Bruschetta Recipe

Makes 12

1 Ciabatta

1 mozzerella ball

2 salad tomatoes

1/2 a red onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 tsp basil leaves shredded

olive oil

– Slice the ciabatta on the diagonal into slices about 1.5cm thick and rub a split garlic clove all over. 

– Brush with olive oil on both sides.

– Place on a health grill or very hot griddle or even under the grill.

– Chop the tomatoes, mozzerella and red onion into small chunks and mix together. 

– Crush one garlic clove into the mix and combine thoroughly.

– When the bread slices are thoroughly toasted and crisp place on a plate and spoon a tablespoon of the mixture on to the top.  

– Enjoy!

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Ginger Cake Recipe

I’d been making a lot of cake recently but my dad doesn’t like cake that much.  I asked him what kind he liked and he said ginger so I made him a ginger cake.  He said it was excellent but he’s probably a bit biased!!

Makes 1 cake!!

250g self raising flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
200g golden syrup (I used two really big spoonfuls)
2 tbsp syrup from the ginger jar
125g butter
3 lumps of stem ginger in syrup, diced
125g dark muscavado sugar
2 large eggs
240ml milk

– Heat your oven to Gas Mark 4 and grease and line a 20-23cm square baking tin.
– Sieve together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
– Put the golden syrup, and butter in a medium heavy bottomed pan and heat until they’re melted together and bubbling. 
– Add the stem ginger and sugar to the pan and bubble for 1 minute while stirring. 
– Beat together the eggs and milk in a jug.
– Pour the mix from the pan into the flour and mix well ensuring the flour is totally mixed in.
– Add the milk and eggs and mix well.  
– Bake for 40-45 mins until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. (Mine took a little longer than this but all ovens are different.)  

If wrapped in foil this cake should keep well in a sealed tin even though it is very moist.

Apricot Tart Recipe

Serves 8

500g shortcrust pastry (I buy ready made as I do not have a way with pastry)
800g apricots
6 tbsp sugar
1/2 pint water
1 tsp almond extract

– Roll out the pastry until a few millimeters thick and place over a flan dish.  Trim off with a knife and prick the bottom of the tart all over with a fork. 
– Bake blind (line with foil and put baking beans on top) at Gas Mark 5 for 20 minutes. 
– Take 600 of the apricots and halve them, removing the stones. 
– Put the water, almond extract and the sugar in a medium sized heavy bottomed pan and bring to the boil. 
– Put the halved apricots skin up in the pan and simmer for 3 minutes.  It is best to do this in batches. 
– Remove the apricots to a bowl using a slatted spatula. 
– Take the remaining 200g apricots and slice up into segments. 
– Place these in the pan with the liquid and cook for 10 minutes, boiling constantly, until the fruit is very soft.  Keep stiring occasionally.
– Turn off the heat and use a hand blender in the pan to puree the fruit. 
– Spread half of the puree on the base of the flan. 
-Arrange the halves fruit skin up on top of the puree then use a pastry brush to spread the rest of the puree on top of the fruit. 
– Bake at Gas Mark 5 for 20 minutes. 

Strawberry Cream Vol Au Vont Recipe

Makes 24

400g strawberries
150ml whippng cream
24 vol au vont cases
100g chocolate
4 tbsp sugar

– Cook the vol au vont cases accordingto instructions and allow to cool. 
– Whip the cream until it is soft but holding peaks. 
– Hull the strawberries and chop into small chunks. 
– Put half of the strawberries into the cream and stir thorough. Chill until needed. 
– Put the other half of the strawberries in a small pan with the sugar and heat until they form a syrup, stiring to make sure it doesn’t stick.  
– Use a stick blender to remove the lumps and make a smooth syrup. 
– Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water.
– Put the melted chocolate into a ziplock bag and seal.  
– Put a teaspoon of syrup in the base of each vol au vent case. 
– Then put a heaped teaspoon of the cream and strawberry mix on top. 
– Add another drizzle of syrup on top of the cream.
– Cut a tiny corner off the bag of chocolate and gently squeeze in a zig zag pattern over the top of each vol au vont. 

Chilli Turkey Burgers and Red Onion and Tomato Salsa Recipe

An excellent low fat burger option.  Delicious and nutritious!

 

Chilli Turkey Burgers

Makes 4

500g turkey mince
1 egg
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp fresh corriander, chopped
1 tbsp mint, chopped
1 red chilli, chopped

– Mix together all of the ingredients in a large bowl using your hand.  Make sure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. 
– Divide the mixture into four and shape into patties by slapping the mixture between your hands to remove the air, then shaping it into round burgers. 
– Place the burgers on a plate and cover then leave to chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. 
– Cook under the grill or on a bbq for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. 
– Serve on buns with lettuce, Red Onion and Tomato Salsa and creme fraiche. 

Red Onion and Tomato Salsa

1/2 a red onion, chopped
12 baby plum or cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp fresh corriander, chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
2 tbsp lime juice

– Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl, mix thoroughly and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Prawn Skewers Recipe

Serves 3-4

240g bag jumbo king prawns
~ 24 bay leaves (same number as prawns)
2 tbsp fresh thyme
2 tbsp ground garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
lemon wedges

– Defrost the prawns thoroughly and blot dry.
– Put the prawns in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
– Add the thyme, and garlic and stir until coated.
– Thread the prawns onto skewers (if using bamboo make sure to soak in water first) alternating with a bay leaf. (From my pack of prawns that was 7 prawns per skewer with 2 spares for 3 people.) 
– Cook on a griddle or bbq for 4-5 mins until the bay is charred and the prawns heated through.   
– Serve with lemon wedges to drizzle over.