Chicken Rissoles

Dough:

50ml milk

50ml water

20g butter

Pinch of salt

100g flour

Filling:

½ and onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 red chilli, finely chopped

10 Rosa tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

250ml chicken stock/water

125ml milk

30ml flour, mixed with a little milk to form a smooth paste

30ml parsley, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper

Peri peri sauce

Rissole:

1 egg, beaten

Bread crumbs

Method:

For the dough:

In a small saucepan bring the milk, water, butter and salt to the boil. As soon as it starts boiling add all the flour at once and stir vigorously until it pulls away from the sides of the pot and forms a ball. Remove from the pot, cover it and allow it to cool.

For the filling:

In a medium saucepan sauté the onion until soft, and then add the garlic and chilli and sauté for a further minute or two.

Add the chicken and tomatoes and once the chicken is sealed add the stock or water. Allow to simmer until the stock has reduced and the chicken is cooked, then add the milk and bring it to a boil.

When the milk is boiling add the flour mixture and stir continuously until the sauce has thickened.

Season well with salt and pepper, and add peri peri sauce to taste. I used Nandos mild peri peri sauce and I added about 45 ml.

Allow the filling to cool.

To assemble:

Dust your working surface with flour and roll the dough out ad thinly as you can. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter or cup.

Place a teaspoon full of filling in the centre of the circles and brush the edges with water. Fold the circles in half to make half-moons and pinch the edges together to seal them.

Dip the rissoles in the beaten egg, and then in the bread crumbs, making sure they are all evenly coloured.

Deep fry the rissoles at 200°C until golden brown, and then finish them off in the oven at 180°C for about 10 minutes (this is just to make sure the dough is cooked all the way through).

Caramel Popcorn

Serves: Sara and Josh or 4-6 normal people

Ingredients:
6 cups popped popcorn, or 1 packet microwave popcorn minus the few tasters you have to have
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup water
a little patience
Some nuts, like pecans or almonds (optional)

Method:

Place the sugar, butter and water into a heavy based saucepan on a low heat and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolves.

Turn up the heat and allow to come to a boil. Cook until it turns a medium caramel colour or soft ball on a sugar thermometer.

Meanwhile, line a roasting tin with tin foil and spray it well with spray and cook.

when the caramel has reached the desired colour, pour it over the popcorn and mix it well to coat. Pour the popcorn into the roasting tin and spread it out separating the corns. Be careful- they are still hot and though its tempting to pop one in your mouth to taste- DON'T!

Allow to cool, and store in an airtight container.

This also makes an awesome little gift if you get some cool packaging :)

Hazelnut and White Chocolate Hot Chocolate

Serves: depends on who you are serving, in theory this will fill 3 cups, in reality you will drink half of it in the kitchen while making it :)

Ingredients:

750ml milk

100g hazelnuts

100g white chocolate

Choc-kits,Marshmallows, or your favourite biscuits to serve

Method:

Preheat oven to 180° C and roast hazelnuts until golden.

While the hazelnuts are still hot roughly chop them and place them in a pot with the milk. Bring to the boil and turn down to a light simmer and cook for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the melted chocolate. Pour into mugs and enjoy while hot with choc-kits, toasted marshmallows and/or biscuits.

Beef Pitas

Serves 4

Ingredients:

600g good quality steak, cut into strips,

2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

4 sprigs of thyme, picked

45ml olive oil

15ml balsamic vinegar

Maldon Salt

Black Pepper

250ml yogurt

50ml tangy mayonnaise

½ cucumber, quartered length ways and finely sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed (use more if you like garlic)

10g mint, chopped

150g Rosa tomatoes, halved

½ red onion, sliced

1 head cos lettuce

1 avo, sliced (optional)

4 pita breads, lightly toasted

Method:

Whisk the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and thyme leaves together with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and pour the mixture onto the the steak strips and allow it to marinade for 15-30 minutes.

In the meantime, mix the yogurt, mayo, cucumber, garlic and mint together. Season well with salt and pepper.

Heat a little olive oil in a pan to smoking point and brown the meat on all sides.

Cut the toasted pitas open, and fill them with the cooked steak, tomatoes, red onion, avo (if using) and lettuce. Top with the yogurt sauce.

Plum and Almond Cake

 

Ingredients:

180g butter

180g castor sugar

100g ground almonds

5ml almond essence

3 extra large eggs, beaten

180g self-raising flour

80ml water

6 plums or nectarines or any stone fruit, halved and thinly sliced

Castor sugar for sprinkling

Icing sugar for dusting

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Cream the butter and add the sugar, ground almonds and almond essence, beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs beating well in between each addition.

Fold the flour into the butter mixture alternating with the water until well blended.

Pour the cake mixture into a square baking tin and arrange the sliced fruit on top. 

Sprinkle a little castor sugar over the fruit and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (bearing in mind that this is a moist cake and should be juicy because of the nectarines). 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in its tin before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Dust with icing sugar before serving.