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Craving for Cream of Celeriac Soup

On a crisp sunny Autumnal day, when those beautiful golden, orange and fiery red leaves are chasing themselves around the yard, there is nothing better than  a large bowl of piping hot soup and a good novel or movie (whichever you prefer!)

Of all the soups I make, this recipe, which combines celery root (celeriac) and the simplest of ingredients plus a dose of Stilton Cheese magic is right up there in my top 10 of all time. It is just perfect for those days when the daylight fades and winter shadows encroach.  It is flavorsome, silky and filling and  if you love celery as much as me, then it will be just perfect for you too!

Ingredients (for 4-6 servings)

Just a handful of ingredients needed

Just a handful of ingredients needed

  • 1 x medium large celery root celery roots peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 2 x medium waxy potatoes (I used Yukon yellow potatoes) peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 x large onion diced
  • 3 x sticks of celery diced
  • 2  x cups / 500 ml of Vegetable Stock
  • 1 x tbsp Marmite (a British yeast spread available in many stores or on Amazon)
  • 2 x Bay leaves
  • 2 x tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 x tbsp of half n half / single cream
  • 1.5 oz of Stilton Cheese chopped (save a little to decorate)
  • Salt and Pepper to season
Chopping, sauteing and simmering - the stages of soup

Chopping, sauteing and simmering – the stages of soup

Method

  • Heat the oil in a large deep saucepan on a medium high heat, add the chopped vegetables and saute for between 5 to 10 minutes or until tender
  • Pour in the stock and marmite add the bay leaves, season and bring to the boil
  • Top up with another 2 cups / 500 ml of boiling water (more or less depending how thick you like your soup!)
  • Simmer with a lid on the pan for around 30 minutes
  • Remove the pan from the heat, take out the bay leaves crumble up the Stilton cheese into the cooking pan and add the cream
  • Blend the soup, cheese and cream with a hand held blender or in a liquidizer until the soup forms a smooth creamy consistency, taste and season as necessaryBlended with cream and Stilton Cheese

Serve immediately, with a chunk of crusty bread and forget the cold!

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An American Classic – The Chocolate Brownie

Chocolate week in the UK?

It seems to me that US cuisine has the perfect solution for Chocoholics all over the Planet. So, here in NY I decided to bake one of my kids’ favorites. Served warm, Chocolate Brownie is a moist, melt in your mouth delight and what’s more, it’s almost as American as Apple Pie

The recipe I use is a classic, simple version which you’ll find in many children’s and (even) adults recipe books and takes less than an hour to make. But don’t be fooled. It is dangerously moreish!

Ingredients

All the Ingredients you'll need

All the Ingredients you’ll need

  • 1 heaped cup of roughly chopped bitter sweet chocolate
  • 8 tbsp of butter
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup plain / all purpose flour
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 350 f / 180 c, lining a baking tray / tin with aluminium foil, I used an 8 inch square tray

    Chocolate and Butter melting together. Mmmm!

    Chocolate and Butter melting together. Mmmm!

  • Warm some water in a small pan, place a Pyrex bowl over the water and add the chocolate and butter, stirring until the ingredients are combined (this prevents the chocolate getting stuck to the pan, which, would be a waste…)
  • Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients (except the flour) in a large bowl, add and stir in the melted chocolate butter mix until all the ingredients are combined
  • Then, fold the flour into the bowl stirring until its completely blended in the mix

    Mixing the ingredients

    Mixing the ingredients

  • Pour the finished brownie batter into the baking tray, smoothing the surface to make it even
  • Pop the tray into the oven for 25 – 30 minutes checking the brownie with a fork or skewer. If it comes out clean, it’s ready
  • At this point, take the brownie out the oven and cool on a wire rack (for about 20 minutes, or so)
  • Remove the foil and cut it into small squares
Baked Brownie

Baked Brownie

Serve warm with a large dollop of ice cream for instant Chocolate Nirvana!

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Pain au Chocolat Pudding -Perfect for Chocolate Week

I love chocolate. I have lots of lovely memories growing up with Uncle Charlie, whose sweet shop in Ridley Road, Dalston in East London was legendary. My experience was not quite Willy Wonka and eating chocolate was definitely a treat.  Mum, who was a dental nurse, restricted my consumption of chocolate & sweets, and I have her to thank for no fillings! As it’s Chocolate Week I decided to make my Pain au Chocolat Pudding, a chocolatey dessert that’s easy to make.

Ingredients  (Serves 4)

  • 3 Pain au Chocolat
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 330 ml semi skimmed milk
  • 85g golden caster sugar
  • 12 small squares of 70% dark chocolate
  • 9 small squares of 34% milk chocolate, broken in half
  • knob of unsalted butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method    Heat oven to 180 C (350 F)

Slice up your Pain au Chocolat

Slice up your Pain au Chocolat

  • Slice Pain au Chocolat into thick slices
  • Butter a deep round dish and add layers of sliced Pain au Chocolat scattering with a few chunks of milk chocolate in between.

To make chocolate custard: IMG_2038

  • Heat milk gently until warm & add vanilla extract
  • Whisk egg yolks and sugar for 2 minutes
  • Add warm milk slowly to egg/sugar mixture and continue to whisk until combined
  • Pour back into pan and cook gently for 3-4 minutes whilst whisking
  • Take off heat and add dark chocolate  3 squares at a time whilst whisking to ensure melted and combined
  • Pour over Pain au Chocolat and if time leave for 10 minutes to soak in (not essential)
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes until top crispy, and custard set. Serve warm – chocolate lovers delight!

    Serve warm from the oven

    Pain au Chocolat Pudding – warm & gooey!