How To Make Chocolate Eclairs

Serves:

9

Preparation Time:

10 minutes

Cooking Time:

1 hour

Oven Temperature:

190

370° c - ° f

190

Step 1:

You will need….

• for the choux pastry
• 200 ml water
• 120 g butter
• 1 cups (250ml) flour
• 5 eggs
• a pinch of salt
• for the pastry cream:
• 500 ml cream
• 250 g sugar
• for chocolate topping:
• 150 g cooking chocolate
• 60 g butter
• 2 medium pans
• 1 piping bag with medium nozzle
• greaseproof paper
• 1 whisk
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 bowl
• cling film
• 1 small knife
• 1 baking tray

Step 2:

Boil the water and butter

Place the small pan on a medium heat. Add the water, spoon in the butter, add the salt and bring to the boil.

Step 3:

Preheat oven

Set the oven to 190ºC (375ºF/ gas mark 5).

Step 4:

Make choux dough

Once boiling, add the flour to the pan of water and stir well with your wooden spoon until it forms a smooth dough. Then set aside to cool.

Step 5:

Make the pastry cream

Begin by adding the cream and sugar into the large bowl. Then taking your whisk, whisk it continuously until the cream starts to form stiff peaks. Cover the bowl with cling film and place into the fridge until you need to use it.

Step 6:

Add eggs to pastry

When the pastry has cooled down add in one egg and thoroughly combine using your wooden spoon, then continue to add all the eggs one by one until the dough has formed a smooth, elastic appearance.

Step 7:

Transfer dough into piping bag

Open the piping bag and spoon in the pastry dough. When half filled, close the bag and squeeze the dough down to create enough room for the rest of the dough. When full, close the bag once more and give it one final squeeze down.

Step 8:

Pipe the dough

Cover the baking tray with a piece of greaseproof paper and pipe the pastry dough into roughly 3cm wide and 15cm long, log shaped cylinders. They are now ready to bake.

Step 9:

Bake

Place the baking tray into the centre of the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Step 10:

Make the chocolate sauce

Whilst the pastry is cooking we can melt the chocolate, so place a pan on a low heat and cover with the bowl of chocolate and butter. Allow to melt slowly.

Step 11:

Remove from oven

When cooked remove the cooked éclairs from the oven and allow to cool.

Step 12:

Fill with cream

When cooled, slice the length of each of the éclairs with a sharp knife and make a slight opening. Then with a spoon fill all the éclairs with the cream.

Step 13:

Decorate with chocolate

With a spoon, dribble the melted chocolate lengthways over each éclair and leave them to cool. You could even pop them in the fridge.

Step 14:

Serve

Serve these mouth-watering éclairs for dessert or as a special treat.

How To Make Arrabiata Sauce

Preparation Time:

10 minutes

Cooking Time:

12 minutes

Step 1:

You will need…

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 400 g tin of chopped tomatoes
• quarter tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp thyme, chopped
• 1 tbsp basil, chopped
• 350 g penne pasta, cooked , or other pasta of your choice
• 25 g parmesan, grated
• salt and pepper
• 1 saucepan
• 1 wooden spoon

Step 2:

Make the sauce

Into a moderately hot pan place three quarters of the olive oil. Add the garlic, stir and fry for a few seconds, then add the chopped tomatoes. Stir well to combine with your wooden spoon, then add the chilli flakes.

Season with salt and pepper, stir it all in and let it cook for 10-12 minutes.

Step 3:

Combine pasta with sauce

After this time, add the thyme and the basil, then the precooked pasta. Give it a good stir to combine well.

Step 4:

Serve

Heap a generous portion onto a serving bowl. Drizzle over the remaining olive oil and garnish with the grated parmesan cheese.

How To Make Meat Samosas

Serves:

4

You will need:

• 500 g minced lamb
• 4 tbsp Oil , for frying the lamb
• 1 tsp salt , or according to taste
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 ½ medium onions , peeled and finely chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander leaves , chopped
• 1 medium beaten egg , for sealing samosa pastry
• 1 packet samosa pads or filo pastry
• 2 tomatoes , chopped
• 1 frying pan or wok
• 1 wooden or metal spoon
• 1 dessert or table spoon
• 1 clean surface

Step 1:

Fry The Onions

Heat the 4tbsp of oil in a large frying pan. Put the onion in and stir fry gently for 1 minute over a medium heat.

