Delicious Dishes – Page 5 – Urban Suburban Mommy

Popsicles = Summer

Posted on July 12, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

Popsicles are the best summer treat. Bright colours, sweet flavours, they’re the perfect cool-down for a kiddo on the go that doesn’t want to stop playing. And hey, they’re on a stick!

photo: Jamieanne

I have a few favourite recipes, but the great thing about popsicles is, as long as you have a mould, you can basically make any flavour you want. Of course, the standard orange, grape or lemon are always a hit, but you can get creative.

Pudding pops: Did you know you can freeze jello and pudding? Just prep it the way the package recommends and just freeze it in the moulds instead of in a bowl in the fridge.

Getting fancy: This takes some time because each layer has to freeze, but if you prep several juices, you can pour in a layer, let it freeze, pour in the next colour, let it freeze – and so on, and so on, until you’ve built up layers of colourful stripes. Or, if you tip the mould on a bit of an angle and fill it half way, you can let it freeze, straighten it up and fill the other half for a funky two-tone effect.

photo: Abi Porter

Fruit pops: Add a little bit of diced fruit to your pops. For thicker mixtures you can blend in the fruit, for thin liquids you may want to fill half, let freeze, add some fruit and top off with juice so that the fruit is suspended in the middle.

The basics: Any juice will freeze. You can make fresh squeezed or buy pre-made juices. Just fill the moulds and freeze. Milk will freeze – you can add some instant coffee and some sugar for a sweet adult treat, or some powdered chocolate for a chocolate popsicle.

My kids are crazy fans of piña coladas, and love this one the best:

What you need:

– 1 can of coconut milk or coconut cream
– 1 cup of pineapple, diced
– 1/2 cup pineapple juice (or 1/4 cup syrup if you’re using canned pineapples)
– 2-3 tablespoons white sugar (omit if using syrup from canned pineapples)
– tiny chunks of coconut, optional

What you do:

In a blender or food processor, whip together liquids and sugar for 1 minute. Then add fruit. Pulse blend 4 or 5 times. Pour mixture into moulds. Freeze and serve.

(The adult version of this can be made by adding 2 to 3 ounces of rum to the mixture!)

Popsicle hack!!!

If you hate watching popsicles drip down your child’s arm, add a cupcake liner to the bottom of the popsicle to catch the drips!

Suggestions:

Cinnamon apple: 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 4 cups of apple juice

Raspberry dream: 3 cups fresh raspberries, blended for 30 seconds, 2 tablespoons white sugar, 4 cups milk or light cream

Keylime pie: Keylime pie pudding prepared as directed on package

Mango tango: 4 cups mango juice blended with 1 cup of heavy cream and 2 talbespoons white sugar + mango chunks

And try out these moulds:

Onyx stainless steel moulds

Hamburger Hamburger Hamburger

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

Lately, it seems it’s not good enough to have a good ‘ole charbroil going on, it’s a world of burger boutiques where garlic aiolis battle it out with caprese relishes and cilantro-infused mayos. Where emu, elk, lamb and bison burgers big-up the oldschool beef burger. My family loves a good burger, we’re connoisseurs, really, and love checking out the big new burger joints. So when my brother started taunting my husband that he’d found the Best Burger Ever, this was nothing to be taken lightly. My brother insisted we didn’t know from burgers until we’d tried The Burger Barn.

This past weekend we made our way out to Port Dover – a beachfront community on the shore of Lake Erie in Norfolk County, about 2 hours west of Toronto. We like long drives and beaches, so combining this with the quest for the Best Burger Ever seemed like a no-brainer.

The Burger Barn, 3000 4th Line in Ohsweken has the Best Burger Ever

My brother was right. We found the Best Burger Ever. Located on 4th Line, just off of Highway 6 in Ohsweken, there is, in fact, a building that looks like a big barn, and it is, in fact, The Burger Barn, and they do, in fact, have the Best Burger Ever. We ordered a few variations – one with brie, mushrooms, bacon and caramelized onions; one with dusted jalapeños, barbecue sauce and Monterey Jack, one with cheese, and one with nuthin’ but the bun – our 8 year old is a purist. The onion rings and the fries are spectacular sides. The bun – that bun… It is standout! Definitely worth the drive.

