Cooking with Claire
Cooking with Claire - 26th May 2020
This week’s recipes:
Lebanese Aubergines with Chickpeas: Mnazaleh*
Anne’s Yoghurt Cake with lemon drizzle frosting
Cooking with Claire - 9th June 2020
This week’s recipes:
Claire’s Vegetable Lasagna
Whole Oat Crunchies
Cooking with Claire - 7th July 2020
This week’s recipes:
Shakshuka
Banoffee Pie
Bake and Learn September 2020 with Claire Brown, Seph Stern and Vardi Dansky
RECIPES
Honey glazed carrot batons
Chicken in Maple Syrup
Gingered Parsnip Puree
Pink Lady Apple Pudding
******
Honey glazed carrot batons
Ingredients
1kg Carrots
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp oil
Method
1. Pre heat oven to 180C gas mark 4
2. Peel carrots and cut into chunks batons
3. Place batons into an oiled ovenproof dish and sprinkle with salt, honey and oil. Give a good stir to combine
3. Cover securely with foil and bake in oven for 1 hour or until tender to an inserted sharp knife
4. This dish can be made in advance and reheated on a hotplate, or in an oven, or microwave
Chicken in Maple Syrup
Ingredients
1 onion peeled and sliced
3 fl oz red wine
2 tbsp wine vinegar
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mustard powder
1 clove garlic crushed
1 chicken in 8 pieces
Method
1. Place sliced onion in the bottom of casserole dish or deep baking tin
2. lay the chicken skin side up over the onions
3. Place all the rest of the ingredients in a lidded jar and shake to combine or place in a jug and whisk together. Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover with foil or lid and place in the fridge for at least an hour, or better still, overnight to marinate
4. Roast in a pre heated oven gas mark 4/ 180C for an hour and a half covered, then 30 minutes uncovered. (You can keep it covered throughout if you prefer a softer chicken)
5. Serve with roast potatoes, parsnip puree and honey glazed carrots for a sweet and sumptuous New Year feast!
NB the sauce can be made a few days in advance and stored in a lidded jar in the fridge
****
Gingered Parsnip Puree
Ingredients:
1½ lb/675g parsnips
2 medium potatoes
(12oz/350g)
1 tsp ground ginger
2oz/50g hard marge
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
Method:
1. Peel the parsnips and cut into 1” cubes. Peel and quarter the potatoes.
2. Drop the veg into a large pan of boiling salted water and cook until tender, about 20 minutes
3. Drain well, and puree the vegetables with the ginger, salt, marge and honey in a food processor or in the pan using a potato masher
4. Serve immediately or allow to cool and reheat in a microwave, 4 minutes on full power or 30 minutes in a hot oven (Can be kept warm on a hot plate if needed on Shabbat)
Pink Lady Apple Pudding
Ingredients
1 can apples 411g
2 eggs
2 pink lady apples peeled
Cored and thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
¾ cups vegetable oil
Handful raisins
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp cinnamon with 2tbsp sugar
1 cup SR flour
Method:
1. Mix the canned apples together with the sliced apples and add the lemon juice, raisins and cinnamon sugar.
2. Place the apple mix in a greased 10” ovenproof or foil dish
3. Beat the eggs and sugar well, add the oil, vanilla and finally the flour. Pour this batter over the apples and bake in a preheated oven at 160 C /Gas Mark 3 for 45 minutes
4. This can be served warm with custard or ice cream, or cold as a cake, dredged with icing sugar
Etz Chaim communal honey cake bake with Claire Brown and Rabbi Anthony Gilbert
HONEY CAKE
Ingredients
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 1 cup hot water
6oz (170g) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 cup of oil (use teacup if don’t have measuring cups)
3 rounded tablespoons golden syrup (Approx ½ tin) or 2 rounded tablespoons syrup and 1 rounded tablespoon honey
8 oz (230g) SR flour
2 teaspoons each of cinnamon and ginger
Method
1. Dissolve ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda in 1 cup of hot water
2. Beat together the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl
3. Beat in the oil and syrup
4. Beat in the rest of the dry ingredients (flour and spices).
5. Add the water and mix to a smooth runny batter
Baked in a pre-heated oven at 180 C 350F or gas mark 4 in 2 greased and lined 1 lb loaf tins or one 8” round tins, for 55 mins to 1 hour
NB
1. This cake will taste its best if you can wait for at least two or three days before eating it. 1 week is the optimum time, as the cake matures and becomes more moist and tasty.
