Pineapple and Black Pepper Crumble (Serves 4-6)

The arrival of October means it’s a good time to share a recipe for a warming crumble!…This is no ordinary crumble – the tang of the pineapple is beautifully complemented by the spice of the black pepper, it is a delicious and unusual take on the British classic crumble. The recipe is from the cookbook ‘Dishoom’, which is by the owners of the Indian restaurant chain of the same name. Once you’ve tried this crumble you may find it difficult to return to the classic fruit versions…

*This crumble recipe works well with gluten free plain flour – I used ‘Doves’.

1 large, fresh ripe pineapple (you need about 750g flesh)

1 vanilla pod or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

100g granulated sugar

A few twists of black pepper

For the crumble:

100g plain flour (gluten free if required)

100g rolled oats

100g granulated sugar

100g salted butter, cubed at room temperature

To Serve:

Vanilla Ice-cream or a dollop of fresh cream

1. Peel the pineapple, prising out the ‘eyes’ and cut the flesh into 2 cm chunks, discarding the hard core.
2. Place the pineapple chunks in a saucepan with 200ml water. If using a vanilla pod, split it in half and run a knife down the length to remove the seeds, add both the seeds and the pod to the pan (if using vanilla extract you will need to add this later). Simmer over a medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes until the pineapple is soft. If the pan becomes a little dry add a little more water.
3. Once the pineapple is soft, add the sugar and simmer for an extra 5 minutes. Add the black pepper and if using the vanilla extract instead of the vanilla pod, add it now. Turn off the heat and leave to one side.
4. Meanwhile make the crumble. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the mixture with your hands until it is fully incorporated – there should be no loose flour left.
5. Spread the pineapple mixture in a medium baking dish and top with the crumble mixture. Bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 30-40 minutes until the topping has formed a golden crust.
6. Allow to stand for 5 minutes then serve with vanilla ice-cream or a dollop of fresh cream (or custard!).

Well goodbye to the Summer… hello Autumn!.. I must admit, I’m not so keen to be saying goodbye to the warmer months, particularly this year, as like many of you, we didn’t get the chance to holiday abroad so endured the rather disappointing British summer. So as a ‘pick-me-up’, to raise my spirits, I’ve been out buying new cookbooks – whilst some people indulge in new gadgets, shoes or clothes to lift their mood, my weakness is cookbooks, although admittedly I am also prone to buying the odd new dress! Sitting down with a new cookbook and perusing all the recipes that I could potentially cook is one of my favourite things to do…and now that I have MenuMistress I really do have a reason to try as many as I can. ‘French Countryside Cooking’ by Daniel Galmiche is one of my latest acquisitions and one that has become a new favourite, I have already cooked a couple of the recipes and they have received positive feedback from my ‘recipe tasters’, Nick and Felix, so I will definitely be sharing them in the future – watch this space! In the meantime, talking about ‘pick-me-ups’, I couldn’t resist the idea of sharing a Bloody Mary with you this week – not only am I sharing the recipe for the cocktail but also a recipe for steak with a sauce inspired by it. ‘Bloody Mary Steak and Avocado’ is a fantastic recipe from Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall, the recipe uses a piquant ‘Bloody Mary’ dressing for an avocado salad which makes a delicious, tangy accompaniment to a quickly pan-fried steak, it is particularly good served with Homemade Oven Chips. Menu Two is Lamb Fricassée, a beautiful mustardy lamb dish; now that the evenings are drawing in, it seems the perfect time to share this comforting recipe which is simply prepared on the stove. I am also sharing this recipe on my  MenuMistress@Uni page as it is not only super easy to cook but also freezes well. If you make this dish you’ll have a jar of capers in the house to use up…so, for Menu Three I thought I’d share a wonderfully simple recipe for ‘Lemon Sole with Lemon & Caper Butter Sauce’, this is a recipe that will be on the table in minutes, all you need is some steamed potatoes on the side and a good green salad. Finally, a fourth recipe – yes I’m sharing lots of treats this week(!) – if like me the idea of going into the colder months makes you feel a bit lazy, this ‘Blast from the Past’ recipe is the perfect solution; ‘Penne with Pea and Mascarpone’ will be on the table in 15 minutes! I first shared this recipe in July 2020, you may have already tried it (hopefully it’s stayed on your itinerary), but if you haven’t, I urge you to now! You can always rely on a pasta dish to give you some comfort at the end of the day and this one certainly does the trick!

