Fragrant orange slices

At some point over Christmas, I just felt the need to have something sweet but at the same time fresh and light.  Meaning, a dessert that didn’t involve deep fried dough or extra sugary milk and eggs concoctions, all covered with even more sugar and a generous amount of  cinnamon. While it was not sugar or cinnamon free, these fragrant orange slice were very nice break from all those Christmas excesses. And, for extra bonus, they provided the recommended daily dose of Vitamin C. Overall, it is super easy dish to do, and is ideal to finish a decadent rich meal. Original recipe was found in Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food.

Fragrant orange slices

Ingredients

  • 4 large oranges
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon runny honey
  • 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
  • pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 50g toasted walmuts for pistachios, roughly chopped.

Method

Slice off the top and bottom of each orange and place upright on a chopping board. Following the curve of the fruit, cut off the skin, making sure that you remove the withe pith as well. Turn the peeled orange on one side and cut into slices, removing any pips as you do so.

Arrange the orange slices overlapping on individual plates. Mix the honey with the orange blossom water until evenly blended, then drizzle over the orange slices. Mix the cinnamon and chopped walnuts together and scatter over the oranges to serve.


Banana Bread with Walnuts and Chocolate

An excellent recipe to start  of the weekend: banana bread with walnuts and chocolate. I had done it once before, using Bill Granger’s recipe, but this time I decided to give a go Gordon Ramsay‘s take on it. It was definitely a more sophisticated cake, less chocolaty but with more flavors.

Banana Bread with Walnuts and Chocolate Chips

Ingredients 

  • 150g plain flour
  • 150g whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 170g golden caster sugar
  • 75ml vegetable oil
  • 2 large free-range eggs
  • 150g natural yoghurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 large (or 4 medium) very ripe bananas
  • 50g walnuts, chopped
  • 50g dark chocolate chips

Method 

Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Butter and line a 2 litre loaf tin. Mix all the dry ingredients, except for the walnuts and chocolate chip, together in a bowl.

In another bowl, combine the vegetable oil, eggs, yoghurt and vanilla.

Peel and mash the bananas with a fork, then mix into the egg mixture.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture then quickly fold in the walnuts and chocolate chips. Try not to overmix the batter to ensure a moist loaf. Scoop the batter into the prepared tin.

Bake for about an hour until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the loaf. If the bread is not ready, return it to the oven for another 10 minutes. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing and serving.


Grilled aubergine with tahini dressing

A  super easy and quick dish, perfect for a hot Summer day: grilled aubergine finished with a creamy tahini dressing, by the great Gordon Ramsay . It looks a pale shadow of the sabih, tahini sauce and zhoug dish I tried earlier this Summer, but on its simplicity it is an elegant (and) delicious dish that goes well as a salad, entrée or put on the side.

Grilled aubergine with tahini dressing

Ingredients 

Grilled aubergines 

  • 1 large aubergine trimmed
  • olive oil enough to brush and drizzle
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • few rosemary springs, plus extra to garnish
  • 3 bay leaves, plus extra to garmish
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Tahini dressing

  • 1 tablespoon tahini paste
  • 2 tablespoos of natural yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon runny honey
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely crushed

Method

Cut the aubergine into 1 cm thick slices. Generously brush with olive oil on both sides and tub all over with salt and pepper. Toss with the rosemary and the bay leaves

Heat a griddle pan, then add the aubergine slices with the herbs. Griddle for 4-5min on each side until cooked. Transfer to a serving bowl and while still warm, drizzle over some more olive oil and the lemon juice. Toss well to coat and set aside to cool.

For the tahini dressing, mix all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of hot water to loosen the dressing until it is of the consistency of double cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the dressing over the grilled aubergine and garnish with a few fresh bay leaves and rosemary springs.Serve with some warm flat bread on the side.


Sticky lemon chicken, green beans and mash

Gordon_chicken

The chicken recipe are in one of the favorite books for this season, Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food. The mash is a modified version of Gordon’s champ, and the saute green beans were made on the go.

Sticky lemon chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 large chicken jointed into 8-10 pieces
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 3-4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
  • Few thyme sprigs
  • Splash of sherry vinegar
  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 1 lemon, finely sliced (ideally with a mandolin)
  • Bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Method

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Brown the chicken pieces (in batches if necessary) over a high heat with the garlic and thyme for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Return all the chicken to the pan, add the sherry vinegar and bubble until reduced by half. Drizzle over the soy sauce and honey and shake the pan to mix.

Pour in a good splash of hot water and add the lemon slices. Let the liquid bubble and reduce down until syrupy, which will take about 10 minutes or so. By now the chicken should be cooked through.

Mash potatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 kg floury potatoes peeled
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • 30g butter
  • Milk as needed
  • Bunch of spring onions (about 6-8), trimmed and chopped
  • 200g grated Emmental cheese.

Method

Cut the potatoes into similar-sized chunks and boil in salted water for about 10 minutes until tender when pierced with a small sharp knife. Drain well. (Put the potatoes in cold water and start cooking from cold).

Mash the potatoes while still hot, using a potato ricer if you have one, then stir through the butter and chopped spring onions. Add the grated cheese. Put a bit of hot milk if needed. Season generously and serve.



Codfish and potatoes

Img_0064

Pan fried codfish in a bed of chery tomato and spring onions, new potatoes sauteed with rosemary and garlic


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