Recipe: Clootie Pudding, Burns Night 2016

Burns night 2016 has been very successful.

This recipe is the one I have used to produce a Clootie pudding, although it’s not one of mine it’s one that will now enter my repertoire as the results where outstanding.

Please note rather than using the muslin I poured the mix into a tray, covered with cling film and steamed it, then it was finished in the oven as per the method.

This recipe may need to sit around for a while but be sure to pull it out for next year.

 

Ingredients

225g (8oz) plain flour, plus 25g (1oz) for sprinkling

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

¼tsp sea salt

175g/6oz caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling

100g/4oz shredded suet

100g/4oz sultanas

75g/3oz currants

75g/3oz chopped stoned dates

50g/2oz Muscatel raisins

1 apple or carrot, coarsely grated

1 tbsp black treacle

1 medium farm-fresh egg

150ml/5fl oz buttermilk

225g/8oz clotted cream

Method

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, spices and salt into a bowl and stir

in the sugar, suet, dried fruits, and the grated carrot or apple.

Mix the black treacle with the egg and some of the buttermilk and mix

into the dry ingredients to give soft mixture with a cake-like dropping

consistency.

Dip a large piece of muslin, an old pillowcase, a pudding cloth or a

tea towel into boiling water, remove it and squeeze out the excess

water. Lay it out on a surface and sprinkle a 30cm/12in circle in the

centre with the 25g/1oz of flour and the 1 tbsp of caster sugar. Spoon

pudding mixture on top and tie securely with string, leaving a little

room for the pudding to expand.

Rest a large heatproof trivet or container in the base of a large pan

so that the pudding is not in direct contact with the heat. Place the

pudding on the trivet/container, knotted side up. Pour in enough

water almost to cover the pudding, cover with a tight-fitting lid and

simmer gently for 3-4 hours. Take a peek every now and then and

then to check the water level and top it up if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Lift the pudding out of the

pan and dip it briefly in a bowl of cold water (to ensure that the

outside of the pudding does not stick to an ovenproof serving plate).

Then remove remove the muslin and bake until ready, be sure not to dry it out.

Food from my past.

These dishes are ones i developed whilst working in a small local Restaurant in Newcastle upon Tyne.

During my time at the Restaurant i used local produce from passionate suppliers, simple food cooked well.

The rose petal crumb on the top lamb dish is amazing, further down is a pistachio shot again out of this world, some time soon i will post the recipes for you to try and enjoy!

Michael Baister Stop motion time-lapse and food prep

A few years ago I had the privilege of meeting someone as passionate about his Job as I am.

Michael Baister is a photographer that Lives in the City of Sunderland like myself, his work is varied but like me he has a passion for food, he enjoys being in my kitchens and loves to see what goes on behind hotels doors.

Early September I received a text asking if I would like to meet up for a coffee as he’d had an idea!

This came to me as a surprise as apart from being on Facebook we hadn’t really touched base in about 7 years, this was good and very exciting as I loved working with him on our last project.A while went by and we finally got to have a coffee, the idea came out in a lengthy conversation, something I have never done before but it was more than happy to be involved with.

 “Stop motion time-lapse and food prep “Michael wanted to come into the kitchen and film me cooking, this would result in a short film.

During November we had two meetings and filmed what we required, this in its self was different as Michael does things his way, he has all the equipment some of which had been designed and built by him especially for the job.

After a few hours work and a lot of chat we finally achieved what he wanted, Michael went off and said he would be in touch soon.

Over the weekend I received a text to ask what the dish I made was called, and then on December 1^st the film was sent over, I think it’s a great job!

The film is on YouTube, it is a test piece of ideas for other films in the future please have a look, give us your thoughts and enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW0iFs561qE&sns=em

  info@michaelbaister.co.uk

 0780 894 3677/0777 016 6228

Recipe: Auntie Vi Nish, Guinness cake.

Last week myself, Zoe, Lillie and Fynn visited Northern Ireland.

As always when we arrive we arranged our visit to East Belfast to see Auntie Vi, i find this lady an absolute insperation, her life stories are amazing and she has a heart of gold.

This time around myself and Auntie Vi got on to my favourite subject, food.

During the visit we talked about traditional cooking and how the food culture has evolved over the years, We also talked about the food Vi enjoys,the baking she does at home and the foods she loved during her childhood.

During the conversation i was looking at the recipes that Auntie Vi has built up over the years and i picked this one out, The recipe this time around is a Guinness cake, please give it a try and enjoy.


Ingredients

8 oz butter
8 oz soft brown sugar
4 eggs lightly beaten
10 ozs plain flour
2 level teaspoons mixed spice
16oz sultanas
4 oz mixed peel
4 oz walnuts chopped
8-12 tablespoons Guinness

Method

Cream butter and sugar together
Gradually add the eggs
Fold in the flour, spice mix and fruit
Add half the Guinness and mix to a soft consitency
Bake at 150c for one hour then reduce the heat to 100c for 1.5 hours
Remove from the oven and cool
Remove from the tin, prick the bottom of the cake and pour over the remaining Guinness
Store for one week in an air tight container before eating.

Beef cuts.

Recipe: Chorizo Hash, Fried egg

Ingredients

Potatoes
Chorizo
Avocado
Mayonnaise
Smoked paprika
Vintage cherry tomato
Micro herbs, to include basil
Bread crumbs
Egg
Milk
Flour
Olive oil
Seasoning

Method

Boil the potatoes in salt water until cooked
Bake the chorizo in the oven, once cooked drain off the oil and keep for later
Once the potatoes are cooked, mash them, season, chop the chorizo and add along with the micro basil
Form the potato cakes in required shape and bread crumb them
Take some mayonnaise and add the chorizo oil along with a spoon of the smoked paprika, place to one side
Peel and de-stone the avocado, season and add a little olive oil, blitz until smooth
Fry the potato cakes and finish in the oven until hot
Fry the egg, once cooked cut out so it is the same size as the the top of the chorizo hash
To serve swipe the avocado on to the plate along with the paprika mayonnaise
Cut the tomato, season and add to the dish
Place on the chorizo hash and top with the egg
Finish with dressed and seasoned micro leaves

Michael moving on!

