Faggots or Cheats Version...Rissoles – Chocolate Surprise Cup Cakes for Dessert

Its Thursday and The Kids are coming for Dinner.
Mia (9 year old) requested Chocolate Muffins, with a chocolate centre.
I think she meant Fondant puddings, or as the US people call them Lava Cakes.
There is a problem. Joseph who is 10, has not long come out of an egg allergy.
When I made Fondant puddings, they were a huge success but he felt funny afterwards and I think maybe that middle gooey bit, is maybe just a bit too much uncooked egg-wise.
So I put on my Thinking Cap and Google Finger and finally decided I would make Cup cakes and somehow get Ganache in the middle. No egg problem then.
After quite a bit of research, this is the recipe I came up with.
Rachel Allen’s Chocolate Cake.
I used Orange Infused Chocolate, which really enhanced the flavour.
It made 10 good size not oversized Cup Cakes

I started with a melon baller, removing some of the bottom and stuffing in Ganache.
The replacing the lid. But you had to remove the paper casing

The lovely Nadia who ’does’ for me, thought I should cut off the top and stuff from there.
Good idea.

Dust with icing sugar.

 Voila Chocolate Cup Surprise

Here is Rachel Allen’s Recipe from her “Bake” TV series currently screening on Food TV.
Ingredients
For the cake

125 g dark chocolate
3 tbsp milk
150 g butter, at room temperature
150 g caster sugar
3 eggs
200 g plain flour
1 tbsp good quality cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch salt
Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

For the Ganache
300 mls cream
300 mls chocolate
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Prepare muffin tins
I used bigger than normal paper linings which gave a nice size cake.
So I got 10 out of the mixture

For the cake:
Place the chocolate and the milk in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of gently simmering water and heat until the chocolate has melted.
(Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the surface of the water.)
Set aside to cool slightly.

Beat the butter until very soft then
Add the caster sugar and continue to beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then
Fold in the melted chocolate.

Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, pinch salt and the bicarbonate of soda,
and fold in gently to mix.
Divide the mixture between muffin tins and bake in the oven for 17-20 minutes,
or until a skewer inserted into the middle of each cake comes out clean.

Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to sit for five minutes
before placing them on a wire rack to cool.

For the Chocolate Ganache
Heat the cream till it comes to the boil
Add chocolate, broken into small pieces
Let sit for about 30 seconds
Stir till dissolved and set aside

Once the cakes are cool
Cut a hole in the top
Fill with Ganache and push top back in

Dust with Icing Sugar
Very popular served with just a bit of whipped cream to cut down the richness

Now onto the Faggots or Actually Rissoles
500 gms beef mince
1 small red onion chopped finely
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves chopped
50 gms breadcrumbs
1 egg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup

Mix all ingredients well shape into oval shapes and roll in Panko breadcrumbs
Set aside in the fridge till you are ready

Then just fry in vegetable oil over med heat
I used Olivado’s Rosemary Infused Avocado Oil
for some extra flavour
When brown all over, let sit for about 5 minutes to rest
Serve with Crispy Roast potatoes, Gravy if you can be bothered
And of course Ketchup

For the healthy part of the deal
Beautiful Salad

1/4 cabbage finely sliced
1 yellow pepper finely sliced
1/2 head Broccoli very finely sliced
10 cherry tomatoes. Seeds and juice squeezed out and sliced
1 stalk celery finely sliced

Dressing
I squeezed the tomatoes into a bowl and strained the juice as a base for the dressing
Just for a little extra tomato flavour.
Also let the dressing sit for a couple of hours, just to soften the flavour of the onion

So the strained juice of the tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 shallot or small red onion finely chopped

6 tablespoon good olive oil
I used Diana and Dave's home grown beautiful Olive Oil
Lucky me.

Mix the 1st group of ingredients with a fork till emulsified
Slowly drip in the olive oil
Taste and adjust the seasoning if you need to.

Pour as much dressing as you would like over the vege.
The kids just loved the dinner
For example. How about that for an empty plate?

And to wash it down
Homemade Lemonade Cordial


The lemons have been great this year
So simple, courtesy of my friend Mary
1 cup fresh lemon juice
4 cups sugar
6 cups water
30 g citric acid

Bring lemon juice, sugar and water to the boil.
Stir to dissolve sugar.
Boil one minute.
Off heat add citric acid.
Cool and store in sterilized bottles in fridge.
She also put strips of rind in or even lemon grass.
But I didn't do that for the kids

Slut's Risotto Dressed with Roasted Prawns

Took the inspiration for tonight's dinner from the Putenesca sauce.
Stole the name from Nigella. That’s what she calls the Famous Pasta Dish
Pasta Putenesca is attributed to the Poor Local Working Girls.
Their need for a quick meal into between jobs.
Just like this, quick as a flash and you have dinner!
This is a pantry, fridge and Freezer Dinner.

