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Madeira Loaf Cake

My three year old wanted to bake a cake this morning, this is what we came up with! I am not normally a fan of sweet stuff, but this was just gorg! Perfectly moist, permeated with lemon and almond flavours, a perfect wee afternoon tea!

175g Butter softened, plus a bit extra for greasing
175g Golden Caster Sugar
3 Large Eggs
Grated Zest 1 Lemon
Few Drops Vanilla Extract
200g Self-raising Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
50g Ground Almonds
1 tbsp Milk

Heat oven to 170c. Butter and line the base and two short sides of a 900g loaf tin with grease proof paper. Leave a bit longer at the sides to make it easy to life out
In a large baking bowl, add the butter and caster sugar. With an electric whisk, beat until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well after each addition.

Add the zest and vanilla.

Now sift in the flour and almonds, beat in gently.

Add the milk and beat again until combined.

Tip the batter into a tin and smooth over the top.

Bake for 55 mins- 1 hr until skewer inserted comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 mins.

Peel away paper and leave on a rack to cool completely before serving.

Enjoy with a nice strong cup of tea! 🍰☕️

#cake #afternoontea

Chilli Con Carne

Everyone has their own wee special way for Chilli Con Carne, this is my version. It is full of flavour and easily adaptable for kids by some tricks I have employed to cater to the varying tastes on heat levels in our house.

I have played around with Chilli con Carne over the years, I have been known to add 90% cocoa dark chocolate to it! Serve with rice, tacos, tortilla wraps….it is so versatile! Best bit it is so quick to make!

Serves 5

1kg Mince Beef
2 x 400g Kidney Beans, drained
1 x 400g Chopped Tomatoes
1 tbsp Tomato Purée
1/2 Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Dry Oregano
1 tsp or either Mild or Hot Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Hot Paprika
1/4 Cayenne Pepper
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Green or Red Pepper Finely chopped
1-2 Fresh Chilli’s chopped (optional)
300ml Beef Stock
Rape Seed Oil

In order to reduce the level of fat to as low as possible, I brown the mince first at quite a high heat. As it releases fat, I drain the majority out. Whilst some may argue that you loose flavour this way, I firstly don’t think this is the case here as it is packed with flavour.

Once browned, remove the mince.

Add a dash of oil and fry the onion gently for 5-7 mins until soft.

Add the pepper and fresh chilli if you are using it and fry for another couple of mins.

Put the mince back in and add the cumin, oregano, chilli powder, cayenne, hot paprika and cinnamon stick.

Stir and cook for a couple of mins.

Add the tomato purée, stir and cook for a minute.

Add the tin of tomatoes and stock and bring to the boil.

Turn down and cook gently for 1/2 hour.

Add the beans and cook for a further 15 mins.

Bingo bango! Tasty, healthy, lush!
#chilliconcarne

RK French Martini…. #worldmartiniday

when in Rome! #worldmartiniday

Oven Roasted Salmon with Green Curry Vegetables

Serves 1

This one is a bit of a ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ type recipe! I had a load of random vegetables in the fridge and wanted to use them up, however the thought of steamed veggies did not appeal! I decided to give them a bit of Thai flavour!
1 Salmon Fillet
1 Large Handful Sugar-snap Peas, topped, tailed and halved on the diagonal
1 Large Handful of Tender stemmed Broccoli
3 Spring Onions Chopped
To be honest, a bit of whatever mix of veg you have!
1 Dessert Spoon Mae Ploy, Thai Green Curry Paste
A Dash of Fish Sauce
A Dash of Oyster Sauce
1/2 can of Coconut Milk
A Splash of Water

Heat the oven to 180c. Wrap the salmon up ‘en papillotte’ and cook for 10-15 mins. Depending on how well you like it cooked.

Meanwhile, take the coconut milk add it to a pot and bring to the boil.

Add the curry paste and cook gently for another five minutes, stirring.

Add the oyster sauce and fish sauce, stir well.

Add a splash of water.

Add the veg and bring to the boil, turn down and cover, cook for around five minutes or until done to your liking.

Voilà, tasty veggies!

Chinese Sticky Chicken with a Kinda Singapore Noodles

For the Chicken

Serves 6

5-6 Chicken Breasts, cut into strips
A Handful of Sesame Seeds
1 tbsp Chinese Five Spice
2 tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
Malden Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Olive Oil

For the Noodles

600g Cooked Rice Noodles
A Mix of Veggies such as Mange Tout, Beansprouts, Red Onion, Baby Corn etc
1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 tbsp Soy Sauce
1/2 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp Turmeric
Olive Oil
Freshly Chopped Red Chilli

Coat the chicken with the Chinese five spice, salt and pepper.

Add oil to the pan and fry the chicken (in batches if necessary) until the chicken is browned and cooked through.

Add the sesame seeds and the sweet chilli sauce.

Set aside and keep warm whilst you make the noodles.

Add some oil to a frying pan and throw in the veggies.

Add the turmeric and cook for a minute.

Add the soy, rice wine and oyster sauce.

Serve by putting a pile of noodles into a bowl and top with the chicken and the fresh chilli.

A healthier and tastier alternative to a takeaway!

Warm Summer Salad with Salsa Verde

Serves 4

For the Salsa Verde:
5 Anchovy Fillets, chopped
1 Small handful Pickled Gherkins, chopped

1 Small handful Capers, chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
2 Big handfuls Flat Leaf Parsley, leaves picked
1 Bunch of Fresh Basil, leaves pickedy
1 Handful Fresh Mint, leaves picked
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
8 (ish) tbsp Top Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Maldon Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper

Place the first seven ingredients in a food processor (the small ones are great!) whizz on a pulse setting as you don’t want them pulverised!

