Cooks' Corner

[mark smyth]

OK thanks. Yet another item to clutter the cupboard.

I fried the chicken with chestnut mushrooms, onions and sugarsnap peas

[mark smyth]

John,  Ken Hom said add it

[Maggi Young]

I'm hungry

[Paddy Tobin]

The kitchen has that lovely summer smell of blackcurrants. They are simmering away in preparation for making blackcurrant jelly tomorrow.

Mark, we started using Ken Hom's cookery books about 30 years ago and have always loved his recipes.

Paddy

[maggiepie]

Mark, you could also try besan ( chickpea flour), might not be velvet chicken but it will taste great.
I use it to coat my chicken or fish before frying.
It's also great for deep frying veggies or anything else.

[johnw]

John,  Ken Hom said add it

I never argue with a Ken!

johnw

[Kristl Walek]

Regarding "sesame oil" perhaps Ken's recipe called for light (untoasted) sesame oil which has a high smoke point and suitable for cooking,   including deep-frying.

Dark sesame oil (from toasted sesame seeds) has a lower smoke point and is used more normally for lower heat applications, or better, to add right at the end of a stir-fry or soup for the flavouring (this is what I do).

I use unrefined (untoasted) sesame oil as my salad dressing of choice (for its neutral taste in fact). If you dab a bit of this on your tongue, you would be hard pressed to identify what it is (compared to the toasted Asian stuff).

I have it on good authority, by the way----(my own experience)---that simply changing cooking oils/fats significantly lowers cholesterol.

Since starting to use only coconut oil, EVOO, unrefined sesame in cooking and continuing my use of butter (no margarine, ever in this house), my (bad) cholesterol levels dropped significantly, without changes in any other part of my diet or lifestyle. I also take fish oil regularly.

[mark smyth]

Just in case y'all are getting confussed

a few drops of sesame oil are added to the egg whites only

[Arykana]

I'm hungry

I'm hungry Hungarian

I opened the pear preserve in red wine   will eat quickly  

[mark smyth]

Tonight I had a roast butternut squash. yummm

Cut in 4, drizzle some oil, salt, pepper and all spice. 25 minutes in the oven

[johnw]

Any chance of the recipe for the Benington Lordship coffee/walnut cakes being posted?

johnw

[RichardW]

my daughter made those, I'll post it later.

[johnw]

my daughter made those, I'll post it later.

Great Richard, I can then experience your snowdrop day vicariously.

johnw

[ChrisD]

Hi everyone

Here is the recipe for "Gooey Chocolate Orange Cake" as sampled at Bennington Lordship this weekend. It tastes like it has lots of calories in it, because it has!

Chocolate Orange Cake

Butter Icing

Zest of 2 large oranges
3oz Flora
6oz icing sugar

Sponge

9oz Butter
4oz Plain Flour
5oz Wholemeal flour (plain)
9oz soft brown sugar
4 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
Mix well then add...
Handful of chocolate drops
Juice of 1 orange and mix to give a runny cake mix.
Immediately transfer to two greased baking trays (9 inch) and cook (170C for approx 30 mins). Do not overcook this cake is best slightly stodgy in the middle.
I often add juice of the second orange (or some brandy!) as a drizzle when the two halves are cooling.


Topping

6 oz Dark Chocolate (Bournville)
2 oz flora
Melt in waterbath.

I usually make the icing and the sponges one evening, allow to cool overnight. Then assemble, melt the topping and pour on the topping in the morning.

Enjoy!

Please let all of us know how you get on.

Chris

[RichardW]

my daughters coffee & walnut cupcakes.

makes 12, mix together...

8oz caster sugar
8oz marg
8oz self raising flour
4 eggs
2 pinches of baking powder

seperately mix 5 teaspoons of instant coffee with 1 1/2 teaspoon of water, stir into mix.

they go in oven at 180 until "firm", she uses clear skewer test.

icing - she uses a mix but isn't precise because she doesn't measure but goes on texture, roughly 12 oz of icing sugar & 4 -5 oz marg, if it's too thick she adds a little milk.

coffee for icing = 3 teaspoons of coffee to one of water.