2. You can substitute golden syrup for honey if you prefer the taste.
How to make perfect Holishkies with Claire and find out more about Succot with Sephy and Vardi
Cooking and Chat with Lord Michele (Michael) Righetti and Lady Hadassah Broscova Sarunac-Righetti, Count and Countess of Vrelo
In the company of Claire Brown, we are off to Brora, a small industrial village in the Highlands of Scotland , and the home of Lord Michele(Michael) Righetti and Lady Hadassah Broscova Sarunac-Righetti, Count and Countess of Vrelo. We will be learning how to make traditional Italian pasta al forno and hearing about the challenges of living an Orthodox Jewish live in one of the remoter parts of the British Isles
Recipe
Lord Michele Righetti’s Pasta al Forno
Ingredients
500g short pasta eg penne, rigatoni or fusili
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 onion
1 clove garlic (optional)
½ tsp black pepper
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp sugar
Bechamel sauce (or substitute 500ml double cream with ½ tsp salt & pepper)
50g butter or margarine
50g plain flour
600ml milk or milk substitute
½ tsp nutmeg
125g cheddar or parmesan cheese
¼ tsp Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Boil up your pasta in a large pan of salted water for only 8 minutes then drain and set aside. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven in its sauce. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C gas mark 4
2. Finely chop the onion and garlic (if using) and sautee in the olive oil in a large pan until the onion has softened and started to caramelise (go brown)
3. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and chilli flakes (if using) and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings, and then stir in the part cooked pasta and pour into a greased shallow ovenproof dish or foil tray
4. In a clean pan make the bechamel: Melt the butter and then stir in the flour mixing to a thick paste. Remove from the heat and whisk or stir in the milk a little at a time, until fully combined with no lumps. Add the nutmeg, ¼ tsp salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and return to the heat, stirring constantly as the mixture thickens. Finally turn off the heat and stir in 100g of the cheese (grated) until it is melted and pour the finished bechamel over the prepared pasta and sprinkle extra 25g grated cheese on the top
5. Bake in your preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes until the mixture is bubbling and browned on the top. Serves 4 large or 6 moderate portions
An Indian Themed Menu
Curried sweet potato and coconut soup
Chicken Jalfrezi
Indian spiced rice
1st December 2020
Cooking with Claire – Vegetarian menu
Mushroom Strudel
Vegan Chocolate Orange Tart
Rosa’s Pareve Ice Cream
Cooking with Claire: Sticky Asian beef and string beans and Perfect Basmati rice
Sticky Asian beef and string beans
My eldest son is a foodie, like his mum, and showed me how to make this dish the last time he came to visit. It came from the cookbook “Peas Love and Carrots” by Danielle Renov and I can honestly say is is one of the most delicious dishes I have ever tried. It is wonderful served with boiled basmati rice.
Ingredients
600g beef steak cut thin
6 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp chopped garlic
½ tsp minced ginger
2 tbsp cornflour
1 bunch spring onions sliced
1 chilli thinly sliced
3 cups frozen string beans
2 tbsp honey
¼ cup hot water
8 Baby sweetcorn sliced (optional)
1 red pepper finely sliced (optional)
Method
- In a large bowl combine the meat with the cornflour and I tbsp soy sauce
- Heat a large pan or wok over a high heat. Add oil
- Sear the meat for a few minutes to begin cooking and so that a crunchy coating can form. Alternate between letting the meat sit for 1 minute and then stirring to prevent burning
- Add garlic, ginger, spring onions, chilli, green beans sweetcorn and pepper, 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tbspn honey. Cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly
- Add the hot water and stir using a wooden spoon to scrape the the bottom
to deglaze the pan.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes
- remove the lid, turn the heat to high and add the remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Stir for about 4 minutes and serve over basmati rice
Perfect Basmati rice
This is the most simple and easy way to cook basmati rice. It is the perfect accompaniment to spicy tasty middle eastern or Indian dishes. Serves 3 to 4
Ingredients
1 glass basmati rice
2 glasses hot water
1 tsp salt
Method
- Cover rice in a pan with cold water for 1 hour prior to cooking, then drain into a sieve
- Place the empty pan on a medium heat till smoking then add the drained rice and salt and stir.
- Add the water and bring to the boil, Simmer until all the visible liquid has gone, then turn down the heat and cover the pan and leave on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to continue to steam for a further 5 minutes
- The rice should be perfectly cooked, fluffy and light.
