200g fine noodles
25g grated root ginger
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 scallions finely chopped
1 aubergine cut into 2cm dice
100g of either cooked bacon or ham chopped
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 teaspoon gochujang or chilli paste
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
100ml oyster sauce
Oil for cooking Cook the noodles as per pack instructions, drain and toss in the sesame oil.
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok and when smoking add the aubergines, cook until golden and set aside.
Wipe out the wok and add another tablespoon of oil.
Add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook until golden. Add the bacon and cook for a minute. Add the chill paste and tomato puree and cook for a minute stirring around. Add the oyster sauce and return the bacon and aubergines to the wok with the noodles. Stir well to combine.
Spoon into bowls and top with the sesame seeds and scallions.
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7:41
Paula's "Burns Night" Supper
Paula's "Burns Night" SupperHaggis stuffed chicken thighs
6 chicken thighs, skin on, bone removed
75g crumbled haggis
75g sausage meat
25g breadcrumbs
1 onion, finely chopped Mix the haggis, sausage, crumbs and onion well.
Place chicken on a board, skin side down and divide the stuffing among the thighs. Roll up the thighs to enclose the stuffing.
Take a square of foil, place chicken on top, wrap up into a parcel and twist the ends. Repeat with remaining chicken and place in a roasting tray. Add 100ml of water and bake for 30 minutes at 180oc or until an internal temperature of 75oc is reached. Allow to rest for 10 minutes in the foil.
Whiskey sauce
2 shallots, finely chopped
35g butter
50ml Scotch
200ml chicken stockCook the shallots in 15g of the butter until soft and golden. Add the stock and boil to reduce by half. Remove chicken from foil and strain any juices into the pan. Boil until sauce is spoon coating consistency. Lower heat and whisk in remaining butter, check seasoning.Brown butter mashed turnip1 medium turnip, peeled and cut into 1cm dice
50g butter
Salt and pepper to taste Boil the turnip in salted water until soft. Drain well, return to pan and dry out before mashing.
Heat the butter in a separate pan and cook until foaming and then nutty.
Add to the turnips and mix well. Check seasoning for salt and add lots of freshly ground black pepper.
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9:54
Potato, Mushroom Duxelle and Greens Pie with Pickled Walnut Ketchup
Flaky pastry225g plain flour
150g butter
Pinch salt
Cold water to bind Wrap the butter cling and place in freezer for 45 minutes.
Mix the salt and flour together and then grate the butter from frozen into the bowl. Mix together then rub to breadcrumb consistency. Add cold water to bind, mix to a smooth dough, roll into a sausage shape and chill for an hour. Roll into a rectangle about 50cm x 30cm on a floured surface. Take a third of the pastry and fold into the middle and fold over the top third. Turn by 180 degrees and roll into the same size rectangle and fold in the same way. Divide the pastry roughly in half but with one side a bit bigger than the other.
Roll out the smaller side into a 30cm round and place on a parchment lined baking tray. Use a knife to cut round a plate and use the trimmings for the top. Roll the other piece into a 40 cm round. Place on parchment paper and chill until ready to assemble.Mushroom Duxelle 350g mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
25g butter
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste Heat the oil in a large pan until smoking hot. Add the mushrooms and cook for a minute. Dot the butter around and add the shallots. Cook until mushrooms and shallots are golden. Add the balsamic and season with salt and pepper and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Blend to a smooth puree. Cool2 large potatoesPeel the potatoes, cut into 1cm slices and cook gently in water until just cooked. Drain and pat dry on kitchen paper.250g greens – (I used cavalo nero but spinach, chard etc would be great)
2 onions, finely sliced
25g butter
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
200ml double cream
Salt and pepper If using cavalo nero, remove the stalk in the middle and coarsely chop the leaves. If using chard, remove the stalks, chop them finely and coarsely shred the leaves. Spinach is ok as it is
Heat the butter in a pan and cook the onions until golden and soft. Add the greens and cook to wilt down for a couple of minutes – season well with salt and pepper. Add the nutmeg and cream and cook until the cream coats the greens and isn’t watery. Allow to cool1 egg yolk
50g grated To assemble – Arrange the potatoes on the pastry in the baking tray leaving a 2cm gap around the edges. Sprinkle over half the parmesan. Arrange the greens on top with the remaining parmesan and finally the mushroom duxelle. Brush the edges with egg yolk and place the other piece of pastry on top, pressing down. Crimp the edges and place a wee hole in the top with a skewer. Brush with the remaining egg yolk and make lines from the top to the edges with a cocktail stick. Set oven to 190oc and bake the pie for about 30 minutes or until crisp and golden.Pickled walnut ketchup2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
1 clove garlic
4 pickled walnuts chopped
100ml red wine vinegar
75g dark muscovado sugar
50g stoned dates, finely chopped
1 teaspoon smoked seasalt
250ml water Cook the onions in the oil until soft and golden. Add the pickled walnuts, garlic, vinegar, sugar, dates, salt and water and simmer for half an hour. Blend to a smooth puree. Cool and serve with the pie.
