Recipes

Leavened Dough

Leavened Dough

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Ingredients

  • 3 cups 375 g Flour
  • 1â…” cup 375 g Flour, coarse
  • 3 Eggs
  • ½ cup 12 cl Oil
  • Dash of salt
  • 1½ cups 375 ml Milk, lukewarm
  • 5 tbsp 45 g Yeast
  • â…” cup 75 g Confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 stick plus 2½ tbsp 150 g Butter, melted

Instructions

  • Mix smooth and coarseflour together.
  • Crumble the yeast in a second bowl and mix with lukewarm milk.
  • Mix in half the flour, dust the top with flour, and cover the starter doughwith a towel (the towel should not touch the dough).
  • Let rise in a warm spotfor about 30 minutes.
  • Beat in the salt, eggs, sugar, remaining flour, liquidbutter, and oil with a cooking spoon until the dough separates from the side ofthe bowl.
  • Cover and let rise another 20 minutes in a warm spot.
  • Continueaccording to the recipe, but always bake in a closed oven from 430 °F down to350 °F (220 °C to 180 °C).
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Course; Basic recipe
Cuisine; Austria / European

Danish Pastry

Danish Pastry

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Ingredients

Ingredients For the Butter Brick

  • 3 sticks 350 g Butter
  • 6 tbsp 50 g Flour

For the Starter Dough

  • 4¾ cups 600 g Flour
  • ½ cup 60 g Confectioner’s sugar
  • 4¼ tbsp 60 g Butter
  • 7 tbsp 60 g Yeast
  • 1¼ cups 300 ml Milk, cold
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • 1 tsp 6 g Salt
  • Dash of vanilla sugar
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

  • For the butter brick, it is best to grate the cold butter into shavings with a coarse plane or cut into pieces.
  • Mix in the flour and form a brick.
  • Let it sit in a cold place (for several hours if possible).
  • To make the starter dough, mix yeast into the cold milk and then knead with the remaining ingredients to form a smooth dough.
  • Roll into a ball with the heels of your hands.
  • Cut in half, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.
  • As with the puff pastry fold in the butter with a simple, a double, and another simple turn.
  • Use dough as you please.
  • Brown Danish pastry at 430 °F (220 °C) and finish baking at 350 °F (180 °C).

Notes & Wine Advice

Make sure that Danish pastry dough, which also happens to be called leavened puff pastry, is always kept very cool while working.
To be sure your yeast dough rises properly. . .
. . . it is advised that you always follow these rules:
• Always use room temperature ingredients.
• Avoid capturing air inside the dough as you knead it.
• Make sure that it is above 68 °F (20 °C) in your work room.
• Use butter with the lowest possible salt content.
• Use only fresh yeast and make sure that it has not dried out.
• For the preparation of yeast dough, use only pure wheat flour.
• Always let your starter and yeast dough rise in the warmest spot in your work room.
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Course; Basic recipe
Cuisine; Danish / European

Puff Pastry

Puff Pastry

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Ingredients

Ingredients for 2 tarts (10 in (26 cm) diameter)

Ingredients for the starter

  • 4 cups 500 g Flour
  • 3½ tbsp 50 g Butter
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • 1 tsp 5 g Salt
  • 1 tbsp Rum or vinegar
  • ¾ cup 180 ml Water

For the butter brick

  • 4 sticks plus 3 tbsp 500 g Butter
  • â…” cup 80 g Flour
  • Flour for the work surface

Instructions

  • Bake Temperature: 375 °F (190 °C)
  • For the starter dough, first knead flour with butter, salt, rum or vinegar, water, and egg yolks to an elastic dough.
  • Roll into a ball, cut in half, and let rest for about 30 minutes.
  • For the butter brick, knead the butter with the flour until smooth and form a brick.
  • Roll out the starter on a floured work surface, lay the butter brick on top, and fold the dough over.
  • From the center, carefully roll out the dough in all directions with a rolling pin without rolling it thinner than ½ inch (10mm).
  • Then come the four turns.
  • First turn: Fold the dough over in thirds (creating 3 layers) and roll out again.
  • Second turn: Fold the dough over in quarters (creating 4 layers), cover the dough, and let it rest for about 30 minutes.
  • Third and fourth turns: Roll out the dough again and repeat the first and second turns.
  • Then the dough will have a total of 144 layers (3x4x3x4).
  • Let the dough rest in the refrigerator.
  • It is best to wait until the next day to work with it further.
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Course; Dessert

Basic Dough For Tarts

Basic Dough For Tarts

Couverts1 tarts (10 in (26 cm) diameter)
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Ingredients

