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Slow cooked Chicken Supreme

It's that time of year where we're arguing on whether we need to crank the heating on or not and thick, unflattering clothes are all of sudden looking so snuggly and nice. Only one thing for it, dust off the slow cooker and get something in it.

This recipe is so simple, just something I threw together with what I had in the cupboard after a spotting some Chicken Supreme at the butchers this morning.

You'll need:

Chicken Supreme for each person
About half a pint of stock (chicken or veg)
Soy sauce or tamari
One large white onion
One lime
A teaspoon of Agave syrup or honey
Generous pinch of rosemary
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1. Fry your onions and when starting to brown, add your Chicken Supreme. Fry both sides until browned

2. Add enough stock to cover about an inch of your slow cooker and squeeze the juice of the lime in. Feel free to throw in the remains of the lime. Now add all your other ingredients and place the chicken and onions on top

3. Cook for 4 hours on the high setting. If you fancy, you can brown off in the oven on a high setting for 10 mins.

4. Serve with mash or roast tatties and some greens. How easy was that? The joy of the slow cooker.

No photo am afraid as the chicken was so succulent it fell apart!

Vegetarian Friendship

A resounding meat fan, I used to harbour feelings of unease when presented with a menu devoid of all things carnivorous – rarely too, did I enjoy such menus to the same extent. Lately however, my feelings have changed, and I can see why more and more people are opting to re-think their cultural eating habits.

No, I haven’t been persuaded fully toward a meat-free life – and I won’t add a ‘yet’ – though with more reasons than ever to sample marinated tofu, I am proud to say I don’t mind jumping on the bandwagon and promoting meat-free Mondays; meat-free Tuesdays too, if I may be so bold.

All this new-fangled gastro-foliage comes with generation, and the ever increasing British conscience of diet I suppose; upon telling my Grandfather of my recent vegetarian dining he exclaimed: “Vegetarian? I’m sorry but I would rather have a 21-day-old matured Rib-Eye than sit in front of a salad!” I could hardly contest this statement – but he must realise, like I did, the unequivocal truth: top vegetarian food can rival Rib-Eye.

Food For Friends is a monumental example of vegetarianism reaching culinary heights: certainly too when they boast an evening set menu for £19.99. I think everyone will agree that’s affordable even in these strenuous economic times – even more so too when you get three courses for your money.

Cynics might scorn at this, dismissing it as too low in price to possibly be good quality. How wrong they would be; we’re approaching a second recession – it’s wise and fitting to our times. Remember too, that prices can be lower; however good the quality of asparagus is, it’s still not going to come close to the price of say, lamb cutlets.

My experience at Food For Friends was worth more than £19.99: I sat contented sipping a crisp Sauvignon, awaiting my first course. The walls, adorned with close-up shots of fruit and vegetables, accompanied a gentle live act playing by the bar. In front of me, a curved glass wall stretched out allowing me to watch the South Lanes float by.

As I sat, it wasn’t long before I was enjoying a spinach and ricotta bake with crostini: elegant and smooth. The texture was refined, much like a pâté, and there was enough of it to spread generously on each piece of crostini. Ricotta can be salty, yet it didn’t over-power the spinach, and each mouthful felt fresh yet indulgent enough to sit back and feel a bit decedent.

What followed is what I believe rivalled a good old fashioned steak, something that left me feeling seriously content. Competing with European-inspired exuberance, the risotto fritters of broad beans, peas, ricotta, and herbs highlights the now relatively well-known winning methods used in vegetarian cooking, that have now become somewhat traditional in a meat-free restaurant – as steak is to cooking in countless restaurants all over the world. These were the best I’ve had however, and why I stake this claim.

So often I have had to hit down hard upon a risotto fritter, exposing a dry over-cooked inside with nothing to offer. Not only were they moist and flavoursome, they were served with a great
combination of fresh salad and sweet peperonata. My only slight confusion was the addition of asparagus: welcome of course, but with their menu being seasonal (like all good restaurants) I do think September is pushing it – though I can’t complain, we are experiencing an ‘Indian Summer’ after all.