Enjoy your week and most of all enjoy cooking!…See you Tuesday for my ‘Tuesday Treat’!…

Menu One

Bloody Mary Steak & Avocado (Serves 4)

In this recipe from Hugh Fearnely-Whittingstall’s cookbook ‘Light & Easy’, the flavours of a ‘Bloody Mary’ cocktail are used to inspire a delicious sauce for steaks. The tangy flavour of the piquant, tomatoey dressing complements the meaty steaks wonderfully. I have used sirloin steaks here but rump steaks would work just as well. This recipe is particularly good with Homemade Oven Chips (recipe here!)

 *If you are gluten free note that Worcestershire sauce may contain traces of gluten from barley.

2 large, ripe avocados

300g cherry tomatoes, quartered

Large bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves chopped

4 sirloin steaks at room temperature

A little olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

For the Bloody Mary Dressing:

100ml tomato juice

4 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon celery salt

10-15 drops Tabasco sauce to taste

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (see note above)

A good squeeze of lemon juice to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Firstly make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined – tasting to adjust the seasonings, the lemon juice will temper the heat.
2. Halve and stone the avocadoes and cut into 3cm chunks. Place them in a bowl with the tomatoes and parsley, add about two tablespoons of the dressing and mix lightly.

3. Lightly brush the steaks with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and a little black pepper.
4. Heat a frying pan until very hot. Place the steaks in the pan and cook for about 1½ minutes of each side for rare or a little longer depending on your taste. I also like to turn the steaks on their ‘fat’ edge, for 30 seconds to crisp it up.
5. Remove the steaks to a plate to rest for 3-5 minutes.
6. Arrange the avocado salad on plates. Slice the steak thickly over or alongside the salad and trickle over any of its juices from resting. Serve with the remaining dressing spooned over.

Menu Two

Lamb Fricassée (Serves 4-6)

This is a beautiful mustardy lamb dish; a wonderful comforting recipe which is simply prepared on the stove. This dish is even better reheated, when the flavours have had time to develop, so it’s worth making ahead of time if you can. It is delicious served simply with rice or alternatively with roasted potatoes, also some green beans on the side would be good!…

900g lean lamb (leg steak or boned chump chops) cut into cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

250ml lamb or chicken stock

150ml dry white wine

3 tablespoons baby gherkins, chopped

3 tablespoons capers in brine, rinsed and drained

2 sprigs rosemary

1 generous tablespoon Dijon mustard

30g chilled butter, diced

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Add the oil to a large frying pan and fry the lamb in two batches over a high heat, stirring for 5-8 minutes, until browned all over. Set aside on a plate lined with kitchen roll.
2. Reduce the heat and add the onion and garlic to the pan, fry, stirring for 5 minutes until softened. Pour in the stock and wine, bring to a simmer.
3. Return the lamb to the pan with the gherkins, capers and rosemary. Stir, then partially cover, cook for 30 minutes on a low heat so that it is barely simmering.
4. Remove the lamb and set aside, discard the rosemary. Turn up the heat and allow the sauce to bubble to about 3 minutes to reduce a little. Stir in the butter and mustard, taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. Return the lamb to the pan, reduce the heat and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
6. Serve with rice or roast potatoes and green beans.