  • 2 sticks plus 3 tbsp 270 g Butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup plus 1 tbsp 240 g Granulated sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 4 cups 500 g Flour
  • Zest of 1 lemon Dash of salt
  • Flour for the work surface
  • Butter for the pan
  • Dried lentils or peas as weights

Instructions

  • Cream the butter with the granulated sugar.
  • Add the lemon zest and salt and then the eggs.
  • Incorporate the flour and cool the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator, covered.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C).
  • On a floured work surface, roll the dough out to the proper size and line a buttered springform with it.
  • Cover with parchment paper and dried lentils or peas.
  • Bake for 12–15 minutes.
  • After baking, remove the parchment paper and lentils or peas and use the tart base as you wish.
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Course; Basic recipe
Cuisine; Austria / European

Vietnamese chicken pho

Vietnamese chicken pho

In Vietnam this is made with freshly cookedchicken – the aromatics added as the chicken simmers – but I make it with stock(flavouring it with aromatics) and add leftover chicken. It’s a brilliant wayto make the best of a small amount of meat. Everything depends on the broth, whichshould be golden and fragrant; a rich stock, made with a carcass and theaddition of chicken wings, is especially good
The embellishments –the herbs, shallots, chillies and beansprouts – should be added by diners atthe table and you should offer wedges of lime, too, so people can season theirpho to taste. That way, everything stays fresh and crisp. Offer Asian chillisauce, such as sriracha, for people to add if they want. The noodles can becooked in the soup, but they make it cloudy which spoils the sense of freshness.
Couverts4
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Ingredients

FOR THE PHO

TO SERVE

  • leaves from a bunch of Thai basil or regular basil, torn
  • leaves from a bunch of coriander
  • 4 spring onions chopped
  • 100 g 3½oz beansprouts
  • lime wedges
  • 2 red chillies deseeded and finely sliced

Instructions

  • Put the stock into a saucepan.
  • Add the ginger, star anise, garlic and chilli.
  • Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
  • Scoop out the ginger and star anise.
  • Prepare the noodles according to the instructions on the packet.
  • Now for the crispy shallots.
  • Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat until it reaches 135°C (275°F) on a kitchen thermometer.
  • Add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, otherwise they will cook unevenly, until golden.
  • It will take about six minutes.
  • Scoop them up with a slotted spoon and put them on a double thickness of absorbent kitchen paper.
  • Set a heatproof bowl on a work surface and put a metal sieve (not a plastic one) on top of it (you will drain the shallots and oil in this after another frying).
  • Increase the heat under the oil and, once it registers 190°C (375°F) on the thermometer, return the shallots and cook until they are crispy and well-browned.
  • This happens quickly, so you have to work fast.
  • Quickly and carefully pour the oil and shallots through the sieve to stop the shallots cooking, then transfer the shallots to a double thickness of kitchen paper.
  • Leave so the paper can soak up the excess oil.
  • Sprinkle with salt.
  • You can keep these, stored in an airtight container, for two days, although they’re really better fresh.
  • Add the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar to the broth and heat it, then add the chicken and warm through.
  • Put the broth into bowls, adding some noodles, and serve.
  • You should have the herbs, spring onions, beansprouts, lime wedges, chillies and crispy shallots on the table, ready for diners to finish off their own bowls as they like.
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Course; Broth / Chicken
Cuisine; Vietnam

Ginger-chicken meatballs in broth with greens

Ginger-chicken meatballs in broth with greens

This is a good supper: uplifting, light, energizing and head-clearing. Add other vegetables – spinach, broccoli, thin slices of mushroom, edamame beans – to the pak choi, or use them instead of it. Minced turkey also works if you can’t get minced chicken. And yes, minced chicken is not leftovers, I do realize that. But this dish earns its place in this chapter because it uses stock, made from the remains of your Sunday roast.
Couverts4
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Ingredients

  • 500 g 1lb 2oz minced chicken
  • 2 garlic cloves finely grated
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 cm ¾in root ginger, peeled and finely grated, plus 2 slices, each the thickness of a pound coin
  • 4 spring onions finely chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 1.2 litres 2 pints chicken stock
  • 1 red chilli halved, deseeded and finely chopped, plus more to serve (optional)
  • 2 tbsp rapeseed or groundnut oil or any other oil you prefer
  • 2 heads of pak choi leaves separated and halved lengthways
  • juice of 1 lime

