lifestyle

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

| adamcockle

brocsoupblog

I honestly can’t remember when I stopped eating vegetables because they were ‘healthy’ and started eating them because they’re fricking delicious (well, most of them anyway.  Sprouts can do one frankly).  This soup is packed with broccoli, and I’m sure that it has loads of health benefits yadda yadda, but mostly its just totally yum.  Try it.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

  • Two ‘heads’ of broccoli (about 500g)
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 2 stock cubes (vegetable or chicken)
  • 100g mature cheddar cheese (grated)
  • 4 Tbsp double cream (optional)
  • Salt and pepper

Method:

Heat the oil and butter in a large, deep saucepan until the butter starts to foam.  Dice the onion (don’t worry about being too neat, its going to get blended anyway) and add to the pan.  Cook the onion until translucent – 2 to 3 minutes.

Chop up the broccoli and dispose of the hard central stem.  Add to the pan and stir through with the butter and onion for a couple of minutes.  Add enough water to the pan so that it comes up to about half the level of the broccoli.  Turn the heat down low and cover the pan with a lid or foil.  Cook for about 10 minutes until the broccoli is streamed and tender.

Blend the contents of the pan (use a stick blender or transfer to a standing one) until smooth.  Return to the pan on a low heat.  Crumble in the stock cubes and add enough water until you’ve achieved your optimum soup consistency (I like mine thiiiiiiick).  Stir in the cheese and cook for a few minutes until it has melted in.  Add the cream and stir.  Do a quick taste test and season to your liking.  Serve immediately with shed-loads of crusty bread – see if you can eat an entire bowl without needing a spoon.

 

Creamy mushroom soup

| adamcockle

mushroomsoupblog3

So, my favorite local foodery, drinkery, playhouse and provider of caffeinated beverages – The Old Market Assembly – has added bakery to its CV (yummy bread here)  And what better way to sample a delicious sourdough loaf than with a bowl of creamy mushroom soup topped with creme fraiche, crispy bacon and sage leaves.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

  • 10 or so fresh sage leaves
  • 4 rashers of streaky bacon
  • 1tbps olive oil
  • 1tbsp butter
  • 1 medium onion (peeled and finely diced)
  • 650g of mushrooms (I used chestnut mushrooms and baby portobello)
  • Chicken or vegetable stock
  • 4tbsp double cream
  • 2tbsp creme fraiche
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Thick slices of yummy bread for dippin’

Method:

 

Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the bacon until crisp before removing to a piece of kitchen paper.  Add the butter to the same pan and fry the sage leaves until crisp – put aside with the bacon.

Add the onion to the pan and cook until translucent.  Next in with the mushrooms along with a pinch of salt and pepper (it will look like a LOT of mushrooms, but worry not, they will reduce down significantly).  Heat the mushrooms, stirring regularly until they are reduced and dark and the pan fairly dry.

Pour a little stock into the pan and use a stick blender to whizz everything up into a smooth paste.  Add more stock as you go until you achieve your desired consistency  (I like mine thick enough to stand a spoon up in, or build an exterior wall).   Stir in the double cream and add pepper (and perhaps more salt) to your taste.

Spoon into bowls and top with and dollup of creme fraiche, some bacon (chopped or crumbled) and a few crispy sage leaves.  If your bread is as good as mine (and your soup as thick) you won’t need a spoon to polish this off!

mushroomsoupblog1

 

 

 

Chicken and Chorizo with Fried Gnocchi

| adamcockle

 

chorizoblog1

Oh Chorizo, how I love thee, let me count the ways!

An absolute stock cupboard essential, chorizo adds oodles of flavour (thats a technical term, feel free to look it up) to pretty much anything.  Chopped and fried to release the delicious oils and spices, this spicy Spanish sausage can be added to soups, stews and pasta sauces.  Its favourite bedfellows are – in my opinion – chicken, tomatoes and white beans.

Ingredients:

Serves 2

  • 2 chicken breasts (diced)
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 100g dry cured chorizo (cut into small chunks)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 2 tins of butter beans
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1tbsp tomato puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon each of ground fennel, ground cumin, chilli flakes, thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 500g gnocchi
  • Sour cream to serve

Method:

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large pan and (before turning on the heat) add the chorizo.  Heat on medium-high until the chorizo turns crisp at the edges and releases all of its delicious oil.  Remove the chorizo to a bowl (using a spatula or slotted spoon to keep all of the oils in the pan) and add the diced chicken breast to the same pan, frying until browned on all sides.  Remove the chicken to the same bowl with the chorizo.