Cooking with Claire - 26th May 2020
This week’s recipes:
Lebanese Aubergines with Chickpeas: Mnazaleh*
Anne’s Yoghurt Cake with lemon drizzle frosting
Cooking with Claire - 9th June 2020
This week’s recipes:
Claire’s Vegetable Lasagna
Whole Oat Crunchies
Cooking with Claire - 7th July 2020
This week’s recipes:
Shakshuka
Banoffee Pie
Bake and Learn September 2020 with Claire Brown, Seph Stern and Vardi Dansky
RECIPES
Honey glazed carrot batons
Chicken in Maple Syrup
Gingered Parsnip Puree
Pink Lady Apple Pudding
******
Honey glazed carrot batons
Ingredients
1kg Carrots
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp oil
Method
1. Pre heat oven to 180C gas mark 4
2. Peel carrots and cut into chunks batons
3. Place batons into an oiled ovenproof dish and sprinkle with salt, honey and oil. Give a good stir to combine
3. Cover securely with foil and bake in oven for 1 hour or until tender to an inserted sharp knife
4. This dish can be made in advance and reheated on a hotplate, or in an oven, or microwave
Chicken in Maple Syrup
Ingredients
1 onion peeled and sliced
3 fl oz red wine
2 tbsp wine vinegar
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
3 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mustard powder
1 clove garlic crushed
1 chicken in 8 pieces
Method
1. Place sliced onion in the bottom of casserole dish or deep baking tin
2. lay the chicken skin side up over the onions
3. Place all the rest of the ingredients in a lidded jar and shake to combine or place in a jug and whisk together. Pour the sauce over the chicken, cover with foil or lid and place in the fridge for at least an hour, or better still, overnight to marinate
4. Roast in a pre heated oven gas mark 4/ 180C for an hour and a half covered, then 30 minutes uncovered. (You can keep it covered throughout if you prefer a softer chicken)
5. Serve with roast potatoes, parsnip puree and honey glazed carrots for a sweet and sumptuous New Year feast!
NB the sauce can be made a few days in advance and stored in a lidded jar in the fridge
****
Gingered Parsnip Puree
Ingredients:
1½ lb/675g parsnips
2 medium potatoes
(12oz/350g)
1 tsp ground ginger
2oz/50g hard marge
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
Method:
1. Peel the parsnips and cut into 1” cubes. Peel and quarter the potatoes.
2. Drop the veg into a large pan of boiling salted water and cook until tender, about 20 minutes
3. Drain well, and puree the vegetables with the ginger, salt, marge and honey in a food processor or in the pan using a potato masher
4. Serve immediately or allow to cool and reheat in a microwave, 4 minutes on full power or 30 minutes in a hot oven (Can be kept warm on a hot plate if needed on Shabbat)
Pink Lady Apple Pudding
Ingredients
1 can apples 411g
2 eggs
2 pink lady apples peeled
Cored and thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
¾ cups vegetable oil
Handful raisins
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp cinnamon with 2tbsp sugar
1 cup SR flour
Method:
1. Mix the canned apples together with the sliced apples and add the lemon juice, raisins and cinnamon sugar.
2. Place the apple mix in a greased 10” ovenproof or foil dish
3. Beat the eggs and sugar well, add the oil, vanilla and finally the flour. Pour this batter over the apples and bake in a preheated oven at 160 C /Gas Mark 3 for 45 minutes
4. This can be served warm with custard or ice cream, or cold as a cake, dredged with icing sugar
Etz Chaim communal honey cake bake with Claire Brown and Rabbi Anthony Gilbert
HONEY CAKE
Ingredients
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda dissolved in 1 cup hot water
6oz (170g) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 cup of oil (use teacup if don’t have measuring cups)
3 rounded tablespoons golden syrup (Approx ½ tin) or 2 rounded tablespoons syrup and 1 rounded tablespoon honey
8 oz (230g) SR flour
2 teaspoons each of cinnamon and ginger
Method
1. Dissolve ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda in 1 cup of hot water
2. Beat together the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl
3. Beat in the oil and syrup
4. Beat in the rest of the dry ingredients (flour and spices).
5. Add the water and mix to a smooth runny batter
Baked in a pre-heated oven at 180 C 350F or gas mark 4 in 2 greased and lined 1 lb loaf tins or one 8” round tins, for 55 mins to 1 hour
NB
1. This cake will taste its best if you can wait for at least two or three days before eating it. 1 week is the optimum time, as the cake matures and becomes more moist and tasty.