While we can’t make regular trips to The Burger Barn, the fact is, I make a mean burger. I really do. I may not have all of the crazy toppings, but it holds its own among boutique burgers. We barbecue everything – and we barbecue all year long – and this one’s a staple. Feel free to get fancy with the toppings!

What you need:

-2-3 pounds lean ground beef (regular is more tasty, extra-lean is a bit dry)
– 2 tablespoons salt
– 2 to 3 tablespoons garlic powder
– 2 teaspoons paprika
– 1 egg
– cracked pepper to taste
– burger buns

What you do:

Pre-heat the barbecue. In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients. Get in there with your hands and really mush that meat up. Take your mix out to the barbecue and form round patties, about a half-inch thick and about an inch wider than your buns. The actual size doesn’t matter, but it’s always nice to eat a burger that doesn’t get lost inside a big bun. Patties will shrink down a bit during cooking.

Start grilling. At the 4-minute mark give them a quarter turn. After 4 more minutes, flip and repeat. Those grill marks make you look pro, but the turn helps for even cooking. For bigger burgers you may want to go 10 minutes a side, for smaller burgers it will be 5 minutes a side. You don’t want to undercook ground beef, but you’ll have to tweak the recipe if you prefer your burgers medium or well-done.

Now for the toppings:

TexMex: Guacamole, salsa, cheese and jalapeños
French: Brie and dijon
Banquet: Bacon and cheddar
The Philly: A mix of sauteed mushrooms, onions and green peppers, smothered in cheese
The All-Canadian: Peameal bacon, cheddar and maple-glazed barbecue sauce
The Hellfire: Jalapeño havarti, tabasco mayo, hot peppers and peppercorn crusted bacon

Share your creations with us!

Cheesy manicotti

Posted on June 21, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

Not just a great stylist, this talented mama knows her way around the salon – and the kitchen! While we LOVE LOVE LOVE the great hair advice we usually receive from Erica Wearing, and we’re looking forward to a post on taming the frizzies later this week (my big mess of curls is currently begging for help as they boost out of all control!!) she’s kindly shared her Magnificent Manicotti recipe – it’s cheesy, in a good way – and you won’t be disappointed!!Add something tasty to your family’s Italian dinner tonight! Serve baked manicotti shells placed on beef mixture sprinkled with cheese.

What you need:

– 14 uncooked manicotti shells (or oven-ready if you prefer)
– 1lb lean ground beef
– 1 large onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
– 1 jar (26 to 30 oz) tomato pasta sauce (choose your favorite – or make your own)
– 2 boxes (9 oz each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
– 2 cups small curd cottage cheese
– 12 mushrooms (or an 8 oz can, drained, if you prefer)
– 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
– 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Topping:
– 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
– 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

What you do:

First you need to cook the manicotti as directed on package, and drain. Use the minimum cooking time, this will help to prevent the shells from tearing while filling. I used the oven-ready shells and just skipped this step – it’s up to you!

To prepare the beef:
In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and garlic over medium heat, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown. Drain off and stir in pasta sauce.
Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with nonstick – or grease and flour to prep the dish.

To prepare the manicotti shell filling:
Squeeze thawed spinach to drain excess moisture. Spread it out on paper towel, pat dry. Mix spinach, cottage cheese, mushrooms, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, nutmeg and pepper in a mixing bowl.

Putting it all together:
Use one cup of the beef to line the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Fill manicotti shells with spinach mixture. Place the shells on top of the beef mixture in dish. Pour remaining beef mixture evenly over shells. Try to get the shells completely covered. Sprinkle liberally with mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly.

photo: AlanaGKelly

Erica H. Wearing has been a stylist for over 16 years and she absolutely loves what she does . “It’s a great feeling to help people feel and look their best when they leave my chair. I wouldn’t trade this for any other job in the world!”
Check out Erica at Ka!Boom Hair Salon 1129 West Pender Street, Vancouver B.C .
(604)681-6003

hairbyericaw

Sweet caramel apple crumble

Posted on June 7, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

photo: Alexander Lyubavin

I love this recipe. I learned it as a very young child and have grown up making it. It’s a staple part of our Thanksgiving dinner, but it’s really one of those desserts you can enjoy any time of year. I find it so quick and easy to throw together, and there’s no need for precision on this. You need more sugar if you like it sweet – less sugar if you don’t. Either way, it’s still pretty sweet as you need the sugar to caramelize.