Add the mustard, red wine vinegar and olive oil whizz again briefly to combine.

Add Maldon salt and pepper to taste!

Dare you not to eat it straight off a spoon, it is so amazing!

For the Warm Salad:
2 Big Handfuls of Jersey Royals cut in half if they are big.
1 Big Handful Asparagus, cut in half
3 Big Handfuls of Fresh Peas

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes.

Simmer rapidly for 10-15 mins checking if they are nearly cooked.

When the potatoes are just about done, add the asparagus and peas for about 2 mins.
Drain it all and leave until it is nice and dry.

Add to a big bowl and wait for it to cool slightly before adding the salsa verde.

This salad is totally amazing with sea bass!

Serve with the lush Warm Salad and a nice glass of crisp white wine!

Tonno e Fagioli

Serves 1

1 Fat Garlic Clove
1/2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
400g Tin of Cannellini Beans drained and rinsed
1 Red Onion sliced either in wedges of finely
1-2 Fresh Tuna Steaks (depends on size!) or you could use top quality canned tuna.
A Handful of torn Fresh Basil Leaves
Maldon Sea Salt and Fresh Black Pepper

Start off by blanching your red onion which takes away a bit of the sharpness. To do this put them in a saucepan of boiling water, boil for one minute and remove, drain and rinse in fresh cold water. This is optional!

Take a large pinch of Maldon Salt and with the flat part of a knife mash the garlic and salt together to form paste.

Add the garlic mix to a small bowl with the vinegar, oil and some pepper and more salt if you feel it needs it!

Mix the beans, onions and dressing together and add a touch more oil or vinegar, according to taste.

If you are using fresh tuna, add a touch of oil to a frying pan and heat. Add the tuna and cook for 2-3 mins each side for it to be nice and pink in the middle. You may need a touch longer depending on thickness.

Spoon some of the lush bean mixture into a nice bowl and top with the tuna.

Top with basil leaves and black pepper and serve! Simple yet marvellous!!

Peppers Stuffed With Mexican Rice and Beef

Peppers Stuffed with Mexican Rice and Beef

If you are sick of the sight of Chilli Con Carne, this is something super tasty and a little bit different. I have made the rice and beef combination without the peppers too. My kids love it with tacos and tortillas!

Serves 4

4 Large Peppers whatever colour you fancy! (Red are a bit sweeter!) Cut in half and cored.
250g Brown Basmati Rice (cook this in advance – even early in the day and refrigerate)
500g Mince Beef
230g (Drained weight) Black Beans (I got them in Sainsbury’s)
1 Onion chopped very finely
2 tsp Tomato Purée
1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes
1 Red Chilli Chopped Finely
100ml Beef Stock
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Hot Paprika
1 tsp Oregano
1/2 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Chilli Powder
Olive oil

Add mince to a hot pan and fry quickly to brown all over. If there is excess fat, I often like to drain it out for health reasons!

Remove mince and set aside.

Add a dash of oil to the pan and add the onion and chilli. Fry gently for around 7 mins.

Return the mince to the pan add the oregano, chilli powder, cumin, hot paprika and cinnamon. Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the tomato purée and stir.

Add the drained black beans, cooked rice and the tin of tomatoes.

Add the stock bit by bit to make it nice and moist but not to the point that it will run out of the peppers!

Cover and cook gently for 20 mins, remove kid and cook for another 10.

Add a dash or two more stock if necessary.

When done, stuff the peppers and place on a baking tray.

Heat oven to 160c and cook for 20-25 mins or until cooked.

You could do the rice and beef mix in a tortilla with guacamole and soured cream.

Enjoy!

Blink of an Eye Chicken

Blink of an Eye Chicken 🐔🍗

I keep this little baby up my sleeve for nights when I want something super healthy without any hassle. It is ideal for those week moments when you don’t have time or want any hassle!

The biggest bonus is it tastes totally lush.

For One

1 Chicken Fillet
Cajun Seasoning
Maldon Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Olive Oil

(A rolling pin and a large freezer bag!!)

Place the chicken breast in the freezer bag and bang it flat with a rolling pin. Not too flat or it will be paper thin and will tear.

Take it out of the bag carefully and transfer to a plate.

Season both sides well with Maldon sea salt, black pepper and Cajun seasoning.

Heat some olive oil in a frying pan.

When smokin’ hot add the chicken and cook for around 3 mins each side or until thoroughly cooked.

Serve with a tasty green salad…boom!

Carpaccio of Beef

Carpaccio of Beef
Serves 4

What can I say…this is my food heaven! It is a bit hard to find in sunny Northern Ireland, so there was nothing else for it but to make it myself! It is so amazing even my kids love it! I think I will hide the next time I make it as I am not a fan of sharing my Carpaccio!!

Use the best quality fillet steak you can find. Slice her up, throw the dressing on, pour a large glass of red wine and enjoy!

500g Beef Fillet
Rocket
Parmesan

Sauce:
2 Large Egg Yolks
3 tsp Dijon
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Maldon Sea Salt and Blak Pepper

Put the meat in the freezer for 30-40 mins to have it really cold.

Take it out and trim off any pieces of fat.

Cut into slices around the thickness of a pound coin.

Place between two bits of cling film and flatten with a heavy pan or mallet.

Arrange nicely on your plates.

Season with cracked black pepper and Maldon Sea Salt.

For the sauce:

Put the egg yolks p, lemon juice and salt in a bowl and using a small whisk, mix it all together.

Then, bit by bit whisk in roughly 75-100ml of olive oil to make a smooth emulsion.

This can be made ahead, cover and keep in the fridge.

When you are ready to eat, drizzle it over the beef, arranged as above.

Enjoy the biggest taste sensation of your life! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

A Restaurant in my Kitchen

Create restaurant food easily at home!