Step 2:

Add Spices and the Meat

Add the spices and salt and fry for a minute, then add the meat.

Step 3:

Cover and Cook

Stir, cover and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes until the meat is cooked.

Step 4:

Stir

Stir occasionally and add a little more oil if the pan seems to be too dry.

Step 5:

Let Cook

When done, check for salt and let the mixture cool.

Step 6:

Make the Samosa Cone

On a separate work surface, take a sheet of the ready made samosa pad or 2 sheets of Filo pastry and create a triangle cone by folding the edges around themselves and sealing the edges with the beaten egg using a pastry brush; leave one side open (this is to add the filling in the samosa cone/ triangle)

Step 7:

Fill

Put 1 to 1 ½ tsp of the minced lamb filling into the samosa triangle. Lift corners and pinch them together, continue along the seam towards the corner. This should form a sealed triangle/ cone shape.

Step 8:

Deep Fry

Deep fry the samosa gently until it is golden in colour on each of its sides.

Serve

How To Make Sausage Rolls

Serves:

10

Preparation Time:

25 minutes

Cooking Time:

20 minutes

Oven Temperature:

200

390° c - ° f

200

Step 1:

You will need …

• 380 g bought puff pastry
• 500 g sausage meat
• 1 egg, beaten
• plain flour for dusting
• 1 knife
• 1 wire rack
• 1 spoon
• 1 baking tray
• parchment paper
• 1 pastry brush

Step 2:

Preheat the oven

Set the oven to 200ºC (400ºF/ gas mark 6).

Step 3:

Prepare the baking tray

Lay a square of parchment paper onto the baking tray, ready for baking.

Step 4:

Make the sausage rolls

Sprinkle some flour onto your working surface, unroll the prerolled pastry and place it in the centre. Cut it into large rectangles, roughly 6cm by 7cm and spoon a generous tablespoonful of sausage meat into the centre of the rectangle.

Roll up the pastry and brush the edge lightly with the beaten to seal the pastry to the meat. Continue rolling upwards into a log shaped roll and lightly push down the edges of the pastry - a technique known as crimping. Repeat with the remaining pastry, to make roughly ten sausage rolls.

Step 5:

Transfer to the baking tray

Place the sausage rolls onto the baking tray, Make two diagonal incisions into the pastry and brush each of the rolls with the beaten egg.

Step 6:

Bake the sausage rolls

Place the tray into the centre of the oven and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove after this time.

Step 7:

Cool and serve

Transfer the sausage rolls onto the wire rack and set aside to cool. Serve warm or cold. These are great for parties and buffets.

How To Make Tarka Dal

Serves:

2 to 4

Preparation Time:

5 minutes

Cooking Time:

33 minutes

Step 1:

You will need

• 300 g red dal or lentils
• 850 ml water
• 1 tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp ground coriander
• 30 g butter
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp asafoetida
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• ¼ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 15-20 g of fresh coriander leaves
• 1 frying pan
• 1 spatula
• 1 sharp knife
• 1 teaspoon

Step 2:

Lentils

Put 300g of red dal into a sieve, and rinse with cool water under a tap, until the water runs almost clear.

Bring 850ml of water to the boil in a non-stick pan, and add the lentils. Then, straight away add a teaspoon of turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander. Stir, then leave to bubble gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft, and the water is frothy. Stir occasionally.

Step 3:

Chop

Cut the ends off a medium onion, and finely chop.

Crush 2 cloves of garlic slightly. Remove the skin, and finely chop.

Step 4:

Spice the butter

Over a medium heat, melt 30g of butter in a non-stick frying pan. Then, add 1/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds, and about a 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida.

Step 5:

Onion and garlic

Add the chopped onion and garlic to the frying pan, and fry until the onion starts to brown. This will take about 6 minutes.

Step 6:

More spice

Sprinkle in 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder. Keep stirring.

Step 7:

Lentils

Add the boiled lentils to the pan. Keep frying for another 3-4 minutes. The lentils will absorb the flavours of the butter and spices.

Step 8:

Garam Masala

Add half a teaspoon of Garam Masala, and stir. Take the pan off the heat.

