chef andy's blog

Apple Crumble

 

The rise of the Gastro Pub, has brought about the reinvention of old favourites. As children we used have this treat when visiting our grandparents. In this recipe I use almonds, back home when cob nuts are in season, try them instead. The colours can be made more vibrant with the addition of plums. You can omit the nuts if your dietary needs don't suit.

Serves 4 /6  Preheat the Oven to 190c

6 large bramley apples

225 g butter

light brown sugar to taste

1 cinnamon stick 

2 star anise 

115 g flour

1 teaspoon lemon zest

55g almond slivers

30 g ground almonds

55g muscavado sugar

Saute the peeled and diced apples in half of the butter with the cinnamon stick and the star anise. In a non stick pan cook until the mix is soft and caramelised. 

Make the crumble by whizzing the butter, sugar and  flour together in a food processor until the mix resembles breadcrumbs. Using the pulse button add the almonds and lemon zest. 

You can pre bake the crumble to give a crunchy texture for about 10 minutes on a baking tray.

Pour the apple mix into an ovenproof dish and cover with the crumble mix . Cook for a further 15 minutes and serve with your favourate ice cream or custard. 

 

Canapés

Recent Article in the National U.A.E.

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Christmas Cake

Rich festive Fruit Cake

Being a chef that does not suffer from any baking phobias, as I served my time in the pastry section for some very demanding yet excellent peers. The main thing with baking and pastry is to check you have the right quantities and cook at the correct temperatures.

450 g currants                                                                    

175g sultanas

175 g raisins

50 g glace cherries chopped

50 g mixed peel chopped 

3 tablespoons of brandy or 6 tbs fresh orange juice

Zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange.

Add All the ingredients in this section and allow to stand in a bowl over night covered with a cloth. 

225g soft brown sugar                                                      

1 tbs black treacle

225g softened unsalted butter

4 eggs

Cream the sugar, treacle and add the eggs one at a time. Add to the fruit mix above.

225g plain flour                                                                

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp mixed spice

50g chopped almonds

Sift the flour, salt and spices . Fold into the mix above. Line a 8inch round cake tin with greaseproof paper. Tie brown paper around the outside with string. Pour in the cake mix, sprinkle with the almonds. Cover the top with a separate piece of greaseproof paper with a hole cut in the middle. Preheat an oven to 140c and cook on the lower shelf for 4 1/2 hours. Check to see if cooked by piercing with a skewer. If dry then the cake is cooked. Allow to cool and re wrap in grease proof paper and store in an airtight container.

 

Cakes for Special Occasions

Whilst working on the Isle of Skye this summer at the wonderful Greshornish House http://www.greshornishornishouse.com on the Ardnamurchan peninsula with Neil and Rosemary Colquhoun.  They helped me sharpen my skills in the home baking department. Afternoon teas with Millionaires shortbread, scones, rich fruit cakes, lemon and poppy seed cake were some of the items I made for the guests afternoon pick ups.

My evenings after work would be taken up by reading cook books and the one that caught my eye had input from the owners, whilst they were teaching at Eton College. This recipe with all of life's ups and downs is part of the blog I would like to explore "Food for Thought"

Happiness Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup of good thoughts

1 cup of kind deeds

1 cup of consideration for others

2 cups of sacrifice

2 cups of well beaten faults

3 cups of forgiveness

Method

Mix thoroughly. Tears of joy, sorrow and sympathy.Flavour with love and kindly service. Fold in four cups of prayers and faith. Blend well. Fold into daily life. Bake well with the warmth of human kindness and serve with a smile. It will always satisfy the hunger of starved souls.

Skye High

A friend recently commented on a picture I posted on face book, of  The Isle of Skye, "Heavens Larder". As a chef it is always good to go to the source of the ingredients.

This summer I have foraged for cockles and mussels on The Isle of North Uhist with my good friend "The Rock 'n'Roll Chef", visited The Invershin hotel and collected wild mushrooms and smoked fish there, for Angus and Cheryl. Fished badly and taken plenty of exercise!

Working at Greshornish house I have been lucky enough to use some fab ingredients. The Hotel has won a good for the soul award, great if you are seeking peace and tranquility. The gentle pace of Island life wasn't always matched by me in the kitchen though.