As with all good experiences, my first impression of Brighton’s vege-novou scene finished with something equally delectable: chocolate fondant with Baileys ice cream. For me, it doesn’t get much better, such a fresh and wholesome first two courses deserves a finale doused in chocolate – I had now totally stripped away my seeded preconceptions of vegetarianism, they certainly know how to indulge.

Food For Friends was an education. An education for a 22-year-old food lover who worried about getting cheese dipped deep-fried cop-outs, where meat was replaced with bland substitutes, and everything was covered in cream.

Rarely have I sampled cooking without meat or fish that I have enjoyed so much, so often have I sat back at the end of some form of aubergine medley and wondered: what could have been? Not last week. It reminds me of a glorious spring evening a few years ago when I sat in ‘Rootmaster’ restaurant on Brick Lane, eating vegan food for the first time. On this occasion I was truly inspired by the creativity and flexibility even in vegan food. Somehow though those memories had evaded me, and I had slipped back into a primitive hunter obsessed with pigeon, venison and fowl. No more, I wish to learn, and if that means giving up parmesan for a while, well…so be it.

Palitaw

These lovely little balls of goo are sweet rice cakes that are traditionally eaten in the Phillipines as a snack or dessert. They're extremely simple to make so are great for kids. 


Ingredients:


1 cup of sweet rice flour (also known as glutinous flour)
1 1/2 cups of caster sugar
3/4 cup cold water
Sesame seeds
Flaked coconut


Directions:


Put the rice flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl and add enough water to form into a stiff dough. Take small amounts of the dough and roll into small balls. Press with thumb to flatten out. 


Add the balls to a large pan of boiling water and remove when they begin to float. Allow to cool. 


Toast some sesame seeds in a pan and put into a bowl. Also put flaked cocunut in a seperate bowl. 


Roll each rice ball in the coconut and then in the sesame seeds. 


Enjoy!

Spotted...

...at the Farm Market at the weekend. Made us laugh anyway! 

Gardening tots

I think you all know by now that Edible likes to do what it can to promote sustainable living and all that is associated with it. So while I was in Waitrose the other day I picked up a leaflet that caught me eye and followed the link on it.

Basically, the Royal Horticultural Society has teamed up with Waitrose on a campaign to promote gardening in schools. In a world of convenience food and over pasckaged, over processed foods, I think it's extremely important that children are taught how to grow their own food.

Brighton and Hove have approximately 5 schools taking part in the scheme and we really hope to see more getting involved too. We throroughly recommend getting registered and reading more about the scheme. Visit the RHS website here

Pork and cider hotpot

Here at Edible, we try and research as much as possible. So in the name of research, I found myself in possession of a load of root vegetables and some pork. Once they'd been photographed I wondered what I could do with them (you'll have to wait until the summer issue is out to see why). That's when I spotted the cider in the fridge. 


This recipe is so simple and you can do whatever you like with it. Maybe you want to cut some apple and pop it in. 


I basically browned some halved onions, 2 leeks, 2 larges carrots and a small butternut squash with 400g diced pork. I then stuck it all in the slow cooker with some stock and half a bottle of cider. I then added some thyme and garlic and cooked for 5 hours. You can do this in a casserole dish too on a low oven heat, reduce the cooking time to 2 hours though. 


My suggestion for serving? With buttery celeriac mash. Perfect for rainy days like today. 

Indian food. Proper, like.

SUBJI  (sub-jee) n.

1. The Punjabi term for curry

2. Applicable to vegetarian and meat dishes.

3. Makes your life better, no need for bland takeaways

4. A perfect cooking experience with Subji San.

We all like Indian Food don’t we? Curry, whatever you want to call it, has become a part of the British culinary blueprint. It’s become our second nature and accessible to most. Did you know that most of the Indian restaurants up and down the country mainly focus on Punjabi food? It’s become the most accessible of the various cuisines from the Indian sub-continent and a part of our national identity.

