Clafoutis

This classic French dessert is really very simple! Essentially it is just a fairly simple batter that is poured over or scattered with fruit, then baked until golden brown. We like it because it is quick and simple enough to make as an ‘everyday’ family dessert, yet also elegant enough to serve to guests. Topped with a little lightly whipped cream or ice cream, it really is delicious. (If you want to see just how easy it really is, check out the video of me making its here (there's a little preamble, but then its the first item up...):

Traditionally it is made using stone fruit like cherries, plums or apricots (so it’s well suited to summer), but we’ve found that fresh berries, especially raspberries, blackberries or boysenberries, or a combination of stone fruit and berries also work well to.

For 6 servings:

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1 cup (160g) ground almonds

3/4 cup (plain) flour

About 400g fruit (cherries, plums, apricots, nectarines, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries etc), quarter or slice larger fruit

Preheat the oven to 180°C. While the oven heats, measure the oil, sugar, milk and vanilla into a large bowl and whisk until well mixed and smooth. Add the ground almonds and flour and whisk again until smooth.

Thoroughly non-stick spray a shallow 23-25cm dish (it is served from the baking dish, rather than turned out, but this makes cleaning up much easier). Pour in the batter then scatter or arrange the fruit over the top.

Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the middle (avoiding fruit) comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool until barely warm.

Dust with icing sugar and serve with custard or whipped cream.

Note: Can be made up to a day in advance and warmed (in the oven or microwave) before serving.

Photography: Lindsay Keats

Chocolate Temptations

Here are a couple of little treats you might like to try for that 'special someone' this Valentine's Day. (OK, so I’m a little bit slow posting them here, but they’re good anytime!)

Chocolate Liqueur Truffles

Ultra rich and smooth, and wonderful after a special occasion dinner or even gift (but don’t keep them out of the fridge for too long).

For 12-15 truffles:

150g dark chocolate

2 Tbsp rum, brandy or orange liqueur

2 Tbsp butter

1 egg yolk

1/4 cup cocoa

Break chocolate into squares and put in a round microwave-proof or heat-proof glass container with the spirit or liqueur of your choice. Microwave uncovered on Defrost (30%) power for 3-4 minutes, or in a bowl over boiling water until the chocolate has melted enough to be mixed smoothly with the liqueur.

Stir in the butter and egg yolk until well combined. (The melted chocolate will melt the butter.) Refrigerate until firm enough to shape into walnut-sized balls, then drop a few at a time into the cocoa in a bowl, and rotate gently until coated. Lift out with a spoon and put on a flat plate or in small cases

Refrigerate or freeze in a covered container until required. Serve chilled.

 

Chocolate Dipped Delights

Chocolate dipped foods always look enticing and are quick and easy to do! Try coating (or partly coating) dried apricots, Brazil and other nuts, grapes and strawberries.

Warm broken squares of dark, milk, or white chocolate in a small microwave bowl, in 30 second bursts, at medium (50%) power, stopping as soon as the chocolate is smooth and semi-liquid when stirred. Thin melted chocolate with very small amounts of Kremelta (Copha) only if necessary, since too much will make the chocolate very runny, and slow down setting. (Add a piece the size of a green pea, then more if needed.) If you want the chocolate to set particularly fast, chill the foods to be dipped first (ensure they are dry before dipping though).

After dipping, hold the food above the container of melted chocolate to catch drips, then cool on a Teflon non-stick liner or a piece of plastic. Refrigerate or stand in a cool place until set. Chocolate dipped strawberries and grapes should be eaten within a few hours but nuts and dried fruits may be refrigerated in a covered container for some weeks.

Photography: LindsayKeats

Want to join me in the Kitchen?

What are you doing for Waitangi Day (6 Feb for those outside New Zealand)? I’m doing something a little different and am heading to Sydney to do a live cooking show, “In the Kitchen with Simon Holst” on TVSN (that’s Freeview Channel 20 or Channel 24 on Sky), I am very excited!

In New Zealand the show will be at 2:30pm (or 12:30pm AEDT if you’re in Australia). If you can’t catch it live you can also view it ‘on demand’ at https://www.tvsn.co.nz/nzitvsn/video-on-demand/index.php . Recipes from the show will go up on Facebook at TVSNLIVE, but as a little taster, here’s one of the recipes I’ll be preparing…

Star Attractions

Star shapes make these look extra special (just cut by hand around a cardboard template if you don’t have a star cutter big enough) but if you’re in a rush rounds, rectangles, or any other shape for that matter, are just as delicious. (Rectangles are a good ‘economical’ shape - you can get six servings from a single pastry sheet.)