Finely dice the onion, and garlic and cut the pepper into chunks before adding to the pan.  Once the onion has turned translucent add the paprika and other spices along with a little splash of water (or wine if you’ve got some lying around) and the tomato puree.  Stir for a minute or two and then add the tinned tomatoes, the beans and the chicken and chorizo from earlier.    Bring to a bubble (you may need to add a splash of water if things aren’t looking particularly ‘saucy’.  This will depend on how much water comes out of the tomatoes) and turn the heat down low.

In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter on a medium high heat.  Once the butter starts to bubble, add the gnocchi to the pan.  Cook until crispy on all sides, tossing the pan only occasionally.  Transfer the gnocchi to a tray or bowl lined with a couple of sheets of kitchen paper to remove any excess oil.  Bin the kitchen paper and season the gnocchi with fine salt.

Season the chicken, chorizo and beans mixture to taste with salt and pepper and serve alongside the crispy gnocchi.  Enjoy with a glass of Rioja.

chorizoblog2

 

Very dark chocolate cookies with spiced chestnut buttercream

| adamcockle

chestnutcookieblog

Imagine you’re curled on a sheepskin rug in  front of a roaring fire.  Imagine you’re snuggled in the arms of your significant other, both clad in chunky woollen jumpers.  Imagine a pot of spiced coffee bubbling away over the fire, the air rich with the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Now imagine all of that in cookie form.  You’re welcome.

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

  • 125g dark chocolate
  • 150g plain flour
  • 30g cocoa
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 125g/4oz unsalted butter
  • 75g light brown sugar
  • 50g golden caster sugar
  • 1tsp finely ground coffee
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 free-range egg

For the chestnut buttercream:

  • 100g pre-cooked chestnuts
  • 100mls double cream
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 150g icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 – 3 grinds of black pepper (trust me)

Method:

For the cookies:

Preheat your oven to 170C

Melt the chocolate in a pan set over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally.

Place the flour, salt, bicarbonate of soda, cocoa and coffee in a large bowl and mix together.

Cream the butter and sugars together in a separate bowl using an electric mixer on a high setting until pale and fluffy, then mix in the melted chocolate.

Stir in the vanilla extract and the egg, then stir in the dry ingredients until combined.

Divide into 12 equal portions (I used a small icecream scoop) and place on two lined baking trays.

Bake in the oven for 15 – 20 minutes until beautiful and cracked on the top but still slightly gooey.  Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

For the chestnut buttercream:

Place the chestnuts and cream in a small pan and heat on a medium heat until the chestnuts are soft and easy to mash with the back of a wooden spoon (about 10 minutes)

Pop the chestnuts and cream in an electric mixer and mix on high with the paddle attachment until smooth-ish (it will retain a ‘nutty’ texture).  Add in the butter and blend until incorporated before adding in the icing sugar (add the sugar in in two or three goes to prevent a sugar blizzard!).  Leave to blitz away for a few minutes until light and fluffy and finally add in the spices towards the end.

To finish:

Sandwich two cookies together with a generous dollop of chestnut cream.  Serve with a mug of strong coffee and eat whilst wearing a big woolly jumper.

This recipe was developed from lovely Nigella Lawson’s Intense Chocolate Cookies recipe.

chestnutcookieblog2

Ginger, Lime and sesame cupcakes

| adamcockle

sesamecupcakeblog2

So I had a little epiphany while watching The Great British Bakeoff.  When it comes to savoury cooking I’m quite adventurous with my use of flavours and techniques, but when it comes to sweets I tend to stick to the traditional – your chocolate, coffee and citrus.  Now while there is nothing wrong with the classics, I felt it was time to give my cupcakes a twist (oo-er) and try something new.  This recipe was inspired by the contents of my cupboards and being too lazy to go the the supermarket.

Ingredients:

For the sesame brittle:

  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds
  • Pinch of salt

For the cake:

  • 3 medium eggs (separated)
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1/2 cup of sour cream
  • 1/2 cup of melted butter (left to cool to room temperature)
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp ground ginger

For the sugar syrup:

  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 1/2 cup lime juice (juice of 4 or 5 fresh limes)
  • 4 – 5 ‘disks’ of fresh ginger (you can leave the skin on)

For the icing:

  • 125g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 250g icing sugar
  • 3 – 4tbsp sugar syrup

Method:

For the sesame brittle:

Put the sugar and honey in a pan and heat on medium high until the sugar has melted and turned golden and bubbly.  Be patient and resist the temptation to stir, you can ‘swirl’ the contents of the pan from time to time.  Stir in the sesame seeds and salt and pour immediately onto a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper.  Leave aside to cool.  Once cooled, bash the brittle in a pestle and mortar to create a sugary, sesame crumble.