That's where Subji comes in - their ethos is simple; to show you the value in cooking Indian food the way it’s meant to be cooked.  They enable you to gain the skills to cook authentic Indian food in your own home without all the fuss. Simple. You don’t need to go to a restaurant, and you certainly don’t need to get that takeaway.

The dishes available to learn from Subji are traditional and home-based. Most of them you’ll recognise, but a lot you won’t – but their approach remains simple. To strip away the unnecessary restaurant veneer and show you how Indian food is meant to be cooked. You’ll still find a Korma in the Subji archive but cooked the way it’s meant to be. Trust us, once you’ve begun making it yourself you’ll never look at an Indian takeaway in the same way.

What do I get?

All your classes include comprehensive tuition, your ingredients (if you don’t decide to provide your own*), and a copy of the recipe. Learn all about the specific ingredients, how combinations work and the skills to understand each stage of the cooking process. They appreciate in this day in age we're all more food aware and more experimental; so you may have most of the spices already / or prefer to buy certain fresh produce inline with your own budget and beliefs.

*That's why Subji offer 2 different prices; one where you provide the ingredients; the other where you leave it to us. 

Subji have kindly shared this Black Eyed Pea Subji recipe with the Edible blog readers as an example of the kind of food you'll learn to cook and master. 

Ingredients (for 4 People)

Vegetable Oil

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed.

2-3 inch piece of ginger peeled and grated.

3 green chillies, finely chopped (include the seeds)

1 tin of chopped tomatoes, or fresh chopped equivalent

1 teaspoon of crushed cumin seeds

2 tins of black-eyed peas, drained (or 1 cup dried equivalent, soaked overnight in boiling water drained and then simmered in fresh water for approx 45 minutes). Just use the tins eh?!

2 cups water

1 teaspoon Turmeric

1.5 teaspoons of ground Coriander

1.5 teaspoons of ground Cumin

2 tablespoons of Garam Masala

1 tablespoon of Salt.

2/3 teaspoon of Pepper

1 small handful of fresh chopped Coriander

Juice of 1 lemon. 

Method

In 2 tablespoons of oil, gently fry the onion, garlic, ginger and chillies together with the cumin seeds for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes, then add the Turmeric, ground Coriander, ground Cumin, Garam Masala and Salt. Cook out the spices for a good 5-7 minutes.

Add the black eyed peas and the 2 cups of water; and gently simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced by a 3rd and is thickened. Finally add the fresh coriander leaves and the lemon juice and serve.


You can learn more about Subji over at their website

Down to a tea

A few years ago I did a very long and quite gruelling nutrition course. While on the course I became rather obsessed about the food I was eating, what I was drinking, my caffeine intake, blah blah blah. I was partial to a good 4 or 5 cups of very strong, black filter coffee and it became quite apparent that this wasn't in my best interests. So I gave it up. Cue two very uncomfortable weeks as my body went through 'the healing crisis'. 


Anyhoo, I also gave up alcohol and sugar at the same time. This made the pub pretty much unbearable unless they did a good line in herbal teas. We all know there are a whole load of rather nasty herbal teas out there (Twinings, I'm looking at you) and I have become quite an expert on the subject. In fact, should you need to know where in Brighton does a good herbal, you'll do worse than ask me. 


I'm back on the alcohol now so pubs aren't a problem though I do have a problem with cafes and coffee shops being unable to serve good tea. 


Enter Teapigs. I'm not sure how they're doing in but they seem to be managing to get around. I'm certainly not complaining though. Teapigs make the best herbal teas this side of... well, anywhere. Full, whole leaf teas that are strong, ethical and damn nice. 


I'm particularly partial to their liquorice and peppermint tea - it's sweet yet minty and perfect for mornings or just after lunch to satisfy a sweet craving. Liquorice is very good for stress too, especially is the form it comes in these amazing dome bags. The plain peppermint is a winner too - peppermint is perfect for settling the stomach so if you've eaten too much or feel a bit bloated from that doorstep sarnie you couldn't resist, get on it. 


