

Baking Soda – This works well but monitor the time carefully.
Dry the meat you can rub soda on to meat.

I prefer to dilute some soda in water and soak meat.

VERY IMPORTANT – MAX 15 mins. Longer will not tenderize more but will affect the texture and may make it chewy.

Salt- This works well but no my choice for this as it draws the moisture out. On a thick cut thats ok but on slices all moisture is important.

Acid Cook – This and be done by resting the meat in an acid :

vinegar (any kind, but be aware of its effect on flavor)
Worcestershire, tomato, teriyaki, or soy sauce
wine or beer
lemon or lime juice
yogurt or buttermilk
Kiwi fruit is good.
NOTE: Just because it is citric it does not mean it can acid cook.

Depending on thickness 1 to 2 hours. More will not help on thin cut.

After tenderizing , cover the meat pieces and leave in cool place for min 4 hours, over night is fine.

NOTE: Tenderizing is a separate step to marinading.

Main Dish

Carrot

Onion

Pepper, any colour is fine, green can be a little sour.

Tomatoes – quartered

Apple – At the end , peel and big chunks

Ginger – Fresh

Garlic

Stock – depends on the pan size, enough to mostly cover things.

Pasta shapes better than spaghetti

Method

Pre heat oven 160 C this is important. Do not skip.

Except for the Apple I peel, chunky chop in advance. I use bowls which are used based on cooking time.

Brown the meat can be done in the casserole dish

Gentle fry onions, add carrot cubes/ slices pieces.

Start to cook the pasta – no more than 3 mins boiling. It should have just started to soften a little. Cook less than Al Denti – Remove from boiling water and set aside.

The water from pasta can be used to make stock.

Add, onions to meat in casserole dish add a little stock, bring to gentle bubble boil.

Fry the peppers for 1 min – Re use the pan and oil from the onions.

Add peppers and the tasty oil to the casserole dish. There should only be a little oil

THE GOAL IS NOT TO LOOSE A Flavour

Add pasta

Add stock as needed.

Cooking in oven 15 – 20 mins

Stir in quartered toms and apple chunks.

Add garlic and ginger – use a press.

Check if more stock is needed. The final goal is there is a juice but the dish is not drowned in liquid.

A nice touch is sprinkle some cheese .

Cook 10 – 15 mins.

Serve

Ingredients

• 300g/10½ oz strong white flour, plus extra for dusting
• 7g instant yeast (one sachet)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 175ml/6fl oz tepid water

Method

To make the pizza base, put the flour in a large bowl (or stand mixer) and sprinkle in the yeast.

Stir thoroughly before adding the salt.

Mix the olive oil with the water, then make a well in the centre of the flour and start pouring it in.

Stir until you have a fairly wet dough, then turn out and knead until it is no longer sticky, but soft and pliable.

Leave to rise for an hour in a large bowl, covered, then knock back and divide into two large or 4 smaller pieces, depending on the size you are able to cook.

When you are ready to cook the pizzas, preheat the oven to its highest setting and either heat baking trays or a pizza stone.

Shape the pizzas into large circles, then dust more baking trays with flour and transfer the pizza bases onto them – this is so you can slide them straight onto the baking tray or pizza stone.

Ingredients

115g uncooked rice

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tbsp tomato paste

3 cloves garlic, crushed

450 g beef mince

1 (400g) can chopped tomatoes

1 tsp dried oregano

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

6 bell peppers, tops and cores removed

100 g grated Cheese

Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (180ºC fan). In a small saucepan, prepare rice according to package instructions.
2. In a large pan over medium heat, heat oil.
3. Cook onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
5. Add beef and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 6 minutes
6. . Drain fat.
7. Return beef mixture to pan, then stir in cooked rice and chopped tomatoes.
8. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
9. Let simmer until liquid has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.
10. Place peppers cut side-up in a 23 x 33cm baking dish and drizzle with oil.
11. Spoon beef mixture into each pepper and top with grated cheese, then cover baking dish with foil.
12. Bake until peppers are tender, about 35 minutes.
13. Uncover and bake until cheese is bubbly, 10 minutes more.
14. Garnish with parsley before serving.