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11:22
Mulled Fruit Trifle
Mulled fruit 250g frozen mixed berries
100g castor sugar
200ml water
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick, split in half
150ml red wine
4 large pears
4 plumsPlace the berries, sugar, cloves, wine, cinnamon stick and water in a pan and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the cloves and cinnamon and blend to a smooth sauce and pass through a sieve into another pan. Peel the pears and cut in half through the root. Remove core with a melon baller or teaspoon and place in the berry liquor. Cover with a sheet of parchment and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Cut the plums in half, remove the stone and add to the pan. Simmer until pears and plums are just done. Remove pears and plums and boil the liquor to reduce by half. Return the pears and plums to the pan and allow to cool.
Chop into 1cm pieces. You’ll have a bit more fruit than you need but it will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.Jelly
200ml of cooking liquor
2 leaves gelatine Soak the gelatine in cold water for 10 minutes. Heat the liquor and add the gelatine leaves. Pour into a dish, cool and chill until set. Coconut sponge
225g soft butter
225g castor sugar
4 eggs
200g self raising flour
20g cornflour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50g desiccated coconut soaked for 10 minutes in 150ml boiling water Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour, cornflour and baking powder together and fold into the mixture. Add the coconut and vanilla.
Pour into a prepared cake tin and bake at 180°c for about 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool
Will make a bit more than you need but will keep for a week or freeze the excess.
Alternatively use a Madeira sponge. Vanilla custard
3 egg yolks
50g sugar
15g cornflour
250ml whole milk
100ml cream
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extractWhisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour.Scald the milk, cream and vanilla and then pour over the egg mixture. Whisk and return to pan. Stir until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Pour into a bowl and cover the surface with cling. Cool and then chill.
Alternatively buy ready made custard.
Orange and cinnamon cream
500ml double cream
Zest and juice 1 orange
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon icing sugar Boil the orange juice, zest and cinnamon together until only a tablespoon of liquid remains. Cool. Whisk the cream and fold in the sugar and orange mixture. To Assemble –
Fruit liqueur
Edible gold glitter Cut the sponge into 1cm dice and place in the bottom of 6 individual trifle bowls or one big one. Drizzle over some fruit liqueur. Spoon over some of the fruit. Cut the jelly into cubes and spoon over the fruit. Top with custard. Pipe the cream over the top and spray with edible gold glitter.
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6:23
Pear and Chestnut Stuffing
2 pears, cored and chopped finely
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
2 small onions, peeled and finely chopped
25g butter
500g sausage meat
35g chopped chestnut
75g breadcrumbs
Handful chopped parsleyCook the onions gently in the butter until soft and golden and add the rosemary, cook for a minute and then cool. Mix into the sausage meat with the breadcrumbs, pears, chestnuts and parsley.
Press into a buttered baking dish and bake for about 30 minutes at 180oc. Sweet and smoky cranberry sauce 1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 dessertspoon tomato puree
350g frozen or fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Dash Worcestershire sauce
75g soft brown sugar
25ml cider vinegar Cook the onion in the oil until soft then add the tomato puree and cook for a minute. Add the cranberries, paprika, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and vinegar and cook gently for about 20 minutes.
Check seasoning. Can be pureed with a blender or left as is.
South Africa