I’m also extolling the virtues of some products, that I bought from the Food Show.
Olivado’s Infused Avocado Oils.
The Chili Oil has a great kick, I love it
And the Rosemary, a little more gentle but an excellent aroma and taste.

Also I bought some 'Gourmet Food Specialties' products
These Kalamata Olives in Balsamic are as GOldilocks Said "just right".

The dressing is fabulous, just drizzle over anything really
I used it in this Risotto for that final taste.
This is a great dish

So here we go
Ingredients


2 tablespoons Olivado Chili Infused Avocado oil
1 red onion finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 filets anchovies finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
100 mls white wine

1 can cherry tomatoes Whizzed up in blender
Water enough to make 2 /12 cups tomato stock
1 teaspoon sugar

6 olives stoned and sliced
Prawns roasted in oven in Olivado Rosemary oil (as many as you like)
Salt and freshly ground black freshly ground black pepper
Zest of 1 lemon


Method for Prawns
Toss prawns on an oven tray in oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook at 210C for exactly 6 minutes
Remove
Sprinkle with lemon zest and set aside

Garnish
1 tbs balsamic dressing
1 tbs butter


Method
Place Chili oil in risotto pan over med heat
Add red onion and cook till soft
Add rice and stir till covered in the oil
Add anchovies, capers, garlic and oregano
Stir well and let the rice toast a little
Add white wine and reduce

Meanwhile heat your tomato stock in a pan
When wine has reduced, start adding the hot stock, a ladleful at a time
Stir well
When it has been absorbed add another and keep stirring after each addition
Keep on adding till the rice has developed an al dente texture

Add another ladleful of hot stock
Stir well
Add  tablespoon of butter 
Stir well, this gives the finished risotto a nice sheen.
Taste and add seasoning if you need it.
It may need a little salt
And a good grind of Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Add Olives, Cooked Prawns and
Just before serving drizzle over some of the Balsamic dressing

Absolutely delicious

Pita Bread Snacks

Yesterday I did a post on making Lavosh which was really fabulous
But here is really simple way of making your own crisps.
I got this idea from the Pita Bread people at Nosh.
They had a tasting. Great idea.
Buy the big  thinnish Pita Bread not the stubby fat kind.
Cut them in half and split

Brush or spray with vegetable oil
Sprinkle with either a nice sea salt, maybe some Cajun seasonings. or garlic salt.
Even, go sweet, with Cinnamon and sugar.

Pre-heat your oven to 150-160C
Bake till golden brown and crispy.
Could be about 9-11 minutes just keep an eye on it.
Voila
Delicious crisps

Now how is this for a pie.

I bought the Supermarket Home Brand Pastry.
It is very good. Pam's from Four Square is the brand.
An excellent rise. Will buy that again.

Lavosh - Make your Own, Very Simple

Lavosh is a thin, crunchy Middle Eastern bread that’s delicious as a picnic snack or served as a pre-dinner nibble with blue cheese and dried fruit.
Great with soup as well.

My friend Elpie turned up at our place with some homemade Lavosh
It was fabulous and I was so impressed.
Of course I then had try it as well.
Funnily enough as I was googling for a recipe, Annabel Langbein's TV programme was on in the background. I turned to look and she had just finished making Lavosh. Turned back to look at my computer screen. The second entry was for her recipe.
So. Meant to be.

Lucky Juice TV staff got to be my guinea pigs.
The Lavosh at the back and in front was some little Rhubarb Pies. Their dessert.
It was a great success.
It's very simple but I learnt a few things that the recipe didn't tell you.
So as per normal you learn as you go on.
I found that the dough worked better after sitting for a while
Easier to roll out.
Also, it took quite a bit of flour to roll them out without sticking, but just brush the excess flour off.

It was quite work intensive but I reckon I could have it better organized.
In fact I will make this again this morning. (And I did)
They will keep in an airtight tin.
In this recipe Annabel flavours the Lavosh with sesame and oregano, but she says you could also use fennel seeds, Parmesan or chillies. “The wholemeal flour adds texture and makes it a healthy oven-baked snack. Cut any shapes you like – as long as the dough is very thin you’ll get a fabulous crisp bread.”


Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 15-18 mins
Makes approx 40


1 cup plain flour
1/3 cup wholemeal flour
2 tbsp each black and white sesame seeds or 4 tbsp just one kind
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 cup water

To finish:
Extra virgin olive oil
Flaky sea salt

Preheat oven to 165˚C and line an oven tray with baking paper.
In a mixing bowl stir together the flours, sesame seeds, oregano and salt. 
Mix the oils and water together and add to the dry ingredients, stirring to form a soft, pliable dough.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each out on a floured board as thinly as possible.
Each piece of dough should yield a circle about 34 x 16cm.