Ingredients

• 250g raspberry, plus extra to serve, if you like
• 225g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs , plus 4 egg yolks
• 600ml whipping cream
• sliced mango, sprinkles, or cones, to serve

Method

1. Place the raspberries and 2 tbsp of the sugar in a small pan. Cook on a medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 mins until thickened, then push through a sieve into a bowl and discard the seeds left in the sieve.
2. Place the eggs, egg yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl. Whisk with a whisk – electric whisk makes it a lot easier, to combine, then place over a pan of gently simmering water – make sure the bowl isn’t actually touching the water. Beat with the electric whisk for 3-4 mins until thick and pale. Remove from heat and continue beating until cool.
3. In another bowl, whisk the cream until it forms soft peaks, then gently fold into the cool egg mix until just combined. Pour the mix into a shallow container or dish that can be frozen.
4. Gently swirl the raspberry coulis through, cover with cling film and freeze for at least 6 hrs. Serve scoops in bowls with sliced mango and extra raspberries, or scoop into cones and top with sprinkles for the kids.

Ingredients
8 oz (225 g) dried spaghetti
5 oz (150 g) sliced smoked pancetta  or good baconFine chopped onion.Some garlic , chopped.
2 large eggs, plus 2 extra yolks
4 tablespoons Pecorino Romano, finely grated, plus extra to serve
4 tablespoons double cream
little olive oil
freshly milled black pepper Hand full of Peas Method First of all, cook the pasta for 8-10 minutes in boiling salted water to which 1 teaspoon of olive oil and peas  ( its ok from frozen ) have been added. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan and fry the pancetta, onion and garlic in  a little extra oil Next, whisk the eggs, yolks and cream in a bowl and season generously with black pepper then whisk in the cheese. When the pasta is cooked, drain it quickly in a colander, leaving a little of the moisture still clinging. Now quickly return it to the saucepan and add the pancetta and any oil in the pan, along with the egg and cream mixture. Stir very thoroughly, so that everything gets a good coating – what happens is that the liquid egg cooks briefly as it comes into contact with the hot pasta. Serve the pasta on really hot deep plates with some extra grated Pecorino.

Tiramisu

3 egg yolks

3 tbl castor sugar

1 1/3 cup ( 300 ml )  marsala ( cinzarno is tasty )

¼ cup ( 60 ml ) strong espresso coffee

8 oz ( 250g )  mascarpone chesse

½  cup ( 100ish g)whipping cream

1 – 2 egg whites

4 oz  ( 120g ) savoiardi ( dried cake / sponge fingers ) I think these may be called lady fingers in the USA.

Make zabaglione by beating egg yolks, sugar in a bowl over boiling water , until ivory in colour, add 1/3 cup of liquor and whisk over gently boiling water until the mixture begins to thicken. Let it cool.

Beat egg whites until stiff.

Fold egg whites into zabaglione.

Stir coffee into mascarpone, add some sugar .

Whip the cream to soft peaks

Dip the cakes into remaining liquor.

Line serving bowl, with cakes, cover with mascarpone mixture, cover with zabaglione , repeat. Finish with the cream.

The recipe below is from Italy the Beautiful cookbook
by Lorenza di Medici.

3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons superfine (castor) sugar
1 1/3 cups vin santo, Marsala or brandy  (I have used Sherry and Frangelico)
1/4 cup strong expresso coffee
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup cream
1-2 egg whites
4 oz savoiardi (ladyfingers)

Make a zabaglione by beating the egg yolks and sugar in the top of a double
boiler until ivory colored.  Add 1/3 cup liquor and whisk over gently
simmering water until the mixture begins to thicken.  Let it cool.

Stir the coffee into the mascarpone, add some sugar.  Whip the cream to soft
peaks.  Beat the egg white until stiff.  Fold the egg white into the
zabaglione.  Dip the lady fingers into the remaining liquor and line the
bottom of a 9″ bowl or individual containers (I have used wine glasses with
success).  Cover them with half the mascarpone, then half the zabaglione and
half the cream.  Repeat the layers, finishing with the cream.  Refrigerate
for several hours before serving.

For the dough

• 225g/8oz plain strong flour, plus extra for dusting
• 90ml/3fl oz milk ^[9], warmed to body temperature
• 50ml/2fl oz water, warmed to body temperature
• 1 tsp dried yeast ^[10]
• 25ml/1fl oz olive oil ^[11]
• pinch salt ^[12]

For the filling

• 150g/5oz cherry tomatoes ^[13], halved
• 200g/7oz buffalo mozzarella ^[14], roughly chopped
• 200g/7oz assorted Italian cold meats (for example: salami, prosciutto ^[15], speck)
• slices of chorizo ( Jeff Mod )
• 30g/1oz grated parmesan ^[16]

 

[table]