For the syrup:

Put all the ingredients in a pan and leave to bubble away on a medium high heat until reduced by half.  Leave aside to cool.

For the cake:

Preheat your oven to 180c.

Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment until firm and dry.  In a separate bowl mix together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon, yogurt and butter.  Add the flour to the egg yolk mixture along with the ginger, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine.  Finally fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon until the mixture is uniform in colour.  Transfer the mix into cupcake cases in a cupcake tray (about a tablespoon of batter per cupcake). Bake for about 12 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean.  Remove the cakes from the tray and place on a wire rack.  While the cakes are still warm, drizzle on a tablespoon-full of lime and ginger syrup.

For the icing:

Put the butter in an electric mixer and beat on high speed using the blade attachment.  Once smooth, add in the icing sugar a bit at a time and continue to mix until the sugar is incorporated.  With the mixer still running add in the syrup and continue to mix for a few minutes.

To finish:

Sprinkle a layer of the crumbled brittle onto a plate or baking sheet.  Spoon a generous dollop of icing onto each cake.  Dip the cake into the sesame brittle so that the icing is all coated.

I served these exotic little beauties with a steaming cup of oolong tea (it seemed a fitting combination).

sesamecupcakeblog

Lemon loaf cake

| adamcockle

 drizzleblog

One of the problems when you’re a prolific baker is when your work colleagues find out, and demand to be provided with baked treats on a weekly basis.  This lemon loaf cake is simple and delicious and ideal for transporting and portioning.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

  • 3 medium eggs (separated)
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1/2 cup of yogurt
  • 1/2 cup of melted butter (left to cool to room temperature)
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • zest of 1 lemon

For the icing:

  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 100 – 150g icing sugar

Method:

For the cake:

Preheat your oven to 180c and grease and line a 900g loaf tin.

Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment until firm and dry.  In a separate bowl mix together the egg yolks, sugar, lemon, yogurt and butter.  Add the flour to the egg yolk mixture along with the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and stir to combine.  Finally fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon until the mixture is uniform in colour.  Transfer the mix into the cake tin and bake for approx. 40mins until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the tin and leave on a wire rack to cool.

For the icing:

Put the lemon juice in a bowl and gradually whisk in the icing sugar until you have achieved a thick but pourable texture.  Drizzle generously and haphazardly over the cooled cake.  Leave until the icing has set and then cut into thick slices.  Feed to your grateful workmates for immediate brownie points (lemon cake points?).

drizzleblog2

Warm bulgur wheat salad with yogurt dressing

| adamcockle

bugurblog

Despite what the British weather would lead you to believe, it is – in fact – summertime.  There is no better summer teatime treat than this fresh, herby, zesty salad recipe.

Ingredients:

For the salad:

  • 200g bulgur wheat
  • 100g green beans (trimmed)
  • 100g asparagus (woody ends chopped off)
  • 1 large courgette
  • A generous handful or two of fresh herbs (I used chives and parsley)
  • Zest of one lemon
  • Pinch of dried chilli flakes
  • 1tbsp butter
  • Salt and pepper to season

For the dressing:

  • 5tbsp full-fat yogurt (I used greek style)
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1tsp English mustard
  • 1tsp maple syrup
  • Salt and pepper to season

Method:

For the dressing:

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.  Cover and pop in the fridge to get nice and cold.

For the salad:

Preheat your oven to 180C

Put the bulgur wheat in a large bowl and cover with boiling water (so that there is about an inch of water above the level of the wheat).  Add a pinch of salt and stir together.  Cover and leave aside for about 15mins.  After this time the grains should have plumped up but still have a nutty bite.  Drain off any excess water and leave aside in a sieve or colander for the remaining liquid to evaporate.

Meanwhile, place the butter in a large frying pan set to a medium high heat.  Once the butter starts to sizzle, pop in the lemon zest and chilli flakes and stir together for a moment or two.  Add the drained bulgur wheat to the pan and stir together for a few minutes until the butter has been absorbed and the grains start to crackle and pop.  Transfer the bulgur wheat to a clean bowl.  Finely chop the herbs and mix in with the warm bulgur wheat.

Dice the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and place on a large baking tray.  Drizzle with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Pop in the oven for about 10 – 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender and then stir together with the bulgur wheat.