Word of warning – you’re going to get the recipe the way my mom taught it to me – with pinches and handfuls instead of cups and teaspoons, though I’ll try to give some approximation. Do not be scared off of making this. It’s an easy recipe with only a few ingredients and it really can’t be ruined regardless of the varying amounts. Seriously. Just fine tune it to make it your own.

photo: Jessica Rossi

What you need:

– 3 to 4 handfuls of quick oats
– 1 cup butter
– 6 to 7 nice apples – I like a mix of gala, empire, mac, spy – peeled, cored and sliced thin
– 4 to 5 pinches cinnamon
– dash of vanilla
– 3 handfuls brown sugar
– 2 handfuls white sugar
– 3 pinches salt
– flour as needed

What you do:

Preheat oven to 325°. In a big bowl mix half of the sugar, 3 to 4 pinches of cinnamon, 2 pinches salt, apples, vanilla and 3 to 4 pinches of flour. Toss it all until the apples are well coated. If your apples are very juicy and you find there’s a lot of liquid, add a few more pinches of flour until the mix is a bit dryer – but not to the point where all the liquid has become a paste.

Put the mixture into a 9 by 13 baking dish or a deep, large pie dish.

In a fresh bowl: Add the butter, a pinch of salt, a pinch or two of cinnamon, three handfuls of oats and the remaining sugar. Get in there and start pinching and twisting the butter into the other ingredients. This delicious buttery sugary mixture will start to clump up. Keep going until all the butter is broken in. The friction that you create with the pinching helps the butter melt into the oats and gets the whole mix combined. If the mixture seems too buttery you can add more oats. More buttery or more oats – you can’t really go wrong.

Cover the apple mixture with the oat mixture and put it into the oven. It takes 45 minutes to an hour, your nose will tell you it’s done. But you can leave it longer. The longer it sits in the oven the more the butter and sugar will caramelize. That caramelization is sooooooo delish.

Let cool for 10 minutes and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

photo: Jessica Rossi

Finger-licking barbecued spareribs

Posted on May 31, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

I know we just featured beef ribs last week, but it gave me a craving. So I made Michelle’s Miami Short Ribs for the fam on Thursday. And then they asked for more ribs. But the butcher was out of the beef ribs, so I picked up a rack of back ribs instead. Got home, got them boiling – but when it came time to sauce them and get grilling, I realized I had no sauce. That’s when I learned how to make this finger-licking quick and easy barbecue sauce.

Ribs are, like, the best food ever, according to my 7 year old.

What you need:

– 2 racks of pork back ribs – (we prefer back as they’re meatier, but side ribs are much cheaper, either will do

Sauce
– 3/4 cup ketchup
– pinch salt
– teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
– 1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
– 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
– 2 cloves garlic – pressed
– 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
– few dashes of paprika
– 2 tablespoons vinegar (white or malt)

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne or red chili flakes or teaspoon of habanero sauce or hot sauce for some zing

What you do:

Cut the racks of ribs down to a more manageable size – I like sections of 4-5 ribs. Throw them in a stock pot, cover with water and boil for 30 to 45 minutes. The longer you boil, the more fall-off-the-bone tender they’ll be.

While they’re boiling, grab your biggest bowl and mix all of the ingredients together. Stir and blend well until everything is a smooth liquidy paste.

When boiling is done, lift each portion out of the boiling water, give it a quick shake off, and then toss in the sauce. A wonderful Chef friend once told me the secret is to make sure that the sauce is added while the meat is still at its hottest. The pores are open and suck up all of the sauce for the best flavour, he explained.

I believe him.

A basting brush is always handy for getting the sauce into all of the nooks and crannies, in between bones and on the sides.

Fire up the barbecue. Once it’s hot, throw the ribs on medium flame – or high if you want to do this quickly and be very diligent about the barbecuing, otherwise you’ll burn everything.

Place the ribs bone-side down first so that the saucy, meaty side gets to soak up more sauce as the flames caramelize the sugars in the sauce. As the meat shows signs of cooking, flip each portion. You shouldn’t be seeing black – a bit is fine – but the sauce will have darkened. Brush an extra layer of sauce on. Repeat, flipping 2 to 3 times. The more layers of sauce that caramelize on, the better!

To serve, cut the racks into single ribs and let the crowd have at ’em.