Instructions

  • Using your hands, mix together the chicken, garlic, soy sauce, grated ginger and half the spring onions.
  • Season.
  • Wet your hands and shape the mixture into little balls each about the size of a walnut in its shell.
  • If you have time to chill these, so much the better as they’ll be easier to work with.
  • Put them on a baking sheet, cover with cling film and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Bring the chicken stock to the boil and add the slices of ginger and half the chilli.
  • Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Take off the heat (this is just to flavour the broth with ginger).
  • Heat the oil in a medium-large frying pan and cook the meatballs in two batches, turning them over to make sure they get colour all over.
  • It will take about 10 minutes.
  • Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
  • If there is any fat in the pan, pour it out, but don’t wash the pan.
  • Add the stock to the pan and bring to the boil, scraping the base of the pan with a wooden spoon.
  • Reduce the heat, return the meatballs, then bring to a simmer and cook for three minutes.
  • Add the bok choi and the rest of the chilli and cook for another three minutes.
  • The meatballs should be cooked through and the bok choi tender.
  • Fish out the slices of ginger.
  • Add the lime juice and remaining spring onions, taste for seasoning and serve, sprinkled with more chilli if you like.
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Course; Broth / Chicken

Chicken and freekeh broth with herbs

Chicken and freekeh broth with herbs

A Middle Eastern-inspired broth, simple and clean-tasting. You can use pearl barley, farro or spelt instead of the freekeh, each one will just change the feel of it slightly. (Just make sure you know the cooking times.) Every bowlful of soup is made by the eater, the embellishments added according to taste. If you’re craving heat, a teaspoonful of harissa paste in each serving is good, too.
Couverts6
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Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more to serve
  • 4 shallots sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves sliced
  • 1.4 litres 2½ pints chicken stock
  • 100 g 3½oz freekeh
  • 1 small fennel bulb
  • juice of ½ lemon plus lemon wedges to serve
  • 200 g 7oz cooked chicken, torn into pieces
  • leaves from 6 sprigs of mint plus more to serve
  • 3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley plus more to serve
  • 2 tbsp each chopped dill and coriander plus more to serve

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a medium-large saucepan and gently sauté the shallots until soft but not coloured.
  • Add the garlic and cook for another couple of minutes.
  • Pour on the stock, reduce the heat to a simmer, then tip in the freekeh.
  • Halve the fennel, remove the coarse outer leaves, then trim the top, reserving any little fronds.
  • Trim the base, but not too much or the halved bulb could fall apart.
  • Cut each half into wafer-thin slices – a mandoline is the best tool for this – and squeeze lemon over them.
  • When the freekeh is tender – it takes 20–25 minutes – add the fennel and the chicken and cook for couple of minutes, then add the herbs.
  • Check for seasoning, add a good slug of extra virgin olive oil and serve with a bowl of Greek yogurt with crushed garlic and lemon wedges, more herbs and olive oil.
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Course; Broth / Chicken

Freekeh with chilli-fried chicken, cumin and coriander-roast winter vegetables, tahini dressing

Freekeh with chilli-fried chicken, cumin and coriander-roast winter vegetables, tahini dressing

A healthy, earthy, Middle Eastern-inspiredensemble. I do make it with leftovers (it makes a little go a long way) but youcan also cook chicken especially for it – use skinless boneless thighs – asit’s a good party or lunch dish. Offer a bowl of yogurt flavoured with garlicon the side, and shreds of preserved lemon skin as well, as it’s goodcontrasted with sharp, bright flavours.
Couverts4
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Ingredients

FOR THE DRESSING

FOR THE DISH

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
  • To make the dressing, just whisk all the ingredients together in a jug, using a fork, with 75ml (2½fl oz) of warm water.
  • Different brands of tahini vary in thickness, so you may need to add more water accordingly, then adjust the seasoning (and that means lemon juice as well as salt and pepper) to taste.
  • Just as with a vinaigrette, you have to taste a tahini dressing as you go along to make sure you’re happy with it.
  • Break the cauliflower into florets and put them into a roasting tin.
  • Sprinkle with the crushed coriander seeds, chilli flakes, salt and pepper.
  • Drizzle with 2 tbsp of virgin oil and turn the cauliflower over with your hands to make sure it all gets coated.
  • Wash the carrots thoroughly.
  • If they’re young and I’ve been able to clean them well, I tend not to peel them.
  • Put these into another small roasting tin and add the cumin seeds, 1 tbsp more virgin oil, seasoning and the orange zest and juice.
  • Toss with your hands to mix.
  • Put the vegetables in the hot oven and cook for 30 minutes, turning them halfway through.
  • Meanwhile, cook the freekeh.
  • Put it into a saucepan and cover with water.
  • Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 20–25 minutes, or until tender.
  • Drain and toss with seasoning, 4 tbsp of virgin oil and the lemon juice.
  • Heat the 1 tbsp of regular oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion until golden brown.
  • Add the chicken and cook until it is thoroughly hot.
  • Season.
  • Toss the freekeh with the chicken, onions, herbs and the roasted vegetables, being really careful not to break up the vegetables.
  • Serve on a heated platter or broad shallow bowl.
  • Drizzle the tahini dressing over the top (offer the rest in a bowl) and sprinkle on the sumac.
  • Serve immediately.
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Course; Chicken