I've taken to buying in bulk off their website - it works out a lot cheaper as the tea isn't cheap. But let's all refer back to that old saying 'you get what you pay for'. 


You can buy Teapigs in a few places around town, including Temptation and Cream Tea opposite the dome booking office. You can also get it straight from the Teapig website, as well as a load of information on tea. 

A Druid Always Drinks Sensibly

The Druids Arms is not just a party pub. Many a night I have spent there, drinking Sambuca whilst talking to strangers into the wee hours. And enjoy it as I do I have recently discovered that there is more to be had here than merely booze.

The pub (and I have to say, gratefully, that it is a pub rather than a bar which Brighton is being infested with) has changing faces throughout the night, aided by the food served there. In the early evening Pokky’s Thai Kitchen fills every corner with mouth-watering smells of lemongrass and lime. Steaming plates are carried to tables by Pokky himself with drinkers peering in envy. The erudite food and light chat and banter pairing perfectly. At 10pm, just as the evening is being diluted into shots and giggles, a quick change occurs; drinkers oblivious. Now it’s the turn of the naughty little brother to feed the Druid’s masses – Olly and Benton. With a list of burgers as long as a very long thing they cater to every taste, if you like burgers this is the place for you, and hey, at 1am, after a few jars who doesn’t like/need/crave a burger?!

I tasted and tested both out just for you lucky Edible readers, really, it’s a hard job but someone’s gotta do it.

Pokky’s Thai Kitchen (Mon – Fri 5pm – 10pm, Sat 3pm – 10pm. Starters £3.25/£3.50, mixed starters £6.50/£7.50, soup £4.50, mains and noodles £5.95)

Ok, so Thai food is everywhere these days. Well, yes, it is, but not Thai food that is this good and has this much love and care put into it. Pokky has been serving food in The Druids for the last two and a half years and never disappoints. The menu is straightforward with all of the usual suspects appearing and main dishes are available with tofu, chicken, prawn, pork, beef or duck.

We had the mixed starter, which, at £7.50 is a friggin’ steal. The meaty bites were thoughtfully arranged on one side and the veggie bites on the opposite side. As you can see in the photo the portions are generous and three yummy dips come with it. The sweetcorn cakes were the star for me, whilst meaty mate loved the small spicy meatballs which didn’t seem to appear on the menu as a starter on it’s own. Despite the batter and deep-frying nothing tasted oily and, although filling, it didn’t feel heavy.

For the mains we had Tofu Massuman Curry with coconut rice and Noodles with Chilli and Duck. My curry dish came with lots of tofu and fresh, crisp vegetables. It packed a slight chilli kick made smooth with a creamy coconut milk. The noodle dish had tasty strips of duck and a barrage of complimentary flavours in every mouthful. And, yet again, it wasn’t oily or heavy; although after this and the mixed starter I was feeling slightly more rotund than when I entered!

I have heard rumblings that food from Laos (which Wikipedia has just told me is called Laotian cuisine) may also be available soon if punters are up for it. Count me in!!

Olly and Benton’s Burgers (Mon – Fri 10pm – 1am, Sat – 3am. Prices from £2.90 - £4.50, sides from £1.50 } these prices may change when the boys reopen)

Olly, Benton and their waiter are always on hand to discuss your burger choices and very happy to do so. We made use of this invaluable service (well, it is a big decision!) and we were extremely satisfied with their recommendations for our own particular burger preferences. The list of burgers can be daunting and, with no description of the burger, just a catchy name, it can also be bewildering. However, the result is a personal burger-consultation.

The menu does cater for every taste, onion, tomato and gherkin are optional and cheese can be added. The sides are the standard but ever-pleasing fries and onion rings. An array of sauces are also available. The veggie burger I went for, well, actually, it’s vegan, was the mushroom burger with gherkin. It was mouthwateringly delicious, I wanted another one immediately after I had finished it. Paired with the onion rings my belly was very content, perhaps a little over-content! Meaty mate went for a beef burger with blue cheese. From the enthusiastic mumblings that came from his burger-filled gob he was also delighted with the fare.

