Roasted Rhubarb Bakewell Tart

I made 2 of these using bought pastry cases

1lb rhubarb, cut into short lengths

5oz caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp extra for sprinkling

1 x 375g pack sweet shortcrust pastry            OR 2 bought cases

5oz softened butter

3½oz ground almonds

2 large eggs

¼ tsp almond extract

1 tsp baking powder

2oz plain flour

Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, 160°C fan. Toss the rhubarb with 75g (2oz) of the sugar then spread over a baking tray roast for 20 minutes, then cool.

Roll out the pastry to line a 23cm (9in) loose-bottomed tart tin. Leave excess hanging over and prick the base with a fork. Chill for 20 minutes until firm. Line with nonstick baking paper and baking beans and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper, then bake for a further 10 minutes. Trim the edges when cool.

Remove the rhubarb from the syrup. Mash half and spread over the pastry.

Beat together the remaining sugar, butter, almonds, eggs, almond extract, baking powder and flour until creamy.

Spoon the mixture over the rhubarb purée, then scatter with the remaining rhubarb and 1 tbsp sugar.

Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden and risen. Cool in the tin until warm.

Crab and Shrimp Seafood Bisque

Tastes very nice but next time will use a dry sherry

3 tablespoons butter
3 chopped green onion
1 large stick celery chopped
2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces crab meat
4 to 8 ounces small cooked shrimp or other seafood
2 tablespoon sherry 

Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-low heat; add the chopped green onion and celery. Saute, stirring, until tender.
Blend the flour into the butter and vegetables until well incorporated. Continue cooking, stirring, for about 2 minutes.
Warm the milk in another saucepan over medium heat.
Slowly stir in the warmed milk and continue cooking and stirring until thickened.
Add the freshly ground black pepper, tomato paste, and heavy cream.
If desired, puree the soup in a blender or food processor** at this point and then return it to the saucepan.
Stir in the crab, shrimp, and the sherry. Bring to a simmer.
Serve hot.

Pear and Chocolate Cake

I just used normal brandy, the cake took about an hour to cook and I topped with some chocolate sauce. This amount does a cake for 4-6 people

2 under-ripe pears

70g dark chocolate
85 g butter
2 eggs
60 g sugar
50 g ground almonds
1 tbsp Pear Brandy

1 Preheat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3½. Grease and line a 23cm round deep cake tin.

2 Peel, core and cut the pears into eighths. Arrange them core-side down in a fanned circle at the bottom of the tin.

3 Put a pan on the heat with a little water in it and set a heatproof bowl over it. Break up the chocolate and melt together with the butter in the bowl.

4 While that’s melting, beat the eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Stir in the melted chocolate then carefully fold in the ground almonds.

5 Tip the batter into the tin and bake for 45-50 minutes. Use a skewer to test the centre to check that it is baked through. As soon as it comes out of the oven, pour the Pear Brandy all over the top and leave it to cool in the tin.

6 To serve, gently loosen the cake all around with a knife then place a plate on top of the tin. Holding them together firmly with both hands, flip the tin and plate over so that the plate is underneath and the cake can slip down on to it.

Pork Marsala

I used garlic infused olive oil as this is a quick option to mincing garlic.

4 boneless thin pork loins

2 thinly sliced shallots

2 chopped garlic cloves

8 sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup Marsala wine

1/2 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon of salt and ground pepper

fresh thyme

1. On a plate or shallow bowl add flour, salt and pepper-mix. Toss your pork in the mixture to coat all sides and tap off the excess.

2. In a saute pan or similar add butter and oil to a medium high heat, when butter is melted, add pork to pan and cook, flipping over one time when sides get golden brown.

3. Lower the heat to medium-lowish and add your mushrooms, shallots, and garlic to the pan. Use tongs to toss them around so they are touching the pan.

4. Add in your Marsala wine and chicken broth, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits at the bottom of the pan.

