Add all of the ingredients for the dressing to a small bowl and whisk together. Put aside. Place the rocket leaves in a salad bowl and add parmesan shavings by pulling a vegetable peeler over the surface of parmesan cheese. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, mix together and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle some balsamic vinegar reduction over and serve.
30ml vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 3 cloves of garlic, minced 15ml sugar 5ml ground cinnamon 10ml salt 1kg beef chuck, cut into 3cm pieces 1 x 385g tin of chopped tomatoes 250ml beef stock 1 small pumpkin, 500g cubed and the rest cut into wedges 15ml cornflour 1 x tin coconut milk
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a roasting tin with baking paper. Place large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil and onion and cook until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute. Add the sugar, cinnamon and salt and stir through. Now add the beef cubes, chopped tomatoes and beef stock and bring to a simmer. Gently cook the meat for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the pumpkin wedges to the roasting tin and brush vegetable oil all over. Season with salt and pepper. Roast the wedges for 15 minutes, flip them over and roast for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and keep warm. Add the cubed pumpkin to the saucepan and simmer for another 20-30 minutes until beautifully soft. Mix the cornflour with 45ml of the coconut milk and drizzle the mixture into the saucepan. Pour in the rest of the coconut milk and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve the pumpkin stew on steamed rice with a wedge of roasted pumpkin on top.
1 kg pork belly, skin removed and cut into 5cm cubes 2 cloves of garlic, minced 5ml red chilli flakes 60ml soy sauce 60ml apple cider vinegar 30ml brown sugar 15ml sesame oil 1,2ml salt 15ml sesame seeds 15ml chives, finely chopped
Add the garlic, chilli flakes, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk together. Add the pork belly cubes, mix to coat and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an hour. Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line an oven tray with baking paper. Arrange the cubed meat on the prepared tray, spacing the meat evenly. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Turn each of the cubes over and place it back in the oven for another 30 minutes – do take cake not to burn the meat – place a sheet of aluminium foil over the baking tray if it is brown enough. Remove the pork from the oven and sprinkle over the sesame seeds and chives.
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a roasting tin with baking paper. Add the garlic, tomato sauce, soy, sunflower oil, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar to a small saucepan and place over a medium heat. Stir the sauce until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil. Simmer until reduced to a very thick sauce, stirring occasionally. (This should take 10 minutes or so) Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside. Lay the chops in the prepared roasting tin and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Brush the chops with a generous amount of the sauce and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Flip the chops and brush with the remaining sauce. Return the roasting tin to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Fill a large saucepan with water and cook the potatoes until done. Drain and cool slightly. Crush the potato with the bottom of a glass by pressing down on it. It shouldn’t be thicker than 1cm once crushed. Lay the potato on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle some olive oil over. Season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Flip the potato over and repeat. Bake in the oven until crispy – about 20 minutes or so. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients together. Set aside. Add the diced cucumber and onion to a serving platter and arrange the crispy potato on top. Mix lightly. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.
250ml uncooked lentils 1 onion, chopped 2 large aubergines, cut into small dice 4 cloves of garlic, minced 15ml chopped parsley 200g white bread (about 5 slices) 30g parmesan cheese, grated 10ml salt 2 x 400g tins chopped tomato 5ml salt 45ml sugar 30ml Worcestershire sauce a handful of basil leaves, chopped
Cook the lentils according to packet instructions, drain and set aside to cool. Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Place a saucepan on medium heat and add some olive oil to it. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft. Add the diced aubergine, a pinch of salt and another drizzle of olive and stir-fry until really soft. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Take the mixture from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Break the bread into chunks and add it to a food processor. Whizz to crumbs. Remove 125ml of the crumbs and set aside. Pour the rest of the crumbs into a large mixing bowl. Add the aubergine mixture, lentils, parmesan, parsley, salt and a few grindings of black pepper to the food processor and whizz to a paste. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning. Roll into 18-22 balls, place on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with some olive oil. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until crisp. Add the chopped tomato to a saucepan and add the salt, sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer until reduced – about 15 minutes. Turn your oven onto the grill setting. Pour the tomato sauce into an ovenproof dish, place the aubergine balls on top and sprinkle over the reserved bread crumbs. Drizzle with olive oil and grill in the oven for 5 minutes. Sprinkle over the chopped basil and serve on steamed rice.
125ml uncooked quinoa, prepared according to the packet instructions and cooled down 250ml thinly sliced kale 250ml thinly sliced baby spinach 2 red apples, cut into sticks/julienned 100g goat cheese, crumbled 60ml flaked almonds
Add the quinoa, kale, spinach, apple, goat cheese and almonds to a large salad bowl and set aside. Add the apple cider vinegar, honey and mustard to a small bowl and drizzle in the oil while whisking continuously. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix through to serve.
Polenta Baby Dutch Pancake: 45ml butter 3 eggs 150ml cake flour 30ml polenta a pinch of salt
For the ragout: Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion and carrot. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring every now and then. Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute. Add the beef and cook until browned. Add the tomato paste, chopped tomato, Worcestershire sauce and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and bring the beef to a low simmer. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and you have beautifully tender beef covered in a thick sauce.
For the Baby Dutch: Preheat your oven to 220℃. Add the butter to a cast iron frying pan of about 24cm diameter and place the pan in the oven to heat up. Add all the ingredients to a food processor or a suitable container for a stick blender and blend until the batter is completely smooth. Open the oven door, swirl the hot butter around and up the sides of the pan and immediately pour the batter into the pan. Close the door and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Do not open the door before 20 minutes, the pancake won’t rise!! Remove the pan from the oven and transfer it to a serving plate.
Spoon the ragout into the pancake and add some tomato and fresh spinach leaves on top. Serve with a glass of crisp white wine.
Preheat your oven to 180℃ . Slice each slice of bread into two triangles and roll each triangle flat with a rolling pin. Pour the vegetable oil into a small bowl and add the garlic to it. Brush one side of the bread triangle with the garlic oil. Bring the two widest corners of the bread triangle together, overlap them slightly and secure with a wooden toothpick. Place the shaped bread on a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes or until slightly golden but not hard. Remove from the oven and set aside. Add the parmesan cheese and mayonnaise to the leftover garlic oil and mix together. Now scoop some of this mixture onto a salad leave (be generous!) and place a chicken strip on top. Fold the salad leave so that it fits into the shaped bread slices and serve with drinks.
Place a heavy-base saucepan on medium-high heat and add some oil to it. Add the onion and chorizo and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and sweet pepper and cook for another 2 minutes. Now add the rice, sprinkle over the paprika and stir to cover. Add a pinch of saffron to the chicken stock and pour the stock into the saucepan. Add the prawns, stir through and place a lid on. Cook for about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is just tender. Add the peas and cook for another 6-7 minutes without covering. Season the paella with salt and lemon juice, taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the paella with fresh lemon slices.
My Whisk and I 