2. You can substitute golden syrup for honey if you prefer the taste.
How to make perfect Holishkies with Claire and find out more about Succot with Sephy and Vardi
Cooking and Chat with Lord Michele (Michael) Righetti and Lady Hadassah Broscova Sarunac-Righetti, Count and Countess of Vrelo
In the company of Claire Brown, we are off to Brora, a small industrial village in the Highlands of Scotland , and the home of Lord Michele(Michael) Righetti and Lady Hadassah Broscova Sarunac-Righetti, Count and Countess of Vrelo. We will be learning how to make traditional Italian pasta al forno and hearing about the challenges of living an Orthodox Jewish live in one of the remoter parts of the British Isles
Recipe
Lord Michele Righetti’s Pasta al Forno
Ingredients
500g short pasta eg penne, rigatoni or fusili
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 onion
1 clove garlic (optional)
½ tsp black pepper
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp sugar
Bechamel sauce (or substitute 500ml double cream with ½ tsp salt & pepper)
50g butter or margarine
50g plain flour
600ml milk or milk substitute
½ tsp nutmeg
125g cheddar or parmesan cheese
¼ tsp Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Boil up your pasta in a large pan of salted water for only 8 minutes then drain and set aside. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven in its sauce. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C gas mark 4
2. Finely chop the onion and garlic (if using) and sautee in the olive oil in a large pan until the onion has softened and started to caramelise (go brown)
3. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and chilli flakes (if using) and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Taste and adjust seasonings, and then stir in the part cooked pasta and pour into a greased shallow ovenproof dish or foil tray
4. In a clean pan make the bechamel: Melt the butter and then stir in the flour mixing to a thick paste. Remove from the heat and whisk or stir in the milk a little at a time, until fully combined with no lumps. Add the nutmeg, ¼ tsp salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and return to the heat, stirring constantly as the mixture thickens. Finally turn off the heat and stir in 100g of the cheese (grated) until it is melted and pour the finished bechamel over the prepared pasta and sprinkle extra 25g grated cheese on the top
5. Bake in your preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes until the mixture is bubbling and browned on the top. Serves 4 large or 6 moderate portions
An Indian Themed Menu
Curried sweet potato and coconut soup
Chicken Jalfrezi
Indian spiced rice
1st December 2020
Mushroom Strudel
Vegan Chocolate Orange Tart
Rosa’s Pareve Ice Cream
Cooking with Claire: Sticky Asian beef and string beans and Perfect Basmati rice
Sticky Asian beef and string beans
My eldest son is a foodie, like his mum, and showed me how to make this dish the last time he came to visit. It came from the cookbook “Peas Love and Carrots” by Danielle Renov and I can honestly say is is one of the most delicious dishes I have ever tried. It is wonderful served with boiled basmati rice.
Ingredients
600g beef steak cut thin
6 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp chopped garlic
½ tsp minced ginger
2 tbsp cornflour
1 bunch spring onions sliced
1 chilli thinly sliced
3 cups frozen string beans
2 tbsp honey
¼ cup hot water
8 Baby sweetcorn sliced (optional)
1 red pepper finely sliced (optional)
Method
- In a large bowl combine the meat with the cornflour and I tbsp soy sauce
- Heat a large pan or wok over a high heat. Add oil
- Sear the meat for a few minutes to begin cooking and so that a crunchy coating can form. Alternate between letting the meat sit for 1 minute and then stirring to prevent burning
- Add garlic, ginger, spring onions, chilli, green beans sweetcorn and pepper, 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 2 tbspn honey. Cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly
- Add the hot water and stir using a wooden spoon to scrape the the bottom
to deglaze the pan.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes
- remove the lid, turn the heat to high and add the remaining 2 tbsp soy sauce
- Stir for about 4 minutes and serve over basmati rice
Perfect Basmati rice
This is the most simple and easy way to cook basmati rice. It is the perfect accompaniment to spicy tasty middle eastern or Indian dishes. Serves 3 to 4
Ingredients
1 glass basmati rice
2 glasses hot water
1 tsp salt
Method
- Cover rice in a pan with cold water for 1 hour prior to cooking, then drain into a sieve
- Place the empty pan on a medium heat till smoking then add the drained rice and salt and stir.
- Add the water and bring to the boil, Simmer until all the visible liquid has gone, then turn down the heat and cover the pan and leave on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to continue to steam for a further 5 minutes
- The rice should be perfectly cooked, fluffy and light.