Menu Three

Lemon Sole with Lemon & Caper Butter Sauce (Serves 4)

This lemon & caper butter sauce will be ready in minutes. Here I have served it with lemon sole, but in all honesty, it would work with any fillet of fish you like. Serve with steamed new potatoes and a good green salad.

50g unsalted butter

1 lemon, zest and juice

2 tablespoons capers, drained

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

4 lemon sole fillets (*see note above)

2 large knobs of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil to fry the fish

1. To make the sauce, heat the butter and lemon zest in a small pan, stir until the butter has melted and turns a light nut-brown colour. Remove from the heat and stir in the capers, lemon juice and parsley. Keep warm whilst you cook the fish.
2. To cook the lemon sole, melt a knob of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over a medium-high heat, add two of the fillets, skin side down, cook for 3-4 minutes. Carefully turn the fish over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
3. Remove to a warmed plate whilst you cook the other 2 fillets in the same way.
4. Serve the fish with the warm lemon & caper butter sauce spooned over.

‘Blast from the Past Recipe’

Menu Four

Penne with Pea and Mascarpone Sauce (Serves 4)

This is a recipe from my beloved cookbook ‘A Passion for Pasta’ by the late Antonio Carluccio. You could cook this dish with your eyes closed, it really is that easy, and will be ready to eat in 15 minutes! For those of you who are vegetarian you can leave out the smoked bacon – instead add a pinch of paprika to give a little smokiness.

50g unsalted butter

150g smoked back bacon, cut into strips

450g tomato passata

200g frozen peas

8 basil leaves

150g mascarpone cheese

375g penne pasta

75g freshly grated parmesan cheese

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan, add the bacon strips, cook until beginning to crisp.
2. Add the tomato passata and the peas, cook for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile cook the penne according to the instructions on the packet, until al dente.
4. Add the mascarpone cheese and the basil leaves to the sauce, stir until warmed through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Drain the penne, add to the sauce, finally mix in the parmesan cheese.

And…A Little Treat…

A Bloody Mary Cocktail (Serves 1)

After trying more than my fair share of Bloody Marys over the years, I have concluded that this is the winning recipe – it’s the addition of the ‘fino sherry’ that really gives it the edge.

35ml vodka

10ml fino sherry

170ml tomato juice

½ teaspoon finely grated fresh horseradish

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce

¼ teaspoon celery salt

Large pinch caster sugar

A sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper, to taste

A squeeze of lemon juice, to taste

A slice of lemon, halved to garnish

A celery stick to garnish

Ice

1. Put some ice in a cocktail shaker and add all the ingredients except for the lemon slices and celery stick and give it a good shake. Check the seasoning, adjusting to taste.
2. Strain into a glass and top with some fresh ice, finally garnish with the lemon slices and celery stick.

Ricciarelli

I love these little Italian biscuits – sweet and almondy, they are the perfect complement to an espresso coffee but are equally good with just about anything! This recipe will make around 34 little biscuits, they only need to be small as they are quite sweet, but the problem is I can never seem to stop at eating just the one!…They are incredibly easy to make, however you do need to make them the day before baking as by allowing the uncooked biscuits to rest and dry out overnight they become deliciously chewy – they are totally worth the wait!…

2 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

225g caster sugar

Zest of one lemon

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond essence

300g ready-ground almonds

Icing sugar for dusting

2x baking sheets lined with greaseproof paper

1. Whisk the egg whites with the salt until they are stiff, then gradually whisk in the sugar until you reach a marshmallowy consistency. Now add the lemon zest, vanilla extract and almond essence along with the ground almonds, mix to form a quite hard paste.
2. Shape into either small diamonds or little rounds (see photo), dusting your hands with icing sugar to stop the mixture becoming too sticky. Lay them on the prepared baking sheets and leave to dry out overnight.
3. The following day, cook the riccarelli in a preheated oven, 140’c fan, for about 30 minutes, by which time they should be pale and slightly cracked. Leave to cool.
4. Finally dust with icing sugar and serve. They will keep well in an airtight container