Chicken, corn and potato soup with spicy avocado and lime salsa

Chicken, corn and potato soup with spicy avocado and lime salsa

A real meal in a bowl and a good way to use home-made stock and leftover chicken. If you have more chicken than suggested in the recipe just bung it all in, though you do need to use more stock or you’ll have a very thick potful. If you don’t want to go to the trouble of making the salsa, serve with a splash of chilli sauce, a squeeze of lime and a handful of chopped coriander.
Couverts4
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Ingredients

FOR THE SOUP

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 10 g ¼oz unsalted butter
  • 1 onion roughly chopped
  • 1 large leek roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • ½ tbsp ground coriander
  • 300 g 10½oz potato, peeled and chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 800 ml 1 pint 7fl oz chicken stock
  • 75 g 2¾oz crème fraîche
  • 160 g 5¾oz sweetcorn
  • 125 –150g 4½–5½oz cooked chicken, torn into pieces

FOR THE SALSA

Instructions

  • To make the soup, heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan and sauté the onion and leek over a medium heat for a couple of minutes.
  • Add the spices and stir them around while they release their flavour.
  • Now put in the potatoes and make sure they get a good coating in the fat and cooking juices.
  • Season.
  • Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and let the vegetables sweat for 20 minutes.
  • Check every so often to make sure that the mixture is not in danger of boiling dry; add half a wine glass of water if it needs more moisture.
  • Pour the chicken stock on to the vegetables, season and simmer for a further 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the crème fraîche and add the sweetcorn and chicken.
  • Add more stock or water if the mixture is too thick.
  • Heat through thoroughly, then check the seasoning.
  • Meanwhile, make the salsa, kook al items together en let it cool down
  • It will keep for a couple of hours without spoiling.
  • Serve the soup with a spoonful of salsa on top.
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Course; Chicken

Chicken, leek and cider pie with mature cheddar and hazelnut crumble

Chicken, leek and cider pie with mature cheddar and hazelnut crumble

The most old-fashioned dish in the book and one of my family’s favourites. I can turn out meals that come from the Lebanon, Turkey and Brazil – full of interesting ingredients and exotic flavours – but they still ask for this. It needs good seasoning, so pay attention to that bit.
Couverts6
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Ingredients

FOR THE FILLING

  • 400 g 14oz leeks
  • 40 g 1½oz unsalted butter
  • 200 ml 7fl oz cider
  • 50 g 1¾oz plain flour
  • 300 ml ½ pint whole milk
  • salt and pepper
  • 1½ tsp Dijon mustard
  • 400 g 14oz cooked chicken, torn into pieces
  • 2 tbsp double cream optional

FOR THE CRUMBLE

  • 100 g 3½oz plain flour
  • 100 g 3½oz breadcrumbs
  • 125 g 4½oz cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 35 g 1¼oz hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • 60 g 2oz mature Cheddar, grated
  • 30 g 1oz Parmesan, grated
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley leave

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5.
  • Remove the discoloured outer leaves from the leeks and trim the dark tops and bases.
  • Cut the leeks into 2.
  • 5cm (1in) lengths and wash thoroughly under running water; you need to remove any trapped soil.
  • Melt 15g (½oz) of the butter in heavy-based saucepan and add the leeks.
  • Cook over a medium heat for about five minutes, they shouldn’t become coloured.
  • Add 2 tbsp of the cider and cover the pan.
  • Cook on a low heat for another five to seven minutes.
  • The leeks should become soft, but retain their shape.
  • Meanwhile, melt the rest of the butter in a separate saucepan and add the flour.
  • Stir the flour into the butter and cook it over a medium heat for about a minute.
  • Take the pan off the heat and add the milk a little at a time, stirring well after each addition to incorporate the liquid into the roux and keep the mixture smooth.
  • After you’ve added all the milk add the remaining cider, too.
  • Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time, to form a thick sauce.
  • Reduce the heat and simmer for three minutes to ‘cook out’ the flour.
  • Season, add the mustard, then stir in the leeks (with their cooking juices) and the chicken.
  • Heat all this through thoroughly, add the cream if you’re using it (it brings a touch of luxury but isn’t necessary) and taste for seasoning.
  • Pour the mixture into an ovenproof pie dish.
  • To make the crumble, put the flour, breadcrumbs and butter into a bowl and rub the mixture between your fingers until little lumps have formed.
  • Add the rest of the crumble ingredients and season well.
  • Spread this over the top of the filling and cook in the hot oven for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
  • Serve immediately.
  • I like a watercress salad on the side and a few boiled waxy potatoes.
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Course; Chicken