Latin Meat Stew (Biste)

Posted on May 17, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes, Domestic Goodness, Urban Suburban Mommy .

Who doesn’t love a great stew? Even better when it is super easy, quick and delicious to make. My sister-in-law taught me how to make Latin meat stew (otherwise known as Biste in Spanish) and of course when I make it, I score big points with the hubs.

If you feel like getting adventurous with your cooking by visiting a different culture in the kitchen – give this recipe you a try! I promise you’ll love it.

What you need:

4 large ripe tomatoes (Hot House are a good option), sliced and diced
1 large onion, sliced and diced
1 green pepper, sliced
A splash of olive oil
Salt, pepper and oregano to taste
Sazon Goya (Goya Seasoning) – you can find in Latin America grocery stores or in the international section of some supermarkets (I have made it without – so no stress if you can’t find it)
3-4 packages of thin fry steak (the beauty of this dish is you can substitute the beef for sliced chicken breast or thigh if you like). The fry steak should be cut into small strips

What you do:

Heat a splash of olive oil in a large stock pot. Add the onions and let them sweat for a couple of minutes. Turn up the heat to medium. Now add the tomatoes and green peppers. Stir them around with a wooden spoon. Add the cover to the pot and let the vegetables cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the lid and stir periodically. Reduce heat. The tomatoes, onions and green peppers should cook down into liquid/sauce. As this is happening, add your fry steak. Mix around with a spoon so that the meat browns. Add your salt, pepper, oregano and stir. The add 2 packets of Sazon Goya and stir through. The stew will turn a bright red. Return the lid and let the stew simmer for about 10 minutes.

Serve the stew over our Foolproof Rice. It is so tasty. Feel free to add a little hot sauce to take the dish to a whole other level. Of course, set some stew aside without hot sauce added so the kids can enjoy too!

Lime, raspberry & white chocolate drizzle cake

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

LIME, RASPBERRY & WHITE CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE CAKE:
Cut into hearty chunks and served with a dollop of thick cream or Greek yoghurt this is the best way to round off a lovely picnic lunch. You could use blueberries or blackberries instead of raspberries.

Cut this cake into hearty chunks and take it on a summer’s picnic or slice it in delicate fingers and nestle it amongst other dainty morsels on a fine china cake stand for afternoon tea. You can even serve it as a scrumptious dessert – straight from the oven, with clotted cream or crème fraîche. Aromatic limes with tangy raspberries and sweet velvety white chocolate… sheer bliss! I love making this cake in the summer with freshly picked raspberries, but you can make an equally delectable autumnal version by replacing the raspberries with blackberries.

What you need:

One 22cm (9 inch) square cake tin

FOR THE CAKE:

– 200g / 7oz raspberries (1½ cups)
– 225g / 8oz butter (2 sticks)
– 225g / 8oz golden caster sugar * (1 cup)
– 4 free-range eggs (UK medium / USA large) *
– 30g / 1oz ground almonds * (¼ cup)
– 2 limes, zest and juice
– 100g / 3½oz good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces (½ cup)
– 250g / 9oz plain flour * (2 cups)
– 10ml / 2 tsp baking powder

FOR THE LIME SYRUP:

– 85g / 3oz granulated sugar (6 Tbsp)
– Juice of 2 limes
– 45ml / 3 Tbsp boiling water
– 2.5ml / ½ tsp vanilla extract *
– Zest of 1 lime

What you do:

Makes 12 hearty portions (and many more delicate ones)

Before you start, spread the raspberries on a baking sheet and freeze them for about 30 minutes. (If you mix them into the cake batter without freezing them first, they break up and the cake turns bright pink!)

Preheat the oven to 160ºC / 320ºF.

Line the base and sides of the cake tin with baking parchment.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat the eggs lightly and add them to the creamed mixture in several batches, mixing well between each addition.

Add the ground almonds. Grate the lime zest directly into the mixture and then add the juice and fold in the white chocolate chunks.

Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and mix. Lastly, add the raspberries, taking care not to break them up.

Spoon the mixture into the cake tin. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, until the cake is firm to the touch and golden in colour. You can also test it with a skewer to be sure it is cooked through.

While the cake is baking, make the lime syrup: Combine all the ingredients except the zest in a small heavy-based pan, stir well to dissolve the sugar and then boil for 3 minutes, until it becomes ‘syrupy’.