As you can see in the pic the burgers arrive in cute little boxes, which are all made from recycled material and then recycled again.

The burger boys are taking a wee break whist they re-jig the menu, the launch party on 15th February, will, I’m hoping, be resplendent with foot-high trays of burgers being waitered around, now that’s an alternative Ferrero Rocher advert I wanna see!

Feta Stuffed Burgers

It's a familiar scene for everyone - peering into the fridge only to be uninspired, to the freezer to be even less inspired, to the cupboard, er, yeah, don't even go there. Back to the fridge - mince! Feta! Surely I can do something with them?

Burgers it was. The mince, cayenne pepper, chopped garlic, soy sauce, nutmeg and some breadcrumbs all went into a bowl and in went my hands. I mixed it all together and shaped as many burgers as the mix would allow. Then I pushed a couple of large cubes of feta into each and sealed by pressing the meat over the hole.

I flash fried the burgers in a hot pan on each side for a minute each and then grilled until cooked.

Serve with whatever you want, I had coleslaw and grilled tomatoes. Mmmmmmmm!

This is not a recipe.

It’s a solution. The problem? The after-dinner sugar craving. After every evening meal my body has a desperate need for a dessert. And, as I sit there (watching The Soprano’s which really doesn’t help as, in every other scene, the characters eat yet another plate of Italian scrumminess) all I can think about is what pudding I can have. However, like many of you I am health- and weight- conscious which makes desserts a tricky, and guilt-ridden, area. The following recipe is healthy, quick and cheap to make and, I think, delicious. It’s probably good for kids too, but as I don’t have kids I didn’t have any of the wee ones to try it out on. And my cat turned up his nose to it. Enjoy.

1 tsp orange juice (fresh is better if you have it)

2 tsp agave nectar or honey

pinch of ground ginger

pinch of ground cinnamon

2 tbsp roughly chopped dates

2 tbsp roughly chopped walnuts

2 tbsp roughly chopped brazil nuts

a few linseeds

Mix the orange juice, agave or honey and spices together. Combine with the dates and nuts. Scatter the linseeds on top. It’s that simple – another reason why I can’t really call this one a recipe!

Street Style

If there's one thing Brighton has been lacking, it's somewhere you can get quick, authentic Thai food. So when the Edible team found out a new place called Street Thai had opened in Brighton Square, we booked a table and got down there to try it armed with camera and notepads. 


Brighton Square itself has been crying out for something to lift it food wise - it's had all manner of failing cafes that never get it quite right. The square itself is lovely, housing Rounder Records and a few boutiques (let's not mention the teeny bopper Claires. Oh, I did). On a Saturday lunchtime this little square is buzzing with Brighton visitors discovering the tucked away areas of our great city or Brighton residents buying records from Rounder. I've often thought that it needed a really good lunch place with a twist.



Street Thai sits in the space that I think, though I'm not sure, was an Ask or something uninspiringly similar. The appearance of it is modern and fresh, despite looking like it belongs to a brand. Though we visited at night, I instantly thought about how good it would be to sit in the window and watch the world go by in the day. When I walked inside I was pleasantly surprised - the wooden decor is modern and inviting without being at all pretentious and there is a great vibe. A great addition is the Thai street art on the walls which is the creation of a friend of the manager. There is also a large upstairs area where you can hold private parties. 

The music policy is very Brighton, with the music featuring a various selection from the K&D Sessions and Grand Central amongst other similar sounds. What struck me most though is how passionate all the staff are about the food. When given the menu, we asked for recommendations and the staff were full of ideas and their faces lit up when talking about the food. I can't tell you how happy that made me. 

