Radio Recipes - 17th July 2017

As promised here are the recipes and the bits and pieces mentioned during my chat with Bernie Keith, on his Radio Show, The Bernie Keith Show, BBC Radio Northampton on Monday 17^th July 2017 at 10.10am.

Summer Stuff

It's that time of year again, when all thoughts turn to alfresco eating. With that in mind here's a variation on a theme, based on a great favourite.

If you like the idea of tiramisu but not the coffee, here's an alternative using lemon. This is a perfect summer dessert and easy too. You can dress it up for a supper or dinner party in individual “shot” style glasses, or make one large version for a party pud. It can be portable too for outside eating.

A Tiddy Tiramisu

aka a portable pud!

For the tiddy, the glasses I used have a capacity of 160ml – they measure 7 cms in diameter and 7 cms deep. The tiddy benefits from being made ahead – time to soak up all that lovely lemon syrup – and the alcohol too if you are indulging in a grown-up version.

The tiddy is given height using a circle of cake soaked in syrup at the bottom of the glass and then circles of soaked cake to line - the filling is spooned into the centre and topped with another circle of soaked cake. Add a teaspoon of lemon curd to the cake top and then sprinkle with the chocolate – the curd “glues” the chocolate in place. The size of the cutter used is 4cms in diameter and the cake should be 1cm slices approximately.

I bought plastic sundae dishes with lids that also double as a base exactly the same size as the glasses. A practical solution for alfresco eating – can be made ahead and protected by the lid and fridged. Can be carried safely in a cool bag for transporting and/or stored to stay cool prior to serving outside. When you are ready to serve, remove the lid and clip to the bottom to create your sundae dish.

I'm sure your favourite search engine will be able to provide stockists of the sundae dishes. I want to support local businesses so buy all this sort of stuff from SCS Packaging in Orchard Road, Finedon. Aladdin's cave!

SCS Packaging, Units 1 & 2, Orchard Road, Finedon, Wellingborough NN9 5JG – 01933 681681 – www.scspackaging.co.uk

Here's the recipe :

Lemon Tiramisu

Serves 4 large or 6 smaller

servings

Lemon syrup – 4 tbsp lemon juice, 100g icing sugar

20 fl oz whipping cream

20 sponge fingers or Madeira cake * see note

4 tbsp caster sugar

225g Mascarpone

2 heaped tbsps lemon curd**

to fold into Mascarpone mixture

2 x chocolate flakes for decoration

For the adults

4 tbsp Limoncello liqueur (optional)

Plain chocolate drops to decorate (optional)

To make the syrup place the lemon juice and icing sugar into a small saucepan and heat gently so that the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.

If you are using Limoncello liqueur then add to the syrup.

Mix the cream carefully with the caster sugar and mascarpone, gently fold the lemon curd into the mixture so that it gives a ribbon effect. If you're using a hand mixer use the blades to fold through the lemon curd.

For one large tiramisu and using sponge fingers, a rectangular dish is the best shape. Dip the fingers into the syrup and arrange in a row, then add the mascarpone mixture and repeat.

For the kids, bash a chocolate flake in its packet so that it doesn't fly all over the kitchen worktop, open carefully and sprinkle over to decorate. If you want grown-up “sprinkles” use plain chocolate chips or grate a plain chocolate bar to decorate instead.

Cling film and fridge until you're ready to serve.

You cannot fail with this dessert – unless of course you don't like lemon!

*Cake note :

You could bake your own Madeira cake if you wish but it seems unfair on the cake when you're going to dunk it in syrup! Why not use an “economy” range Madeira cake available in most supermarkets – a word to the wise – they vary in size so I'd buy two to be on the safe side – as a guide 265g – 295g which will give you 8 slices. You could also use a lemon drizzle cake instead of the Madeira. Again bake your own if you wish but it does seem unfair to the cake.

The success of this recipe is in its versatility – kids love it – a welcome, refreshing change from the coffee version. I suppose it doesn't go down too well with the tiramisu purists but who cares – surely the whole point is to give people food that you know they are going to love.

** Lemon Curd note :

You can make your own lemon curd in the microwave – recipe below, it takes 12 minutes max!

Microwave Lemon Curd

115g/4oz unsalted butter, cubed

Finely grated rind and juice of three lemons **

225g/8oz caster sugar

3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk

Put the butter, lemon rind and juice in a large microwave-proof bowl. Cook on high for 3 minutes. Add the sugar to the bowl and stir for 1 minute un til it has almost dissolved. Return to the microwave and cook on 100% power for 2 minutes, stirring every minute.