5. Add in fresh thyme (about a teaspoon-tablespoon)

6. Cover the pan and let cook for about 10 minutes

7. Optional- add in about a teaspoon of Dijon Mustard (pork and mustard are a match made in heaven) and let cook for another 3-4 minutes uncovered

8. It will be ready when the sauce has thickened into a gravy.

Upside Down Cheesecake Apple Pie

I only made half of this for 4 of us and if I do it again will do in a smaller dish so that the cheesecake part comes out thicker

Prepared pie crusts or your favourite crust recipe
2 x 8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
6 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
caramel sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a pie pan with the bottom pie crust.
With mixer on high, combine cream cheese, ½ cup sugar and vanilla until fluffy.

Add in eggs and mix until combined.

Pour cream cheese mixture into the pie crust.

In large bowl, combine apples, lemon juice, ½ cup sugar, flour and cinnamon.

Gently place apples on top of cream cheese mixture.

Top apples with second pie crust turning the crust inwards to bake. Cut a few small slits into the top of the pie.

Line a pan with parchment paper and place the pie on the pan. Cover loosely with a piece of foil and bake 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake an additional 30 minutes or until the apples feel soft when a knife is inserted. Remove from the oven and cool 10 minutes.

Place a large plate over the top of the pie and flip it upside down releasing the pie onto the plate.

Cool 1 hour on the countertop and then refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold with caramel sauce and or cream.

Tesco Mixed Fish Pie

I added some prawns to the original recipe and it turned out well; just did half of this for 2 of us

3-4 medium Potatoes

400g Tesco Fish Pie Mix (Smoked Cod, Cod, Salmon)
100g Frozen Peas
120g Grated Cheese
80g Butter
8g (1 ¼ teaspoon) Salt
0.8g Pepper (¼ teaspoon) Ground Black Pepper
200mls Milk
8mls 1 1/2 Teaspoons Olive Oil (for greasing)


Method:
Pre heat oven to 180ºC/Fan 160ºC/Gas Mark 4
Place fish pie mix in a lightly greased dish.
Add milk
Peel the potatoes, put them in a pan and cover with water.
Add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil.
When the potatoes start to boil put the fish pie mix in the oven.
After 20 minutes take the fish pie mix out and take the potatoes off the hob.
Increase the heat of the oven to 220ºC / Fan 200ºC / Gas Mark 7
Pour the water off the potatoes and mash with butter, salt, pepper and the milk used for the fish pie mix.
Mix the frozen peas and mashed potato together with a fork.
Spread the mash over the fish pie mix and add the grated cheese to the top.
Put the dish in the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until the cheese has cooked to a golden brown.
Take out and serve.

Spaghetti tetrazzini

This is plenty for 4 people

200g thin spaghetti or linguine

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or pre-coooked

1 lb button mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups equal parts milk & heavy cream
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, plus more to garnish
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

      1.   Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water until aldente according to package instructions then rinse to stop the cooking process, drain and set aside.

2.   In a large dutch oven pot or deep saute pan (if baking in a casserole dish), melt 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with about ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Once oil is hot, saute chicken until golden brown on both sides and cooked through (about 4 min per side). Remove to cutting board to cool then cut into bite-sized pieces.

3.   In the same pot (no need to wash it), add 3 Tbsp oil then add sliced mushrooms and saute 2 min or until softened. Add diced onions and cook until onions are soft and golden, 5-7 min. Add minced garlic and sautee another 1-2 min. Remove to the cutting board with chicken.

4.   In the same pot, melt 4 Tbsp butter and whisk in ⅓ cup flour until lightly golden (1½ min). Add 2 cups chicken broth, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper or season to taste and whisk until smooth. Add 1½ cups half and half and bring to a simmer.

5.   Return chicken, mushrooms, onions and pasta to the pot then season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle in chopped fresh parsley and stir to combine. Sprinkle the top generously with shredded mozzarella and bake at Gas 5 / Fan 160 for 20 min.