Monday 14 August 2017

Aromatic Chinese-Style Beef Stew


Served with simple rice and steamed broccoli , it beats a greasy takeaway on a Saturday night. As this is one of those dishes that would be even better made a day in advance, it's just perfect as entertaining recipe too. 

Ingredients:
  • 1kg shin of beef or thereabouts, cuts into large bite size pieces
  • 2 tbsp of flour
  • 200g of spring onions, sliced thinly into matchsticks
  • 2 thumbs worth of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
  • 3 star anise
  • 10 cloves of  garlic, sliced thinly
  • 750ml of beef stock 
  • 2tsp brown sugar
  • Peel of 2 oranges, juice of 1
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1/2 large chilli, add more according to taste if prefer hotter
  • 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
  • 3 tbsp rice wine or sherry
  • 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1/4 tsp sesame oil
  • Black pepper
  • Sunflower oil
Method:

Preheat oven to 150°C. Trim any large bits of fat from the beef, cut into bite sized pieces and dust in flour. 
Heat sunflower oil to fairly high. Fry off the beef in batches, don't over crowded the pan. Take your time. After all the pieces are browned, set aside the beef. 
Now turn the heat down a little. Fry the ginger, chilli and 3/4 of the spring onions for a few minutes.
Add the sugar, cinnamon, star anise, 5 spice powder, orange peel to the dish and put your beef back in too. 
Add the beef stock, soy sauce, rice wine and the juice of 1 orange in to the beef. Give it a good stir and pop in the oven for 2 hours. Stir half way through. 
When 2 hours are up, add the honey, a good grinding of black pepper and a tiny amount of sesame oil. Taste and maybe add more honey or pepper.
Serve with sliced chilli, spring onions alongside some plain rice and steamed broccoli. Pok Choi would be great too 

Sunday 13 August 2017

No-Bake Three Chocolate cake




No-Bake Three Chocolate  Cake recipe- Made in a bundt pan, layer of white, milk and dark chocolate  and Oreo cookie crust. Topped with chocolate ganache and fresh berries. A chocolate lover's heaven!!

Here is the look on the inside. Again this is not a three chocolate mousse cake. This is three chocolate  "panna cotta"  style cake in a bundt pan. 



Ingredients: 
  • 4 cups double cream 
  • 2 cups milk
For white chocolate layer:
  • 250g white chocolate 
  • 2 1/2 tsp gelatin 
  • 2 tbsp cold water
For milk chocolate layer:
  • 250g milk chocolate 
  • 2 1/2 tsp gelatin 
  • 2 tbsp cold water
For the dark chocolate layer:
  • 250g dark chocolate (70% cocoa) 
  • 4 tbsp sugar
  • 21/2 tsp gelatin
  • 2 tbsp cold water
For the Oreo layer:
  • 24 Oreo cookies
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 114g melted butter
For the ganache:
  • 120g semi sweet chocolate 
  • 1/2 cup double cream
For decoration:
  • Berries for garnishing 
Method:

In a saucepan, combine milk and cream and heat over medium heat, until it starts to boil. Remove from heat, divide mixture into 3 equal parts, about 2 cups each.

For the white chocolate layer:

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl, let it stand for 5 minutes, until gelatin expands then in a microwave for 30 seconds to liquify.
Place chocolate in a bowl and pour hot liquid over it. Let it stand for 2 minutes and whisk to combine. 
Add gelatin and whisk to combine.
Generously spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. Pour mixture in the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or more until set.

For the milk chocolate layer:

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl, let it stand for 5 minutes, until gelatin expands then in a microwave for 30 seconds to liquify.
Place chocolate in a bowl and pour hot liquid over it. Let it stand for 2 minutes and whisk to combine. 
Add gelatin and whisk to combine.
Carefully pour mixture in the pan over the white chocolate layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. 

For the dark chocolate layer:

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl, let it stand for 5 minutes, until gelatin expands then in a microwave for 30 seconds to liquify.
Place chocolate in a bowl and pour hot liquid over it. Let it stand for 2 minutes and whisk to combine. 
Add gelatin and whisk to combine.
Carefully pour mixture in the pan over the milk chocolate layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. 

For the Oreo layer:

Process the cookies in a food processor until fine crumbles. Combine with sugar and butter and mix to combine. 
When the dark chocolate later is set, very gently add the crust layer, using a spoon to distribute it and then lightly press it over the dark chocolate layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

For the ganache:

In a small saucepan, heat the double cream until it just begins to boil and remove immediately. 
Place chocolate in a bowl and pour hot cream on top. Add peppermint extract (optional).
Let it sit for 1 minute then stir with a rubber spatula. Stir continuously until mixture gets smooth. Let it cool a little before you use it. It still needs to be thin so it drips down the cake 

To serve:

When ready, to remove the cake from the pan, use a hair dryer to heat the walls of the pan, or dip in a hot water for 30-60 seconds to loosen, then invert onto a serving platter. 
Pour the chocolate ganache on top and add berries for garnishing.