Beat the eggs and the yolk together, then whisk into the lemon mixture, a little at a time.

Cook on medium (40% power) for 10-12 minutes, whisking every 2 minutes, until the curd thickens.

Ladle into hot sterilized jars, cover and seal. When cooked, fridge and use within 2 months.

Notes :

This recipe is based on an 800 watt version. For microwaves with a different wattage, adjust cooking times as follows, 900 watt – subtract 10 seconds per minute. 850 watt, subtract 5 seconds per minute, 750 watt, add 5 seconds per minute. 700 watt, add 10 seconds per minute.

**If you don't have fresh lemons you can use lemon juice and omit the rind. As a guide for juice – 4tbsp of juice is equivalent to 1 and a half lemons.

Savoury Summer Stuff

As promised, a couple of fun ideas :

A Tickle Tray

You'll need a large baking tray which will be greased with either rapeseed or olive oil – measuring 43x31 cms.

Serves 4-6 depending on size of appetites

The chicken for the tray

1 slow cooked chicken – 1.5kg

1 chicken stock pot

2 tsps of garlic paste or 1 garlic stock pot

generous sprinkle of oregano or garlic

Italian seasoning

Place your chicken in the slow cooker and mix the stock pot with the garlic paste and spread over the chicken. Sprinkle with the herbs. Switch your slow cooker to the low setting and leave it for 8 hours.

When the chicken has cooled remove from the slow cooker. Strip the chicken into large ish pieces, bag and fridge. Strain the stock, jug and fridge. I would suggest that you cook the chicken the day before you need it so that you can strip and strain. If you are slow cooking ahead then freeze the chicken and the stock. Remove from the freezer the day before you want to use and defrost in the fridge.

1kg cooked Charlotte potatoes, peeled and cut

into large dice – prep ahead then bag and fridge

250g diced chorizo – I buy it ready diced

2 medium red onions, sliced – prep, bag and fridge

mixed sweet peppers, de-seeded and sliced -

prep, bag and fridge – you can buy a punnet of

sweet mini peppers (190g) from Tesco at £1.25 -

orange, yellow and red

6 cherry tomatoes – or small bunches x however

many servings required

50g black olives, pitted and sliced – optional

easy to obtain in jars

100g each of Panko breadcrumbs and grated Parmesan cheese to

garnish

salt and black pepper

Bread of your choice to serve, with bowls of

balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil for extra dipping

Not a massive amount of prep – bits and pieces you can do a day or two in advance that can be fridged ready to pull out when you are ready to stir fry and assemble.

When you're ready :

Grease your baking tray.

Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Using a large frying pan stir fry the chorizo, onions and peppers on a medium heat for 2/3 minutes, add the stock and then add the potatoes – set aside. Your stock needs to be melted gently in the same pan – it forms a jelly when it has set.

Scatter the chicken onto the tray and then the chorizo, onions, peppers and potatoes over the top. Cover evenly with the stock. Nestle the bunches of tomatoes on the top and scatter the black olives. Season with salt and black pepper and sprinkle with Panko and Parmesan.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Serve straight to the table – make sure you have a heat proof surface and non slip proof mats to stop the tray moving around.

Serve with any good fresh bread of your choice – Italian would make the most sense with the bowls of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil mixed together for extra dipping.

You'll notice that I've not mentioned additional garlic or herbs in the recipe – they are already there – in the slow cooked chicken and therefore in the strained stock but if you'd like to add more of either, go for it – I'd use garlic paste and either oregano or garlic Italian seasoning.

I love pulling ingredients out of the fridge, ready to assemble and go – in addition to which minimal fuss, maximum flavour and one tray to actually wash up – the remaining dishes are for the magic box – gets my vote every time!

Here are a couple of photos :

Jam Jar Salad

Here's the finished product :

If you'd like “chapter and verse” then have a look on the blog next week at Jam Jar Salad, Method, Assembly and Ta dah, for the full story.

Clever, me thinks, for any sort of outside eating!

A post script … a Whitby fish & chips update!

Sara's Mister Chips Takeaway and Restaurant 68-69 Church Street, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 4AS – Tel: 01947 604683 – www.misterchipswhitby.co.uk

Here are the indulgent desserts!

As promised all the recipes mentioned have been posted on the blog, together with photographs of the bits and pieces, on Sunday 16^th July so if anyone would like them they are there, ready and waiting – www.miammiamcookery.com “Radio Recipes”.