As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, prick the surface with a fine skewer. Sprinkle the lime zest onto the cake and spoon the syrup over it.

Leave the cake to cool completely and absorb all the syrup before removing it from the tin.

This cake is perfect as is, but you can decorate it with a drizzle of melted white chocolate or with fresh raspberries and a dusting of icing sugar.

Enjoy the picnic! If you’re craving more royal recipes, there are 100 more delicious dishes created by Robb, in her new cookbook: The Royal Touch: Simply Stunning Home Cooking From A Royal Chef. And if you’d like your very own copy, ACC Art Books is offering Urban Suburban Mommy’s readers a 35% discount, just use promo code: ROYAL to save on your order!

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

Soda bread

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

SODA BREAD:
I made this bread almost every day during my years as a royal chef. It is very quick and simple to make and I don’t think you will find a more delicious loaf than this. It is best eaten freshly baked, but makes really good toast on day two. If it comes out of the oven just before you go on your picnic you can wrap it in baking parchment and a tea-towel to keep it warm!

Of all the breads in this chapter, this is my favourite. It is simple, wholesome and quick to make. Be careful not to over-mix the dough. Unlike other breads, which require kneading to make them lighter, this dough requires as little handling as possible for a light texture. Don’t be alarmed if, a few hours after baking, you notice that any of the pine nuts or sunflower seeds in the bread have turned bright green. This is caused by a reaction between the anti-oxidants in the seeds and the bicarbonate of soda and it is nothing to worry about.

What you need:

– One flat baking sheet, at least 23cm (9 inches) wide
– 225g / 8oz plain flour * (2 cups)
– 10ml / 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda *
– 5ml / 1 tsp salt
– 225g / 8oz malted granary or whole wheat flour * (2 cups)
– 30g / 1oz soft butter (2 Tbsp) and a little extra butter for greasing the baking sheet
– 375ml / 1½ cups milk
– 125ml / ½ cup plain yoghurt
– 30ml / 2 Tbsp barley malt extract *
– 15ml / 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
– 15ml / 1 Tbsp linseed *

What you do:

Makes 1 round loaf, approximately 23cm (9 inches) in diameter

Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF.

Rub a little butter onto the baking sheet.

Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the largest mixing bowl that you have, tip in any whole grains that don’t go through the sieve.

Rub the butter into the dry ingredients, using your fingertips.

Whisk together the milk, yoghurt and malt extract. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in most of the milk mixture; reserving a little to add in later if needed.

Working as quickly and lightly as possible with a round-bladed knife, mix the dough and then bring it together into one ball with your hands; it will be soft and still slightly sticky. Tip it onto a lightly floured surface and, without kneading it, shape it into a round of about 20cm (8 inches) in diameter and about 3 – 4cm (1¼ – 1½ inches) thick. The less the dough is handled, the lighter the bread will be.

Lift the bread onto the baking sheet, re-shaping if necessary. Cut a deep cross in the top and sprinkle with seeds.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until the bread is golden. To check if it is cooked, tap it on the bottom – it will sound hollow when ready. Cool on a wire rack.

For a crisp crust, leave the bread uncovered. For a soft crust, rub a little butter onto the crust as soon as the bread comes out of the oven then wrap the bread in some baking parchment paper and then in a slightly damp tea-towel.

This is best served very fresh from the oven, while it is still warm. Traditionally, it is broken into quarters and then sliced. It also makes very good toast on day two!

Variations

Add a handful of chopped fresh herbs of your choice: parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary and sage all work well.

For a sweet bread, add a handful of chopped plump dried figs or dates and a few pecans. Sprinkle the top with a little cinnamon sugar instead of seeds.

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

Asparagus, Swiss chard & goat’s cheese tart

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

ASPARAGUS, SWISS CHARD & GOATS CHEESE TART:
This tart is a must for a picnic; accompanied by a simple salad and minted new potatoes. The filling can be varied according to taste and what ingredients you have available. You can make one large tart or individual ones with different fillings, to satisfy all tastes!

The crust of this tart does more than just hold the filling in place – it is delicious in its own right. I use half malted granary flour, some of my favourite seeds and fresh thyme and chives in the pastry, which give it plenty of texture, colour and flavour. If you are in a hurry you can use pre-prepared pastry, but nothing can surpass home-made pastry.

