All posts filed under: recipes

Little Chocolate Cakes

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Many years ago I ate those little chocolate cakes in a friend’s house. I asked for the recipe and since then I make them regularly.During the years I adapted the recipe according to our taste. The original recipe demands for more eggs, sugar and butter, but I think that this version works better. In the summer we keep the cakes in the fridge, in which case the cold cakes match very well with a Sauvignon Blanc. 200 g  good quality dark chocolate  (66% cocoa solids) 120 g unsalted butter 3 eggs 3/4 cup caster sugar 1/2 cup self-rising flour, sifted 2 Tbsp rum (optional) Preheat oven to 180 C /fan. Prepare a 12-hole cupcake tray lined with paper cases. Break the chocolate into small pieces and drop into a bowl with the butter. Fill a small saucepan about a quarter full with hot water, then sit the bowl on top so it rests on the rim of the pan, not touching the water. Put over a low heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring occasionally …

Marmalade Cocktail

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Besides excellent beef, Hawksmoor in London have very good and sophisticated cocktails , and a very pleasant cocktail bar in Seven Dials (here is a link to their catalogue). They have published a book (Hawksmoor at Home) that is an excellent and entertaining read, celebrating Britishness in food (if you have the book take a look page 117). There a section on anti-fogmatics ( anti-fogmatic: An alcoholic drink taken in the morning to brace oneself before going out into bad weather, before 11am, or whenever steam and energy are needed). We take ours on a latter hour, and here is our favorite: 1 tsp orange marmalade 50ml good gin 5ml Campari 15ml lemon juice a dash of orange bitters a twist of orange peel Place a headed barspoon (or teaspoon) of marmalade in a shaker. Add the gin and stir, pressing the marmalade against the side of the shaker to loosen it up. Add the other ingredients, fill up the shaker with ice cubes and shake hard to break down and dissolve the marmalade. If you’re left with a big glob …

roast potatoes

Roast potatoes

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In my mind potatoes have always been the absolute comfort food,whether mashed, baked or just boiled. The following recipe is very simple and always a hit. Roast potatoes 1,5 kg peeled potatoes sea salt freshly ground black pepper 9 Tbsp olive oil Preheat the oven to 200 C. Tip the peeled potatoes into a large saucepan, cover with cold water and season well with salt. Bring to the boil and cook for about 20 minutes until tender. Pour 3 Tbsp olive oil, some sea salt and ground pepper in a big baking tray, large enough to fit the potatoes tightly in one layer. Crush each potato with a fork into two or three pieces depending on size. Season with some sea salt and freshly ground pepper and add 6 Tbsp of olive oil. Give the pan a good shake and put the potatoes in the hot oven for about 40-45 minutes until golden and crispy.  

Pumpkin soup with orange juice

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This velvety pumpkin soup is a perfect entree or meal especially in the winter months. Warm, comforting and creamy, it’s little secret is the curry powder which makes the difference. Pumpkin soup with orange juice (adapted from a recipe of Aglaia Kremezi published in the ‘epsilon gourmet’ magazine some years ago). 5 Tbsp butter 2 cups onions, chopped 1 tsp curry powder 1,5 kg pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, grated 3 cups chicken stock zest of one orange 1 cup of freshly squeezed orange juice salt and pepper 1 cup whipping cream 1/2 cup yoghurt Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onions stirring often until soft, for about 5 minutes. Add the curry powder and stir vigorously 2-3 times. Add the grated pumpkin and cook stirring for 5 more minutes. Stir in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add the zest and the orange juice and let simmer for another 10 minutes. Puree and season with salt and pepper to …