As we move out of the summer into September, I have been thinking of recipes that will break us gently into the cooler weather. September is one of my favourite months as often, although the evenings are cooler, we get a little warmth from the sun during the day, therefore, we don’t necessarily need the heavier, comforting meals of the autumn quite yet. With this in mind, I thought that I would share two of my favourite recipes which feature warm salads. Both use lentils, so on a cooler evening, they are substantial enough to be satisfying yet are still light. Menu One is ‘Salmon with Lentils, Peas, Green Beans & Tarragon’, it is a recipe with lovely fresh end-of-summer flavours; you could use another fish, such as sea bass, the important thing is to crisp up the skin. Menu Two is ‘Rump of Lamb with Puy Lentils & Beans’, this is a recipe which I found over ten years ago in Gordon Ramsay’s cookbook ‘Healthy Appetite’. Not only is this recipe healthy but extremely tasty and, in my opinion, it’s not just good enough to serve to family but also great for dinner party guests. Finally, Menu Three is a very satisfying pasta dish, which again is a recipe that has clean, fresh, ‘September’ flavours;  ‘Penne with Broccoli, Chilli & Pine Nuts’, will be on the table from start to finish in 15 minutes – it makes a great midweek meal!

Enjoy your week, and don’t forget to pop by next Tuesday for my Tuesday Treat!…

Menu One

Salmon with Peas, Green Beans, Lentils & Tarragon (Serves 4)

This dish has lovely fresh, clean flavours; you could use another fish, such as sea bass, the important thing is to crisp up the skin!

4 fillets of salmon, skin on

300g peas, defrosted if frozen

200g fine green beans

150g puy lentils

½ cucumber, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped

Handful of pea shoots or rocket

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

Sea salt and black pepper

4 lemon wedges (to serve)

For the dressing:

Juice of 1 lemon

A large pinch of English mustard powder

Sea salt and pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

1. Cook the lentils according to the instructions on the packet (in boiling water for about 20 minutes). Drain.
2. Season the skin of the salmon, then place in a hot oven-proof pan with a little oil, skin-side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes then season the flesh and turn over, so they are skin side up. Place in a preheated oven, 200’c fan, for 8-10 minutes until just cooked.
3. Meanwhile top and tail the green beans, then blanch in a pan of boiling water for 3-5 minutes until just tender. Drain.
4. Place the peas, cooked beans and lentils, cucumber and pea shoots (or rocket) in a large bowl, then scatter with the herbs and lemon zest.
5. Prepare the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, mustard powder and salt and pepper with the olive oil. Use this to dress the lentil and bean salad.
6. To serve, spoon the salad onto plates alongside the salmon with a wedge of lemon.

Menu Two

Rump of Lamb with Puy Lentils & Green Beans (Serves 4)

This is a recipe which I found over ten years ago in Gordon Ramsay’s cookbook ‘Healthy Appetite’. Not only is this recipe healthy but extremely tasty and, in my opinion, it’s not just good enough to serve to family but also great for dinner party guests. The puy lentils and beans are flavoured with just a splash of balsamic vinegar, they complement the lamb beautifully. It’s best to marinate the lamb overnight, then on the day of cooking there really is very little to do…

4 thick rumps of lamb, about 220g each

A few thyme sprigs

A few rosemary sprigs

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushes

1 teaspoon black peppercorns, lightly crushed

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt

For the lentils & green beans:

250g puy lentils

A few thyme sprigs

A few rosemary sprigs

½ head garlic, cut horizontally

800ml chicken stock

300g fine green beans, topped and tailed

Splash of balsamic vinegar

• Trim the lamb of any sinew, then place in a dish along with the herbs, coriander seeds, peppercorns and olive oil – toss to coat and leave to marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours, preferably overnight.
• To cook the lentils, put them in a saucepan with the herbs and garlic, then pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until they are tender. Drain the lentils, reserving the stock and discarding the herbs and garlic.
• Top and tail the beans and cut in half, into shorter lengths. Blanch the beans in a pan of boiling water for 3-5 minutes until just tender. Drain and refresh in a bowl of iced water, drain again and set aside.
• Sprinkle the lamb with a little salt and sear over a high heat for 2-3 minutes in an oven proof pan, then turn over and cook the other side for 2 minutes until browned, finally sear the fatty edge. Place the pan with the lamb in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for 9-10 minutes until medium rare. Place on a warm plate and pat with kitchen roll to remove the excess fat, cover with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes whilst you finish off the lentils and beans.
• Pour off most of the fat from the pan and tip in the lentils and beans. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar, a little of the reserved stock and some seasoning. Toss over a high heat for a few minutes to warm through.
• Spoon the lentils and beans onto plates. Thickly cut each rump of lamb and arrange on top. Finally drizzle with any of the remaining pan juices.

Menu Three

Penne with Broccoli, Chilli & Pine Nuts (Serves 4)

This is a very satisfying pasta dish with light, fresh flavours and better still, it will be on the table from start to finish in 15 minutes!

*You could cook the broccoli by adding it to the pasta pan towards the end of cooking, but I prefer to cook it separately as in this way you can be sure that it will not be overcooked.

350g penne or other short pasta

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely sliced

2 red chillies, finely chopped

1 broccoli head, about 350g, cut into small florets

50g pine nuts, toasted (in dry frying pan)

1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain, reserving about 2-3 tablespoons of cooking water.
2. Meanwhile cook the broccoli in boiling water for about 3 minutes until just tender – but still has ‘bite’. Drain.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the garlic and chilli and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
4. Finally, add the drained pasta and broccoli to the pan with the garlic and chilli. Toss to combine adding a little of the reserved cooking liquid to loosen.
5. Serve sprinkled with the toasted pine nuts.

Gluten Free Coffee Cake with Espresso Buttercream Icing

Even if you’re not gluten free I urge you to make this cake, it has a beautifully light sponge and the buttercream really is the ‘icing on the cake’!! Finding recipes for traditional sponge cakes which are both gluten free and light can be a challenge. My son Felix found this one when searching for a recipe which would please us both (he adores coffee and I am gluten free!). It is a recipe from the producers of ‘Doves Flour’ and it uses their wonderful gluten free flour.

2 tbsp espresso coffee powder

2 tbsp boiling water

200g butter

200g caster sugar

4 eggs

200g Doves Self Raising gluten free flour 

For the Buttercream icing:

4 teaspoons espresso coffee powder

3 teaspoons boiling water

¼ teaspoon salt

250g icing sugar, sifted

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

8 walnut halves to decorate

*2x 20cm/8’ round baking tins, buttered and bases lined.

1. For the cake: put the coffee powder into a cup, add the boiling water, stir to make a paste and leave to cool.
2. Rub some butter around the inside of two 20cm/8″ round baking tins and line the bases with baking paper.
3. Put the butter and caster sugar into a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then sieve the flour into the bowl and beat again. Finally, add the coffee mixture and stir until everything is well combined.
4. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins and smooth the top.
5. Bake in a preheated oven, 170’c fan, for 20-25 minutes (until a cocktail stick pressed into the centre of the cake comes out clean). Cool the sponges in the tin a little before turning them onto a wire rack and leaving to cool.
6. Meanwhile make the buttercream icing: combine the coffee powder with the boiling water and put to one side. Place the butter and salt in a mixing bowl and beat with electric beaters until light and fluffy, then add the sifted icing sugar, and whisk until well combined, finally beat in the cooled coffee mixture.
7. To assemble the cake turn one of the sponges upside down (flat side facing up) and spread with half of the buttercream, top with the second sponge (flat side facing down), and spread over the remaining buttercream, use a fork or knife to make a pattern and place the 8 walnut halves around the edge.