What you need:

One 23cm (9 inch) metal flan ring or fluted loose bottomed flan tin, ceramic baking beans. *

FOR THE PASTRY:

– 115g / 4oz cold butter (1 stick)
– 85g / 3oz plain flour * (⅔ cup)
– 85g / 3oz malted granary flour * (⅔ cup)
– 5ml / 1 tsp linseed *
– 5ml / 1 tsp poppy seeds
– 5ml / 1 tsp pumpkin seeds
– 1 free-range egg yolk (UK medium / USA large) *
– 20ml / 4 tsp cold water
– Pinch of salt
– 1 tsp finely chopped chives
– ½ tsp fresh thyme leaves

FOR THE FILLING:

– 20 spears of asparagus, (approx 500g / 1lb 2oz)
– 150g / 5oz Swiss chard
– 2 large shallots
– 55g / 2oz finely grated parmesan (½ cup)
– 125g / 4oz goats’ cheese log with a bloomy rind
– 200ml / ¾ cup double cream *
– 200ml / ¾ cup crème fraîche
– 3 free-range eggs (UK medium / USA large) *
– Salt, pepper and nutmeg
– Paprika and a handful of pine nuts *

What you do:

For the pastry: Put all the ingredients into a food processor. Using the ‘pulse’ button, process until the mixture resembles chunky breadcrumbs. (To make by hand: Mix the flour, seeds, salt and herbs. Rub in the butter, then mix in the egg and water). Tip the mixture onto a lightly floured surface and bring it together with the hands to form a smooth ball, working as lightly as possible.

On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry into a circle of approximately 36cm (14 inches) diameter and to a thickness of 5mm (¼ inch). Line the flan ring with the pastry, leaving the pastry standing at least 1cm (½ inch) above the top of the tin, to allow for shrinkage when it cooks. If you use scissors to trim the top it is less likely to shrink down. Chill for at least 20 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF.

Line the flan with baking parchment or foil and fill it with ceramic baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes then remove the beans and bake for a further 5 – 10 minutes to crisp up the base.

For the filling: Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the woody end sections of the stems and discarding them, then cut off the tips and keep to one side. Cut the remainder of the stems into 5cm (2 inch) lengths. Cook the tips lightly in boiling salted water, then remove and cook the stems, which will take a little longer. Chill in cold water when cooked, drain and keep on one side.

Wash the Swiss chard. Remove the coarse stems. Blanch the leaves in boiling, salted water for just a few seconds, or longer if the leaves are large and coarse. Drain well.

Chop the shallots very finely and place them in the base of the tart. Sprinkle with half of the parmesan, then lay the asparagus and chard on top, finish with the remaining parmesan.

Slice the goats’ cheese log into 9 rounds and arrange them on the top of the asparagus and chard.

Whisk together the cream, crème fraîche and eggs. Season with a pinch of salt and nutmeg and a few twists of black pepper and pour over the tart. Sprinkle with pine nuts and dust with paprika.

Bake at 190ºC / 375ºF for 30 minutes or until the filling is set and the top is golden in colour. Serve warm.

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

Curried chicken salad with mango and cashews

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD WITH FRESH MANGO & TOASTED CASHEWS:
‘Coronation chicken’ was originally created to celebrate HM The Queen’s coronation in 1953. This recipe is my interpretation of the dish and what better recipe to use for a picnic in her Majesty’s 90th birthday year!

This is my interpretation of Coronation chicken, a dish that was created especially for Her Majesty The Queen’s Coronation celebrations in June 1953. When I make this, it always brings back fond memories of the many buffet lunches that I prepared aboard HMY Britannia (the Royal Yacht). It was a favourite to put on the menu when we had a large number of guests to feed, particularly when we were in a hot climate. My most memorable lunch was one when the Britannia was at anchor right next to Tower Bridge in London on a beautiful summer’s day. Wherever in the world we were, when we were on board the royal yacht it felt as if we had brought a tiny corner of Britain with us. It had a wonderful feel to it and it always looked very spectacular, with each last tiny piece of brass detail glistening, the paintwork totally immaculate, every corner of wooden deck scrubbed until it was pristine and a fantastically colourful array of flags and ensigns flapping in the breeze.