The menu is laid out very much like a Wagamama menu, which isn't necessarily a bad thing as everything is clear and easy to find. The choice is excellent with good descriptions. When ordering, the staff ask how hot (spicy) you want your food which I really liked. There is also optional chopped chillies on the table. 


We all ordered our meals and the staff were very accommodating for me as I am on a special diet. Actually, they couldn't have gone further out their way to make sure I was catered for. We got chatting to the manager at this point, an attractive Thai lady named Booki who used to run a Thai cookery school on Lorna Road. Naturally inquisitive, I talked with Booki on what drove the Street Thai idea and I couldn't help thinking if the food was as genuine as she was then we were on to a sure fire winner. 

And win we did. Our starters came out and looked wonderful. The food at Street Thai is quick but attractive and there is no sparing on taste either. I opted for Moo Ping - BBQ pork on skewers with sweet chilli sauce - and I didn't regret it, the pork was beautifully seasoned. Steve had Chicken Satay which was far from your standard fare of satay, it came accompanied with lovingly prepared satay sauce and cucumber relish. The real show stopper was the Bhuu Nim Tort Prik Thai Dam (fried soft shell crab to you and I) - a great big pile of succulent crab with a delicious garlic and black pepper sauce. We also had the recommended Yum Mamuang Koong Pao - a delicious, zesty mango salad topped with grilled tiger prawns, coconut flakes and cashew nuts.

Fast is the name of the game at Street Thai and we received our mains as soon as our starter dishes were taken away. Amy and Steve both had the Pad Kra-Prao Gai Krob, stir fry crispy basil leaves with chicken, green beans, pepper, chillies and garlic. This large dish comes with an accompanying bowl of soup and Booki has recommended they have the egg on top which was beautifully cooked. The rice is included with the dish which is good to see, I never get why Thai restaurants have it as an extra order - who wants to eat Thai curries and stir fries without rice? I opted for a salad - the Larb Gai, translated as chilli-laced minced chicken on leaves. Despite my food envy for the other two, I enjoyed my salad immensely. 












Dessert was the real clincher for me - I am fond of crunchy, sweet things so the pandan Crepe really had me going - beautiful, toasted coconut flakes in a pandan leaf crepe. The green tea cheesecake is made in the Street Thai kitchen and is oozing with authenticity and the coconut ice-cream was amazing. 


I finished with a pot of pandan tea - pandan is a Thai leaf that is not standard fare in Thai restaurants in this country. The leaves are steeped in the pot and the result is a sweet tea that is perfect as a dessert tea. 

We chose the Wits End Sauvignon Blanc at around £13 for a bottle, quite honestly it was the nicest low/mid price Sauvignon Blanc I've had for a long time. Most starters at Street Thai come in at about £4.50 and mains about £7.00. As mentioned, rice comes with most of the dishes and you get a choice of rice or roti with the curries. 


We left the restaurant full of praise for our Street Thai experience and we talked about it lots with friends we met at a pub afterwards. Should you be wandering through Brighton Square on Saturday you'll probably spot me in the window, I can't wait to get back for more. 

Stand and be counted.

Just a little snippet for Sunday - Edible has come across some amazing bespoke cake stands. Word has it Due South put in a large order and we can see why, we love them!


See them here.

Loving food and hating waste.

It's Friday and Edible issue 2 went to print this week so I shan't hang about but I just wanted to let you know of a few demonstrations the Love Food Hate Waste council campaign are holding. 


This holiday season, you can be eco-friendly and wallet-friendly by cutting back on food that gets thrown away at home. Stop by to sample delicious dishes made from leftovers and to pick up free tools and resources. Learn about simple ways to reduce food waste, including meal planning, proper food storage, and easy recipes that use up commonly wasted food.

The next event is on Sunday 21 November from 11.30am to 2pm at Asda in Brightion Marina (this is the one time Edible will suggest you visit Asda)

You can find out more at -  http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/lovefoodhatewaste


Edible is thoroughly behind what the Love Food Hate Waste Campaign are doing and we suggest you get behind it too! 