Cut each circle into strips measuring about 4 x 17cm and roll again.

They need to be virtually see-through.
Carefully transfer strips to a baking tray, brush lightly with oil and sprinkle with flaky salt.

Bake until crisp and pale golden – about 15-18 minutes.

Allow to cool fully, then store in an airtight container.

Heaven - Little Chocolate Tarts for Little Treasures

Heaven on a Plate

Look at that little face. Thursday at Grandma's
I decided to give the Kids Chocolate Tarts for dessert. It was a popular choice.
This so simple I bought some sweet pastry shells from Faro Fresh.
I had some Chocolate Spread left over.

This is an excellent product. Made from Belgian Chocolate. I bought it by mistake but I think I will keep it in the pantry for emergency Kid Supplies.

So to make the filling
I took a large tablespoon of the Choclate
Popped in the microwave for 10 seconds to soften
I then folded it through some whipped cream
Then I defrosted 2 tablespoons of frozen raspberries
Added 1 large tsp sugar
Mashed them up together
And folded into the chocolate cream

Just fill the cases
Into the fridge to chill it down and firm up the mixture

The proof is in the eating...What do you think?

Cooking for Kids - Chicken Lasagne with a Twist - Sausage Casserole

Our Grand daughter Sophia is about to turn 14 , where has that time gone, here she is with her friend Annabel, just little kids, only 5 years ago

now they are beautiful young ladies…anyway I digress, I am contributing my Chicken and Corn Lasagne for dinner on Sunday, to celebrate her birthday.
We are about to swan off for the weekend, so I needed to get it made and into the freezer .
It is not strictly speaking Italian.
The Chicken part is actually a Chicken and White Bean Chili that I have borrowed from Giada de Laurentis, Food Network.com
The kids like it and it makes an excellent filling for the lasagne.
I bought free range breast and thighs and minced them in the food processor.
Nothing but the best for our kids!
I cut out the chili powder, there are some young mouths not quite ready for heat, but I did add a little red chili flakes. You need a little bite.
The addition of celery salt, I really like, I feel it helps to give an authentic flavour to the chili.
I also disregarded the Swiss chard (Silverbeet) for the kids...but have left it in the recipe, I think I would like it, if making for a wider audience. it would add great colour

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 pounds/1 kg ground chicken
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon celery salt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons flour
2 (15-ounce cans) cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch (about 1 pound) Swiss chard,(Silverbeet) stems removed, leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces
11/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

Directions
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven,
heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, celery salt and chili powder.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.
Stir the flour into the chicken mixture.
Add the beans, Swiss chard, (if you are using it) corn, and chicken stock.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
Simmer for 55-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened.
Add the red pepper flakes and chopped parsley, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Also make a béchamel sauce
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoon white flour
2 cups milk infused with peppercorns, a peeled shallot and 2 bay leaves
Just pop the milk into the microwave about 2 minutes
Heats and infuse all at once.
20 gms grated Parmesan
20 gms grated Feta
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grated Mozzarella for the topping
Melt the butter
Add the flour
Cook for about 3 minutes to cook the flour out
Add the strained hot milk
Stir well and bring to the boil to thicken
Simmer about 3-4 minutes stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Cool a little
Add cheeses
Stir well
Taste and adjust seasoning

To assemble
Lightly cover the bottom of gratin dish with béchamel
Place lasagne sheets on top
Layer of chicken

Lasagne
More béchamel
Lasagne
More chicken
Lasagne and then cover with the remainder of the béchamel

Pre heat oven to 180
Into the oven for 20 mins

Cool
add grated Mozzarella then a sprinkling of breadcrumbs for a little crunch at the end

I then covered it and into the freezer for Sunday.

Now onto the Sausage Dish for the Thursday Night Feats With Grandma
Veal Bratwurst Casserole

I love Veal Bratwurst and its not easy to find in the local Supermarket, but Faro Fresh, over on the North Shore has a wonderful selection of Deli meats. IN fact all of their meat is excellent. More about that later. I bought a few packets while I was there. Some for the Freezer
Great dinner, for the kids and to get the vege into them, how about a nice casserole.
Just a base of carrots, onions, celery and garlic.
I added some White Balsamic vinegar for acidity and also it has a lovely sweetness to it
And separately, I fried some onions. Sausages and onions. Oh Yes
This is so tasty and so, so simple, soft meaty sausages, topped with a fluffy Cheesy Potato Topping.
A kids delight.