For 4 servings:

1-2 sheets (about 150-300g) pre-rolled frozen flaky pastry, thawed

2 cups berries, single variety or mixed strawberries, raspberries or blueberries

1-2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

250-300ml cream
1-2 tablespoons caster sugar

finely grated rind ½ an orange

2-3 drops vanilla essence

Icing sugar to dust

Turn the oven on to 200°C. While the oven heats, cut the pastry shapes (see introduction). Arrange the pastry on a baking sheet and chill until the oven is ready, then bake for 5-6 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. (You can do this well in advance if you like.)

Hull and halve or quarter any large strawberries, then place the fruit in a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle in the sugar (start with the smaller amount and add more if required) and orange juice, then stir gently to combine.

Pour the cream into large bowl, add sugar to taste, the orange rind and vanilla, then beat or whisk until softly whipped (will just hold it shape but does not look dry).

Assemble just before serving by carefully splitting the pastry shapes into two layers. Place the bottom layer on a flattish plate or bowl and cover with a generous spoonful of the berries. Top the berries with a blob of cream, then carefully place on the pastry cap. Dust with icing sugar (put a little in a fine sieve and tap or shake gently) and serve.

Photography: Lindsay Keats

Pasta with Garlic Prawns & Peas

This is another really quick and delicious pasta meal. I like to keep a bag of frozen prawns (preferably uncooked) in the freezer — they make an interesting addition to all sorts of dishes and it means I can knock up wonderful meals like this in minutes.

For 2–3 servings:

250–300g vermicelli

2 Tbsp olive oil

3–4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

1/4 tsp chilli flakes

250g raw prawns

finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup cream

1/2–1 cup frozen peas

1/2–1 tsp salt

pepper to taste

chopped parsley to garnish

Put the pasta on to cook in plenty of lightly salted boiling water.

While the pasta cooks, heat the oil in a large non-stick pan. Add the garlic and chilli to the pan and stir-fry for about a minute, then add the prawns and cook, stirring frequently, until the prawns are pink and cooked through.

As soon as the prawns are cooked, add the lemon zest and juice, white wine and cream and stir to combine.

Allow the sauce to boil while you put the peas in a sieve and run hot water over them. Add them to the pan, return the sauce to the boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.

Drain the cooked pasta, then add to the pan with the sauce. Toss everything to combine, garnish with a little parsley and serve.

Photography: Lindsay Keats

Crispy Coated Chicken Strips

I did post this picture on my Facebook page earlier, but never actually posted the recipe, so here you go!

This is really an oven-baked version of fried chicken…Using the cornflakes makes the coating really crisp and three dimensional. Since you are already using the oven, why not cook some potato wedges, which make an ideal accompaniment, at the same time. Just add a simple salad, like coleslaw, for a complete meal.

For 4 servings:

700–800g skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp garlic salt

1 large egg

1 Tbsp water

1 cup cornflakes, crushed

2 slices bread, crumbed (about 1 cup)

2 tsp each paprika and cumin

1 tsp curry powder

1–2 Tbsp olive or other oil

Preheat the oven to 200°C. While the oven heats, cut the each chicken breast or thigh lengthways into two or three strips (depending on original size), then set aside.

Measure the flour and garlic salt into a large plastic bag and shake to combine.

Whisk the egg and water together in a flat shallow bowl (a dessert or soup plate works well).

Measure the cornflakes into another (medium-sized) plastic bag and crush them lightly with your hands – you don’t want them too big, but you don’t want to reduce them to dust either. Add the bread crumbs, paprika, cumin and curry powder and shake the bag until well mixed.

Working one or two strips at a time, drop the chicken into the flour mixture and toss the bag until evenly coated. Shake off excess flour and arrange the chicken pieces on a dry surface, repeat until all chicken is floured.

Again working one or two strips at a time, dip floured chicken pieces into the egg mixture, turning to coat evenly, then drop them into the bag of crumb coating, and gently shake the bag until evenly coated.

Arrange the crumbed chicken in a large non-stick, teflon or baking paper lined roasting dish or sponge roll tin and drizzle lightly with the oil. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until golden brown and the thickest piece is no longer pink in the middle when cut through.

Serve with potato wedges and coleslaw.

Photography: Lindsay Keats