Mocha-licious Darling

This delectable little treat is your coffee and cake all in one. Rich cocoa, dark chocolate and a smack of coffee, this is one for the grown-ups. Sexy, sumptuous, it hits all the right spots. Perfect for the end to a romantic evening when a tiny bite of naughtiness is what you’re after.

Makes 12 cup cakes or 24 petit four

Base;

50g soya margarine

150 ml soya milk plus 1 tbsp

6 tbsp agave nectar

4 tsp frieze dried coffee granules

100g gluten-free flour

1 tsp gluten-free baking powder

2 tbsp cocoa

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

200g dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa for the topping to be the right consistency

250 ml single soya cream

8 tsp coffee granules in a little hot water or 8 tsp Kahlua for extra naughtiness!

A little grated chocolate for decoration

Optional;

Soya cream

Preheat the oven to 180C

In a saucepan heat the margarine gently, add the milk, coffee granules and agave nectar. Give the liquid a stir now and again until the margarine has melted. Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa into a bowl. Mix the bicarbonate of soda with the tablespoon of milk. Pour the margarine mixture and the bicarb mixture into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. The mixture should be a pouring consistency like custard, if it is too thick add a little milk, if it is too runny add a little flour. Now pour the mixture into silicon cup cake, or petit four, cases. It is much better to use these instead of paper cases as they are easier to remove and retain a good shape to the cake. Bake for 15 minutes in a standard oven, 10 minutes in a fan oven. Allow the cakes to cool completely before adding the topping.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl in a pan of boiling water. Use a little of the melted chocolate to make the handles - on a piece of greaseproof paper use a small spoon to shape several handle shapes, you will need to do more than you need as they can break. Put these into the fridge whilst you make the topping. The handles can be a little tricky to make but they really give it a chef-y edge.

Mix your coffee granules in a little hot water, if all of the granules do not dissolve simply strain through a sieve. Take the bowl of melted chocolate out of the pan, add the Kahlua or coffee and cream and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes until it has firmed up, it should be stiff but still pliable. Put the mixture into a sandwich bag and squeeze down into one corner. With a pair of scissors snip off the very corner of the bag. Pipe the topping onto the cakes, then put the cakes into the fridge for 10 minutes.

Take the cakes out of the fridge for 10 minutes before serving as you do not want them to feel too cold. Just before serving take the handles out of the fridge and carefully take them off the paper and add to the side of each cake, you will need to be quick in doing this as the longer they are out of the fridge and you are touching them the more they will melt. Sprinkle the cake and plate with grated chocolate. As the cake is quite rich you may like to serve some soya cream on the side. Now the cake is ready to be devoured!

Sticky Chocolate Goodness

Here's the third and final recipe from Lisa Faulkner, Masterchef Champion 2010 - a beautiful, rich favourite that will be a massive hit with kids and adults alike. What I love most about these recipes is that they're easy to do and don't contain masses of pretentious ingredients. I'm still dieting so you owe it to me to make and enjoy this! Do let us know if you tried any of these recipes and what you thought. 

Chocolate & Walnut Torte

Rich & sticky favourite with all the family

Serves 8

Preparation time 15 minutes. Cooking time 45 – 50 minutes

Ingredients:

120g chopped walnuts

80g Chopped dates

80g Chopped ready to eat died Apricots

80g crystalised pineapple

180g Caster sugar

3 tablespoons of plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large free range eggs

80g grated dark chocolate

Method:

Preheat oven to 150 c Gas mark 3

1 Beat the eggs until pale and fluffy

2 Sift the sugar, flour, baking powder and cinnamon and fold in.

3 Add the walnuts, dates, apricots, pineapple and grated chocolate and mix well.

4 Grease a 22cm loose bottomed cake tin

5 Pour in the mixture evenly.

6 Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown.

7 Allow to cool on a cake rack before serving.

Say cheese!