What you need:

FOR THE SAUCE:

– 45ml / 3 Tbsp curry powder
– 30ml / 2 Tbsp honey
– 45ml / 3 Tbsp white wine
– 60ml / 4 Tbsp mango chutney
– 225ml / 1 cup mayonnaise
– 100ml / ½ cup double cream *
– 4 cooked chicken breasts (approximately 650g / 1lb 7oz)

FOR THE MIXED GRAIN SALAD:

– 225g / 8oz mixed bulgur wheat and red and white quinoa (1½ cups)
– ½ sweet red pepper
– ½ orange pepper
– ½ yellow pepper
– 60g / 2oz sweet corn (½ cup)
– 60g / 2oz peas (½ cup)
– ½ courgette *

DRESSING:

– 30ml / 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
– 90ml / 6 Tbsp olive oil
– 5ml / 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
– 5ml / 1 tsp honey
– 15ml / 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
– Salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE GARNISH:

– 55g / 2oz raw cashews (½ cup)
– 1 perfectly ripe mango
– 1 small avocado
– 10ml / 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
– A handful of cress or micro-greens
– A handful of edible flowers, such as nasturtiums

What you do:

Make the sauce: Simmer the curry powder and honey together in a small heavy-based saucepan for a few minutes, watching it closely as it catches and burns very easily.

Add the wine and chutney and cook for a further 3 minutes, then leave to cool.

When completely cold, stir the curry mixture into the mayonnaise. Whip the cream and then fold it into the curried mayonnaise.

Dice the chicken into 1cm (½ inch) cubes and mix it into the sauce. (If possible, leave the chicken overnight before serving.

Make the mixed grain salad: Cook the grains according to the instructions. Drain and leave to cool.

Dice the peppers, cook the peas and sweet corn and grate the courgette. Toss all the vegetables into mixed grains.

Make the dressing by shaking all the ingredients together in a jar. Season to taste. Add the dressing to the mixed grain salad and mix well.

Lightly toast the cashews. Dice the mango. Slice the avocado and sprinkle with lemon juice.

Pile the chicken in the centre of a plate or dish and surround it with the mixed grain salad. Decorate with mango, avocado, cashews, cress and edible flowers.

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

Salad of prosscuitto-wrapped peaches with figs & buffalo mozzarella

Posted on May 14, 2016 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Delicious Dishes .

SALAD OF PROSCUITTO-WRAPPED PEACHES WITH FIGS & BUFFALO MOZZARELLA:
This is a wonderful way to begin a picnic and the salad can be presented in a salad bowl or in a box for ease of packing and transporting it.

What you need:It is always good to have a recipe up your sleeve that can be put together in a matter of minutes. This salad is extremely quick to prepare. However it is definitely a summer dish, to be made when juicy peaches are at their sweet and succulent best. When peaches are not in season, try combining pears with crispy proscuitto and crumbled Rocquefort cheese. An aged Balsamic vinegar and a fruity olive oil complement the stronger flavours of this salad perfectly.

– 50g / 2oz pecan halves (½ cup)
– 30ml / 2 Tbsp light olive oil
– Salt, pepper, brown sugar & chilli powder
– 2 large, perfectly ripe yellow peaches
– 12 slices of prosciutto
– 4 ripe figs
– 2 balls of buffalo mozzarella (250g / 9oz)
– A handful of washed wild rocket *
– 120ml / 8 Tbsp walnut oil
– 60ml / 4 Tbsp raspberry vinegar
– Freshly ground black pepper
– Freshly milled sea salt

What you do:

To prepare the spiced pecans, place them on a baking tray, drizzle the oil over them and sprinkle with salt, pepper, sugar and chilli powder. Shake the tray to distribute the seasoning evenly. Bake at 170ºC / 325ºF for 12 – 15 minutes. Leave to cool.

Cut each peach into 6 segments. I leave the skin on, but you can peel them for those who don’t like the ‘furry-ness’ of peach skin.

Wrap one piece of prosciutto around each segment of peach.

Cut each fig into 3 segments.

Tear each mozzarella ball into 6 pieces.

Arrange 3 pieces each of peach, fig and mozzarella alternately around each plate in a circle.

Place a little bundle of rocket leaves in the centre.

Sprinkle on a few spiced pecans.

Spoon a little walnut oil and then the raspberry vinegar over the salad.

Finish with a twist of black pepper and a twist of salt. Serve immediately.

Carolyn Robb was Personal Chef to TRH Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Prince Harry for ten years.

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