October 2014 Michael Suddick joined me and became my Apprentice.

Over the past year we have achieved alot, had fun but most of all Michael has become a very talented young man.

Now its time for Michael to move on to his next challenge!

This week Michael leaves my kitchen to take up his first commis chef role in York, Myself and the team wish Michael all the very best for the future and hope he settles in well and achieves his goals.

Good luck Michael

Chef

An Old friend, one i will never forget.

 

23 years ago I met a man I will never forget, he was a retired chef from Switzerland.

Our first meeting was at Sepp’s house, I was the young man his daughter had been going out with for a while, an Englishman that stood out like a sore thumb in Northern Ireland.

At the time we met, Zoe my now wife was on holiday with her friends, flights had been delayed hence her not being home when I arrived.

Sepp was a gentleman I was invited in to wait, this was an experience in its self, I wasn’t offered coffee or tea I was given a glass of wine in a clay cup, and this was shortly followed by cheese fondue, this was Sepp’s form of hospitality.

Over the years myself and Sepp formed a bond that was very special, we both loved food, we both loved wine, we both loved home grown produce and most of all we both thought the world of Zoe and the beautiful two children she brought into the world.

Sepp’s life wasn’t easy but he gave all he had to ensure his family were cared for, he was a fantastic granddad to Lillie and Fynn and will always be part of their lives.

Early September 2015 we endured a very sad day, in the early hours Sepp lost a long battle with cancer and passed away.

Over the past few months Zoe, myself and the kids have supported each other to get through this very difficult time, emotions are still high but we survive day by day, Sepp is a huge loss and always in the front of our minds.

Last time I was in Northern Ireland I managed to sort through some of Sepp’s culinary history, menus he had devised when he was a head chef, recipes he had used and trophies he had won, the man was one of the best in his field when he was younger, a chef I have always looked up to and respected.

Over the next few months I would like to share some of his recipes (Sepp loved the blog and what it stands for) they may be old but they are classics that every chef should have in their collection.

So watch this space, Sepp’s memory will go on and his culinary talent will be shared for you all to enjoy.

Sepp Zwahlen

A good cook is the peculiar gift of the gods.

                                 He must be a perfect creature from the brain to the palate,
                                                   from the palate to the finger's end.

Food Heroes

CARROLL’S HERITAGE POTATOES is a small family business based in beautiful rural North Northumberland at Tiptoe Farm.
Lucy and Anthony Carroll and their wonderful team work hard to grow harvest, pack and distribute approximately 17 unique varieties of potatoes specially grown to provide you with gourmet eating qualities – excellent flavours, textures, colours, shapes and a taste of history.
They provide you with an efficient next day, mail order delivery service straight from the farm to your door. You can choose from approximately 17 varieties, which will enable you to cook with some amazing varieties of Carroll’s Heritage Potatoes.

mailto:info@heritage-potatoes.co.uk

Recipe: Orange short bread

Ingredients

1 Orange
4oz Plain flour
4oz Corn flour
5 oz Butter
4oz Icing sugar

Method

Grate and zest the orange
Sift together the flour and corn flour
Cream the butter, icing sugar and zest until very soft and light
Gradually beat in the flour & corn flour
Pipe with half-inch nozzle
Bake in the centre of oven 350c for 15-20 minutes
Remove from oven and allow to cool

Recipe: Banana cheesecake

Ingredients

For the base
40 grms Pecan nuts toasted and finely chopped
4 oz Oatmeal biscuits
50 grms Melted butter

For the filling
4 Banana
2 tsp Lemon juice
3 Eggs
10 oz Cottage cheese
6 oz Caster sugar
Vanilla essence

Method

Mix the nuts and the crushed biscuits with the melted butter
Press the mix into a 9" cake tin
Blend or crush the bananas with the lemon juice, sugar, egg, cheese and vanilla essence
Fill the cake tin with the mixture
Bake on the middle shelf for 50 minutes at gas mark 5 or until firm

Recipe: Chocolate Pecan Pie

Ingredients

Pastry
4oz Chocolate
2 oz Butter
4 Eggs
8oz Golden Syrup
6 oz Pecan Nuts
Vanilla Essence

Method

Line 9 inch tart tin with tin foil
Roll and line with pastry, and bake blind for ten minutes at gas mark 6

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double pan gently
Whisk together eggs, syrup and vanilla essence, then mix well with the melted chocolate
Stir in thr shelled pecan nuts and poor into the cooled pastry case
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the tart has puffed slightly in the centreand is just set, serve warm

Recipe: Tarka Dahl

Ingredients

6 oz Red Split Lentils
1 tsp Groung Tumeric
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1 1/4 pints Boiling Water
1 Onion chopped
1 tsp Ground Cumin
2 Cloves Garlic
Little Salt
Little Oil

Method

Fry chopped onion and garlic until soft, add the lentils, spices, water and seassoning, simmer for 15 minutes or until ready.

Recipe:- Sepps Wheaten Bread (Mums)

Ingredients

1/2 pint butter milk
2 cups self raising flour
1 cup whole meal flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 table spoon salt
1 table spoon baking soda

Method

Sift flour and salt, add wholemeal and wheatflour.

Before adding Buttermilk, mix the baking soda in the cup with it and add to the dry ingredients, mix to form a soft dough.

Knead the dough and place in a floured tin

Bake in a hot oven for 3/4 hr.