West coast and Island seafood has included such goodies as hand dived scallops,creel caught lobster and crab. The ocean also provided Hake, Ling, Mackerel, Razor clams. Then to add to this  delicious Peat smoked salmon, sea trout and haddock.

Fur and feather from the hill included Venison , Grouse and Rabbit. Locally grown salad leaves garnished various terrines and pate's. The walled garden provided flowers for the tables, new season and exotic varieties of potato, peas, beans, berries and an array of soft herbs.

Using my time wisely I have worked on my weakest area from last season, so its fitting that I post this recipe for a simple dessert of Cardamon and orange infused pannacotta with Scottish berries. The blackberries or brambles as known in this part of the world add to the joy of foraging.

Pannacotta

300 ml double cream

100 ml milk

1.5 leaves gelatine

3 tbs caster sugar

A teaspoon of good vanilla essence

2 pods of cardamon bruised and large strip of orange peel twisted.

Method

Bring all the ingredients except the gelatin to a simmer for 5 minutes then allow to stand off the heat for at least 30 minutes. Strain through a sieve, add to the  gelatin soaked in cold water and squeeze dry. Stir the gelatin into the cream mix and pour into ramekins. Serve with your favourite berry mix and shortbread dusted with icing sugar.

 

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Triple Chocolate Brownies

185g butter

185g dark chocolate

3 eggs

310g sugar

135g plain flour

60g cocoa powder

90g white chocolate buttons

90g milk chocolate buttons

 

Pre heat the Oven to 180c

 

Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a bowl double wrapped in plastic film, over a pan of simmering water. Beat the eggs and sugar until a creamy consistency is achieved. Sieve the cocoa powder and flour together and fold into the egg and chocolate mix. Allow to cool slightly then fold in the white and milk chocolate buttons. Pour onto a tray lined with parchment paper to a 2ccm thickness. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting into pieces, eat slightly warm.  

 

 

Calamari

As my son is at school in the U.K. we keep in touch my phone and e mail. As he is growing so are his taste buds, thank goodness. When I asked him if he liked calamari much to my surprise , he does. They are still really cheap here in the U.A.E. @ around 20 dirhams a kilo.The healthy option is clean the hood and score criss/ crossed  at an angle with a serrated table knife. You don't want it too sharp as it will cut straight through. Rub with a little oil and grill until it curls up. Serve with rocket salad and a tomato salsa spiced up with chili flakes.This was a favourate in the 90's London restaurant scene.If you are really stretched for time make tempura squid one Zac's favourate snacks.Simply mix the bought in flour with ice cold water and deep fry in hot oil. Drain on kitchen paper, season with salt and pepper, serve with sweet chilli sauce and a squeeze of lime.

   

Salt and Pepper Squid 

When I used to work in London's soho we would pop over the road to China Town after work and start with this quick and easy dish.

500g cleaned squid hoods

110 g flour

1 tablespoon sea salt

2 tablespoons black pepper

vegetable oil for deep frying

1. Cut the squid in half length wise, score the inside and cut into 2cm pieces.

2. Mix the flour salt and pepper, drench the squid in this mix and shake of excess flour in a sieve.

3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.

4. Fry the squid in batches allowing the oil to come back to temperature each time. Cook till tender and brown. drain on kitchen paper.

Serve with light soy sauce loaded with sesame oil , chill and finely sliced spring onion.

Top Tip

Put the flour mix in a plastic bag to coat the squid. Hold tightly and shake. 

Out and about I found these little gems

Green pepper Corns , often used in Thai jungle curry. I like treating my self to a fiery pepper sauce to acompany aged Black Angus Rib Eye Steak.

Next time baked Sea Bream.

 

 

 

 

How to Cook In Dubai

                   Sultan Ibrahim                                                picture by Richard Allenby- Pratt

 

In Europe we would use Red Mullet here in the Gulf this inexpensive fish makes a fine soup. Served with rouille , gruyere cheese and garlic croutons  treat yourself to a delicious school night supper. I have used the recipe from "A Summer In France" with Chef Andy.

Red Mullet Soup

Serves 4/6

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 30 minutes

 

This is one of my favourite fish.  The French eat it whole with its liver intact, and name it the woodcock of the sea because of the same method of preparation is used on it's feathered friend.

Peel and slice 2 carrots, 1 onion, 2 cloves of garlic, ½ a bulb of  fennel, 1 strip of orange peel, 1  bay leaves, 2 branches of thyme, ½ a de seeded chili, 1 small de seeded  sliced yellow pepper, and a large pinch of saffron.