Qty, Ingredients

475g,flour

5,eggs

[/table]

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 340g uncooked Arborio rice
• 4 tablespoons dry white wine

• 1.6 litres hot chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 280g chopped cooked chicken breast
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

 

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and saute for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the onions are a dark golden brown. Remove from heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar and set aside.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a separate large frying pan over medium heat. Stir in the rice and mix well. Let heat for about 2 minutes, then pour in the wine. Reduce heat to medium low and start pouring in the stock about 250ml at a time. Add more stock as each addition is absorbed. Continue in this manner until all the stock is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 20 minutes.
3. Stir in the reserved onion mixture and allow to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish each serving with fresh thyme.

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Ingredients

For the sauce

[table]

Qty, Ingredient

1 tbsp, olive oil

1, onion diced

1, garlic clove finely chopped

1 tsp, dried mixed herbs

1 x 400g/14oz tin, tomatoes

500ml/18fl oz, vegetable or beef stock (from a cube)

400g/14oz, dried spaghetti

1,salt and pepper

[/table]

For the meatballs

[table]

Qty, Ingredient

400g/14oz, beef mince

1, onion diced

1, garlic clove finely chopped

½ tsp, dried mixed herbs

[/table]

Preparation method

Ingredients

• 455g/1lb farfalle
• 1 egg, preferably free-range or organic
• 100ml/3½ fl oz double cream
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 rashers of pancetta or smoked streaky bacon, roughly sliced
• 3 handfuls of fresh podded or frozen peas
• 2 sprigs of fresh basil, leaves picked
• 2 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method

First of all, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, add the farfalle, and cook according to the packet instructions. Whisk the egg in a bowl with the cream, salt and pepper. Put your pancetta or bacon into a second pan and cook until crispy and golden.

When the farfalle is nearly cooked, add the peas for the last minute and a half. This way they will burst in your mouth and be lovely and sweet. When cooked, drain in a colander, saving a little of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the pancetta and stir in most of the basil, finely sliced – if the pan isn’t big enough, mix it all together in a large warmed bowl.

Now you need to add the egg and cream mix to the pasta. What’s important here is that you add it while the pasta is still hot. This way, the residual heat of the pasta will cook the eggs, but not so that they resemble scrambled eggs, as I’ve seen in some dodgy old restaurants on the motorway! The pasta will actually cook the egg enough to give you a silky smooth sauce. Toss together and loosen with a little of the reserved cooking water if necessary. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the Parmesan and the rest of the mint leaves, and serve as soon as possible.

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Ingredients

[table caption=”Ingedients” width=”500″ colwidth=”20|100|50″ colalign=”left|left|center|left|right”]
Qty,Description
350g , spagetti
200g, Guanciale – If unavailble chunks of smoked gammon is not great but ok. Or better a good dry smoked ham.
4, Eggs
Some, Romano Cheese, If not possible a parmasan is ok.
Some, Black pepper
[/table]

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Method

Boil water and cook pasta to al dente. The time varies between shop brought dried and homemade fresh.

Cut Guanciale / Ham / Gammon into small cubes. Cook over medium heat with a little olive oil to prevent sticking. Remember as the Guanciale cooks its own fat will render out. Give it a stir from time to time to ensure even cooking. Most prefer to cook until crispy if using a substitute achieve the best possible without burning.If sticking is a problem, add a touch of water NOT OIL !!!

Mix eggs just before needed. Many make the mistake of mixing eggs early and leave them standing. That will not give the best result. Ask any good pastry chef 🙂

Drain the pasta.

Stir in the cheese to the egg mix. To make a thick creamy sauce.

Drain pasta stir in egg mix and meat the heat of the pasta will cook the eggs

Mix well. Serve as quickly as possible as the heat will soon go even if you have a heavy pot. If its too sticky add a little of the water used when cooking the pasta, it should still be warm. If its too runny add cheese.

This dish is difficult to reheat. NEVER MICROWAVE IT !!!!!

Ingredients

1 egg per 100g of flour

1 tsb olive oil per 100g of flour

i.e. 6 eggs , 600g flour, 6 tsp olive oil

Flavorings

Spinach either frozen ( defrost and drain before using )

Tomao puree or Sun Dried Toms.

Various herbs i.e oregeno, taragon , sage etc.

Method

Combine the ingredients.

Kneed until dough becomes elastic and glutin starts to work.

Cover / Wrap.

Put in fridge for at least 1 hour.

Roll out to shape.