Never have I seen so many drunk teenagers in one place as Lewes bonfire night. In the true spirit of someone who's tackling their thirties with a large dose of misery guts, I retreated back to the house in the centre I was staying at and drank gin and tonic in the safety of the four walls.


It was this decision that enabled me to get up and experience a bit of Lewes on a Saturday morning after a leisurely swim (I know, get me). Breakfast at Bill's was, as ever, wonderful but the main delight for me was the farmers market that is held on the first Saturday of every month.


Despite being rather full after my brekky, I'm not one to turn down the offer of a free taste of cheese (it's not calories if it's a sample, right?) especially when it's being offered as small squares of cheese on toast. "The best cheese on toast you'll ever eat" the woman holding the plate exclaimed. I inwardly thought that was quite a claim, clearly she's never had any of MY cheese on toast. But, cor blimey, was she right. Seriously. The. Best. Cheese. On. Toast.


Naturally, I'm going to delve further into this little haven of creamy goodness. Upon talking with Rob Bookham, it transpires that what makes this cheese on toast so amazingly good is the 'Sussex Charmer' cheese it's made with. Simply, it's mature cheddar blended with parmesan. Why on earth haven't I heard of this before? Beautifully creamy with that lovely vintage cheddar kick, yet a little crumbly in texture.


Trading for 18 years, Bookham's is a creamery residing in Arlington, a small village that lies between Polegate and Lewes and they source their milk from a farm in Rudgwick. Rob clearly had a lot of passion for his trade and is a real 'smile with the eyes' character.


I highly suggest you get yourself a block of this amazing cheese, it's available at Infinity Foods, Coriander, Terre a Terre, Fanny's of Hanover, Grasmere and the Tin Drums or order direct off the Bookhams website which I suggest you have a look at anyway.


Mmmmm.... cheese.

Getting figgy with it

In the second instalment of my current fig obsession, this chickpea, feta and fig salad is everything you need when it's crisp and sunny - it's fresh, it's healthy, it's full of protein and it's been kissed with a little bit of winter. 


It's perfect for a light lunch that's really quick and easy to throw together but it will also work as a fuss free, attractive starter.


It's pretty self explanatory so I won't patronise you by going into a full ingredients list: I dressed salad leaves with balsamic vinegar and fresh lime juice (you can use olive oil too), I topped with chick peas, kalamata olives, figs and crumbled feta. I then squeezed a bit more lime over it. Be creative, you can add red onion or baby plum tomatoes. You could also serve some nice artisan bread on the side if you're needing the carb hit. 


This is another Slimming World friendly recipe too (on extra easy and green) but just don't use oil and weigh your feta (42g) as one of your healthy extras. 

Warm your cockles

Brrrr! The evenings have drawn in, we've started putting our heating on and we're in need of warm, homely food. In the second of our recipes from Masterchef champion 2010, Lisa Faulkner runs through how to make the delicious lamb shanks you've always wanted to know how to make. 

Moroccan Lamb Shanks

A warming winter dish which is quick and easy to prepare in advance and left to cook, whilst enjoying time with the family.

Serves  4

Preparation time : 20 minutes.  Cooking time : 2 ½  hours

Ingredients:

4 large lamb shanks

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon All spice

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 large red onion – finely diced

400g tinned chopped tomatoes

250ml chicken stock

Salt – season to taste

2 tablespoons of chopped Flat leaf parsley

Method:

Preheat oven to 150 C, gas mark 3

1 Trim any excess fat off the lamb shanks

2 Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof casserole pan and brown the lamb shanks.

3 Take out and add the spices and onion to the same oil and fry for 3-4 minutes.

4 Put the lamb shanks back in the pan and add the tinned tomatoes, stock and enough water to cover.

5 Season to taste

6 Bring to the boil, cover and put in the oven for 2 ½ hours.

7 Take the lamb shanks out of the pan and cover with foil to keep hot.

8 Put the casserole pan on the hob and lightly boil the liquid until reduces slightly.

9 Add back the lamb shanks to reheat.

10 Add the chopped flat leaf parsley and serve