Wednesday 17 April 2013

Thai Green Curry- Mid week Treat

Thai Green Curry.
It's one of those "whatever's in the fridge" kind of meals. And no matter what you use it always tastes so damn good! Fish, Chicken, Beef. Whichever you fancy, in the pot it goes. What's even better is if you love your vegetables, then you can put as much in as you like really.

So at home, despite the chef muscles being flexed in our kitchen on a regular basis, we still know how to keep it simple!


Bring on the Vegetables!
Poaching the Chicken in the coconut cream works better. 

Leave everything to cook away nicely for approximately 15 minutes. Of course, check on things. A good way to know when your Chicken is ready is to taste it

Just about done. Plates at the ready!
Simple mid week loving! 
All you have to do is tuck in and enjoy!

Tuesday 16 April 2013

Fruits of the forest Tartlets

Summer Is Coming! 
Well, Spring has had a little bit of an uninspiring start. But slowly, surely the weather is getting better. Which means that desserts are about to get a whole lot sweeter. 
Grab your favourite mixed Berries. To be really honest, use frozen ones. They are much easier. You certainly don't have to wait for these to be in season (which means... Indulge whenever)

Castor Sugar with frozen berries
Use Castor Sugar when cooking the berries to help break them down. The sugar also starts to get that lovely thick juice going. Making them a Little jammy in texture.


Cooking the berries down 
Ready yourself for the best filling!
Grab your cooked pastry cases. See the previous entry 



Once your berries are thick and dark in texture, allow it to cool down for a bit. Grab a spoon and fill them up to the top. 



If you want to get a little fancy, cut your excess pastry into strips. Brush them with a little milk, so they stick together and brown up nicely. Carefully lay them over the berries, and press them down at the edges of the pastry tin.

Into the oven at 160˚c for 15 minutes or until they are becoming golden. When they are out, as much as you may want to savour them... Give them 5-10 mins to cool down. Otherwise you may just burn your tastebuds. And then you'll miss all the delectable yumminess. That, would just be a waste!



What about the Pastry? Check the link for our Gluten Free Sweet Pastry.
http://meandthechef.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/gluten-free-sweet-pastry.html


Friday 12 April 2013

Gluten Free Sweet Pastry

It's nice to know Chef loves me. He puts up with my Gluten Free Issues, and has been searching for the best options for my needs. A lot of the time gluten free options taste dry or powdery. 

Here is the most fantastic Sweet Pastry. It has good elasticity, with no breaking. Cooks brilliantly. And most importantly... Tastes Marvellous!


320g GF Flour
200g butter
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
100g icing sugar
1 tsp Xantham Gum


Cream the butter and sugar until very smooth and soft. Add the eggs one by one and incorporate on low or by whisk carefully. Add the flour and Xantham gum, and mix in with a spatula.  



When the mix is well incorporated, turn the pastry out on to a clean bench and gently mould into a cylinder shape, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate. This mix will seem too soft, don’t worry, when it cools down and goes solid, it will be good for rolling. 

When the pastry is hard, bring it out of the fridge and cut into even sized rounds, and lay on a gluten free floured surface and proceed to roll out to the thickness and desired size. 


Lay into mould, and cut off any excess, place in cooking beans if you are blind baking, and re refrigerate before baking. Bake on 150˚c for 15 mins, or until the base of the pastry is light brown. Then take out the beans and bake for 4 mins more at 180˚c to a light golden brown. 

Then proceed to fill your tart with your filling of choice...

I'm gonna give you a sneaky peak at a couple of Tarts in the next few days!