5 Veal Bratwurst Sausages
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small red onion fine chop
1 small carrot finely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 stick of celery finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A little water
2 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

For the fried onions
1 large onion peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups chicken stock
I browned the sausages in a pan and then transferred them to a casserole dish

Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the pan
Season and sauté till they get a little colour and start to tenderize.
Add a little water and let that absorb
Add white balsamic vinegar

Meanwhile in another pan
Add olive oil and the sliced onion
Cook slowly to caramelize
Add flour stir well and let cook for a few minutes

Add chicken stock
Bring to the boil stirring while you do
Simmer about 5 minutes
Add the other vege

Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary
and then pour the finished sauce over the sausages

Potato Topping
4 large potatoes peeled and chunked
3 tablespoon milk
Big knob of butter
70 gms cream cheese
1 shallot peeled and finely chopped
1 egg
Sea salt and ground white pepper

Meanwhile cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender
Strain and make sure they are quite dry

Heat the milk and butter in the microwave or a small pot
Now I am with Delia Smith, when it comes to mashing.
You can either put the hot potatoes through a ricer, or just get out your hand beater
and whip them up with that.

Start off slowly, you don't want to end up with it all over you
Add the hot milk and butter

Beat them up
When they are smooth
Add the shallots and cream cheese
You can start beating with a fork now
Add egg
Season with salt and white pepper
Continue to beat till smooth
Pile on top of sausages

I have popped this into the fridge and will finish it off tomorrow night
From room temperature,
180C for 30 mins
Should be a winner

Roasted White Vegetable Soup- Always Room for Improvement

My friend JT liked my post of the White Soup
and decided to make her version with the ingredients she had.
She experimented by par -boiling the vegetables and then slow roasting them in butter and oil.
Into the blender, whiz up and voila Potage.

I cut the vege into large chunks I didn’t want them to be over roasted.
Plus I sautéed the cabbage instead of roasting. I think the flavour is improved this way
So here we go
A lovely soup
I will put on My Net Diary Blogs  with all of the calories for those interested.


1/2 Cauliflower 350 gms
1 large potato 235
1 leek white part only 200 gms
2 med parsnips 220 gms
1 med swede 260 gms
2 x stalk of celery 75 gms
1 large onion peeled and quartered 200 gms
1/2 white cabbage 500 gms


20 gms olive oil
50 gms unsalted butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


10 gms olive oil
1 tablespoon Stock powder
Cold Water about 2 litres

Cut all the vege except for the cabbage into large chunks
Cover with water
Add salt and bring to boil

Simmer for about 8 minutes, till just starting to get tender
Strain and keep the stock
Set aside
Pre-heat oven to 160C

Into a roasting dish add butter and 20 gms olive oil
Pop into the oven to heat up
Add the drained vege toss around to coat with oils
Season with Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Into the oven around 50 minutes
After 30 mins take out the leeks and cauliflower before they get too caramelized.
It makes them bitter

Meanwhile
Slice cabbage
And sauté in 10 mls of oil for 5 minutes
Season with Stock powder, Vegeta is good but any chicken stock powder is also good
(Vegeta is Vegetarian and also Gluten...They also make very good Beef and Chicken flavoured stock powder)
Add reserved stock and simmer for about 10 minutes till cabbage is soft

Put the cauliflower and leeks that you have removed into the cabbage

Then add the rest of the roast vegetables 
Mix well and into the blender
Whiz till smooth
This amount will take 2 gos in the blender
Back into pot
Taste and adjust seasoning
I found it needed more salt and freshly ground black pepper

I popped some into a plastic container for my daughter to have for her dinner.
We had it for lunch.

4 ladlefuls only 139 calories
Filling and gorgeous.

Oh My friend Phil also made it and he added some spinach.
Nice addition

White Soup for White Times

At the moment in New Zealand we are in the midst of a Polar Blast. Very unusual to be this cold.
Katie and Chris are in the South Island for a spot of Snowboarding, which is normal at this time of the year. Great ski grounds down there. in fact they are stuck there, all flights cancelled till the weather has improved. Not too bad a place to be.

But snow on the ground in the North Island is very unusual. Very pretty but bloody cold

I made this soup using pale vegetables to warm the cockles of our hearts

You can use any amount of ingredients that you like...doesn't matter, it will always taste great.
The sweetness of these vegetables, is really intensified, just by gently frying  them in butter

2 tablespoons of butter
2 onions chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped 
3 parsnips peeled and chopped
1 large swede peeled and chopped
1/4 cauliflower broken into florets
1/2 white cabbage sliced
1 tablespoon Vegeta Chicken Stock Powder
Ground white pepper
Boiling water

Melt the butter in a soup pot
Add onions
Soften them
Season with Chicken stock powder and white pepper
Add the parsnip, swede, cauliflower, celery
Stir well and keep on cooking gently
Add cabbage stir well.

Cover with boiling water
bring back to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until vege are tender
Taste and adjust seasoning if you need to.

Put half of the soup into a blender and whiz up
Return to pot and serve