Step 9:

Serve

Top the dal with a knob of butter, and scatter some fresh chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

How To Make Mango Chutney

Serves:

4

Preparation Time:

4 minutes

Cooking Time:

7 minutes

Step 1:

You will need

• 2 medium ripe mangos
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 black peppercorns
• pinch cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp coriander seeds
• ¼ tsp onion seeds , also known as nigella seeds
• ¼ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 vegetable peeler
• 1 chopping board
• 1 non-stick frying pan
• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 teaspoon
• 1 tablespoon
• some plates
• 1 air-tight storage jar.

Step 2:

Mango

Begin by carefully peeling 2 fresh mangos. If the mangoes are really ripe, you'll be able to remove some of the skin with your hands. Cut away as much of the flesh as possible, leaving the stone. Put the flesh into a bowl, and use a spoon to roughly mash it into pulp.

Step 3:

Fry spices

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a non-stick pan over a medium heat. Then add 2 dried red chillies, 2 black peppercorns, a pinch of cumin seeds, 1/4 of a teaspoon of coriander seeds, 1/4 of a teaspoon of onion seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds. The seeds will pop and sizzle.

Step 4:

Add more spices

Now stir half a teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and a quarter of a teaspoon of paprika into the pan.

Step 5:

Add lemon

Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and stir. Turn the hob down to a low heat.

Step 6:

Add mango

Now add the mashed mango pulp. Continue to cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 7:

Serve

You can keep the chutney for up to a week, in an airtight container in the fridge.

How To Make Osso Buco

Serves:

4

Preparation Time:

15 minutes

Cooking Time:

3 hours 15 minutes

Step 1:

You will need

• 4 pieces of veal shank , bone in, cut into pieces 3-5 cm thick
• 4 tbsp flour
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 25 g butter
• 4 bacon or pancetta slices , chopped
• 1 onion , chopped
• 4 celery stalks , chopped
• 3 carrots , peeled and chopped
• 1 head of garlic , halved
• 250 ml white wine
• 1 ltr veal or chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• a few sprigs of thyme
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 2 tomatoes , chopped
• salt and pepper , to taste
• 1 whole orange peel , grated
• 1 whole lemon peel , grated
• 2 cloves of garlic , minced
• 2 tbsp parsley , chopped
• 1 wooden spoon
• 1 saucepan and cover
• tongs
• 2 trays
• 1 small bowl
• 1 spoon

Step 2:

Prepare the shanks

Begin by generously seasoning all four shanks, with salt and pepper, on both sides. Then sprinkle with a light coating of flour and tap off any excess. This will help to give it a nicer colour and crust.

Step 3:

Braise the meat

Next, place the saucepan on high heat.
Add the olive oil and the butter and let it melt. When hot, and the foam of the butter has subsided, add two of the shanks and slowly brown them for 2-3 minutes on each side. Then remove and set aside. Add the other two shanks, and brown in exactly the same way. Browning the meat before braising it gives the meat a more roasted flavour. Remove the cooked shanks when ready and place with the previous two. If your oil looks burnt after browning the shanks, discard and start with some fresh oil, before proceeding.

Step 4:

Cook the stew

To the same pan, add the bacon and allow to brown, for a few minutes. Next, add the onions, the celery, the carrots, and let them cook through, for about 3 minutes. Stir them in with your wooden spoon. Now add the garlic and let them cook for a few minutes, whilst stirring. Now, add the white wine and let it cook quickly for a few minutes then place the meat back into the pan, with your tongs. Cover it well with the stock. Then add the tomatoes, the bay leaves, the thyme, the rosemary. Bring it all to a simmer and then cover. Lower the temperature to a slow simmer and let it gently cook for about three hours.

TIP: If you prefer, you can also braise the Osso Buco in the oven but braising it in a pan will make it more succulent.

Step 5:

Test the meat

At the end of the cooking time, take the lid off to check the meat for tenderness, by gently prodding it with a spoon and remove from the heat but keep warm.

Step 6:

Make the gremolata

Put the grated orange peel into a small bowl. Add the grated lemon peel, the garlic and the parsley. Mix it together well with a spoon.

Step 7:

Garnish and serve

Heap a portion of Osso Buco onto a serving, along with a spoonful of the vegetables and some of the sauce. It goes really well with polenta, a corn based mashed potato, as shown here, or risotto and many pastas. Finally add a spoonful of the gremolata on top. Remember to serve with a little spoon to eat the nutrient marrow! It might look rich but remember, it is also high in mono-saturated fats which help fight bad cholesterol. Enjoy!