On a low heat cook in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 10 minutes covered with a lid.  Add 4 medium sized tomatoes skinned and chopped, then turn up the heat.  Cook and stir for 3-4 minutes.  Add 500g of red mullet fillets and a nip of Pastis.  Flambé and when the flames die out add 1.5 litres of fish stock made from the bones. Cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes

Allow to cool a little, then blend and  pass through a sieve, serve in warmed bowls with rouille, croutons and grated gruyere cheese.

 

 

Shortbread

What is it with kids and Grandparents they both seam to have a sweet tooth. This is a recipe I got whilst working in Sutherland, Scotland. A local fishing friend convinced his wife to pass this on. As recipes are treasured in this part of the world, I felt quite honoured to receive it. It is easy to make, but worth resting the pastry before cooking. So this is one of the jobs to do before putting the Sunday roast on.

Shortbread

500g plain sifted flour

250g butter

115g icing sugar plus extra for dusting the biscuits

1 egg yolk

Put all the ingredients into a food processor, hit the pulse button until the mix comes together. Turn out on to a board roll into a ball, then into a log with a 4 cm diameter. Wrap in cling film. Put into the refrigerator and rest for at least 2 hours. Cut diagonally into 5mm thick biscuits. Pre heat the oven to gas 3 /160 c.  Place onto a non stick baking tray. Bake for 10/15 minutes the shortbread should be a golden colour underneath when cooked. Place on a wire rack to cool. Then store in an airtight container for up to a week. They go well with homemade jellies, ice cream or just eaten on their own. Dust with sprinkling of icing sugar. Enjoy.

Focaccia

The first part of the day started with Neil driving us to "The Curlew" at Bodiam on the Kent/ Sussex borders. The morning sun was desperately try to break through the mist firmly set on the rolling hills. Arriving a little early we continued to the village and walked around the moated castle. Proceeding to the restaurant we viewed the menus and contemporary design, whilst thawing out next to the wood burning stove.

I booked us a table at 12.30 thinking we would be the first dinners, forgetting appetites in the country side develop earlier in the day. Choices made, Zac decided to have Rye Bay Scallops, oak smoked haddock, jerusalem artichoke. A fellow chef friend used to write Palestine artichokes on his menus describing this tasty winter treat mixing  up a city witha country .There was a little confusion, as The Restaurant had opened on the 14th offering Valentine fayre to their loved up customers. Some deliveries were late but arrived after we ordered, enabling Zac to enjoy his starter. He commented "Rye Bay Scallop, so delicious for a first timer." First up however was some fruited bread , home baked and served with runny honey, again no fuss from our young diner.

Zac went onto Cod, line caught fillet, mashed potato, parsley sauce. We are talking the bright green version of the parsley sauce. All mopped up with extra bread he went onto comment, "The Cod was exquisite" Zac aged 11.  Followed by Chocolate, hot chocolate pot, malt ice cream "A double thumbs up. I don't know where he but it all.  His final comment about his dining experience was "I didn't expect to come to a Michelin Stared restaurant so soon (in life)."

After such a good lunch I thought it was only fitting that we would all bake a simple foccacia for dinner. This flat bread was livened up with, mozzarella and parmesan cheese, studded with rosemary one side and basil the other, olive oil generously poured over and finished with parma ham. As Zac is so keen to try new dishes I think its time to launch Zac's Snacks and each week I will do a dish for the younger diner.

Focaccia

459g Strong flour

1 tsp salt

1tsb honey

1 x 7g yeast

300 ml tepid water

4 tsb olive oil plus extra to pour over cooked bread

Sea salt to garnish.

Method

Pre heat the oven to 220 c. Mix all the ingredients together except the sea salt. Kneed well until the dough is smooth and developed. Roll out onto a tray until about 2 cm thick and cover with a damp cloth. Allow to double in size in a warm place. Remove the cloth and press indentations with wet fingers. Spinkle with salt and add mozzarella, herbs. Bake for 30/35 mins and finish off with a good gulg of olive oil, parma ham or your preferred salamis.

 

I disscused this and othert recipes with James Piecowye on Dubai Eye 103.8 fm, the link is below.

http://nightline.podomatic.com/entry/2011-02-22T23_28_12-08_00.