Serve warm with a drizzle of cold yogurt dressing.  I had my salad with some simple panfried chicken breast on the side.

bugurblog3

Butternut squash soup and saffron knots

| adamcockle

buttsoupblog

Being a lazy shopper (and just generally lazy) I like to keep my visits to the supermarket to a minimum.  As such its always a good idea to buy versatile ingredients that can be used in different ways to create unique dishes.  This recipe has a lot of the components from my Squash and chickpea curry but presented in a delicious and different way.

Ingredients:

For the soup:

  • 1 butternut squash
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 cloves garlic (peeled and squished flat with the side of a knife)
  • 1tsp (heaped) curry powder (blend of your choice)
  • 1/2 can coconut milk
  • 2tbsp fish sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the coriander oil:

  • Handful of fresh coriander (leaves, stalks and all)
  • Olive oil
  • Pinch of salt

For the saffron knots (makes about 6 rolls):

  •  Pinch of saffron
  • 7g fast action yeast
  • 225mls hot water
  • 100g semolina flour
  • 275g bread flour
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1 egg yolk

Method:

For the saffron knots;

Place the saffron in the hot water and put aside to steep until the water has come down to room temperature (or luke warm) and has become golden yellow. Strain through a sieve and discard the saffron strands. Add the remaining ingredients (apart from the egg yolk) and mix together in a large bowl until it all comes together in a sticky mass.

Tip your dough onto a clean floured surface (or into an electric mixer) and kneed until smooth and elastic (about 8  – 10 minutes).  Transfer the dough to an oiled, covered container and leave until risen to twice its original volume.

Once the dough has risen ‘knock it back’ by flattening it down with your hands or by folding it in on itself.  Divide your dough into roughly 100g portions and roll each piece into a thin sausage shape (about 8′ long) and simply tie into a knot shape.  Place your knots onto a floured baking tray.  Cover with clingfilm and leave aside for 30mins to plump up and meanwhile set your oven to preheat on full.

After 30mins brush your knots with a little egg yolk (lightly beaten with a splash of water) and pop in the oven.  After 5 mins reduce the oven temp to 180C and cook for a further 10mins.  Remove the knots from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the coriander oil:

Place the coriander and salt in a blender and blend at high speed while drizzling in the olive oil.  Keep adding the oil until you have a smooth, pour-able consistency.

For the soup:

Preheat your oven to 180C

Peel and chop the butternut squash into small cubes and dice the onion into large chunks.  Place together on a large baking tray along the the garlic.  Drizzle with oil, season generously with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the curry powder.  Mix everything together so that all the ingredients are coated in the spices.

Pop in the oven for about 20mins (removing from the oven occasionally to stir everything around) until the squash has softened and started to catch on the edges.  The onion will have become quite dark and crisped at the ends by this point, but do not worry, this adds to the flavor.

Transfer your cooked squash, onion and garlic to the blender (ideally the same one you made the coriander oil in and left unwashed) and blitz on high along with the coconut milk and fish sauce.  Blitz until smooth and add in water a little at a time until you achieve your preferred consistency (some people like a very thick soup, others a bit more runny) and season to taste.

Portion up into clean white bowls and drizzle with a little coriander oil.  Serve piping hot with a couple of warm saffron knots on the side for dipping.

knotblog

Mocha squares

| adamcockle

mochablog2

So yeah, I’m a little bit obsessed with coffee cake.  If I’m ever in two minds about what flavour of cake to make, coffee always tends to win by default.  This delicious tray bake is given a mocha twist by the addition of cocoa powder to the batter and made extra moist with ricotta cheese.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

  • 3 medium eggs (separated)
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 2tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1tsp instant coffee (dissolved in a splash of water)
  • 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup of melted butter (left to cool to room temperature)
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the icing:

  • 100g unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 200g icing sugar
  • 1tsp instant coffee
  • Good quality high-cocoa dark chocolate

Method:

For the cake:

Preheat your oven to 180c and grease and line a 20cm square cake tin.

Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer with the whisk attachment until firm and dry.  In a separate bowl mix together the egg yolks, sugar, coffee, ricotta and butter.  Add the flour and cocoa powder to the egg yolk mixture along with the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and then finally fold in the egg whites with a metal spoon until the mixture is uniform in colour.  Transfer the mix into the cake tin and bake for approx. 30mins until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Remove the cake from the tin and leave on a wire rack to cool.

For the icing:

Beat the butter in an electric mixer with the blade attachment until smooth.  Add the icing sugar in two batches and beat on high until pale and smooth.  Add the coffee and beat again.  You may need to add a splash of milk to your icing to gain the ideal consistency.

To finish:

Spread a thick layer of icing on the cooled cake and grate a generous dusting of dark chocolate over the top.

Cut into generous squares and serve with steaming cups of good quality coffee.

mochablog