Spiced Flatbreads
These are a staple in my house, not just at work. I make them with lots of things, just on their own with some dipping sauce or maybe stuffed with sundried tomato and mozzarella. Love curry? Love making it at home – these are a great substitute for naan bread!
Ingredients:
250g strong white bread flour
4tbsp Olive Oil
1½ tsp salt
100ml warm water
Vegetable oil or spray oil, for oiling
1tsp cumin
1 tsp, toasted and ground coriander
Serves 5
Method:
Mix the flour, salt, coriander seeds and paprika in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add the olive oil and the warm water. Using a fork, start incorporating the flour with the water and olive oil, if necessary add more water. Once the dough starts to come together, use your hands to form a soft ball of dough.
Knead the dough for five minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover and set aside for 15 minutes. (This dough is much firmer to handle than bread dough and will feel heavier.)
Divide the dough into five equal balls. Roll them out. Heat a pan and cook the flat breads for two minutes on each side.
Serve as a starter with home-made dips like this one which uses up any surplus tomatoes you may have: Spicy Tomato Dip
Braised lamb shanks with garlic and anchovy
Absolutely perfect as the days get a bit shorter and a little colder, this is the easiest recipe. Chuck it all in the oven and it’s ready two hours later. Love rosemary, add a whole load more! What about serving the shanks with a minted mash – perfect!
Ingredients:
4 x lamb shanks
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
250ml chicken or beef stock
250ml red wine
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Serves 4
Method:
Preheat the oven to 160C.
Season the lamb shanks with the pepper. Brown them in a casserole with a little olive oil.
When the shanks are slightly browned add the roughly chopped onions and garlic.
Chop up two of the anchovy fillets and add to the casserole. Tear in the rosemary and bay leaves.
Then add the stock and the wine and bring to a simmer.
When simmering, put the lid on and bake in the oven for two hours, with a little turn of the shanks halfway through.
Remove the shanks to a serving dish and leave to rest in a warm oven.
Meanwhile tend to the sauce by adding two more chopped anchovies and a handful of chopped parsley.
Bring the sauce to the boil, check the seasoning and then pour over the resting lamb shanks and serve.
Apple Tarte Fine
We want to avoid that ‘soggy bottom’ so make sure you cook the puff pastry fully – it needs to be really crispy and flakey!
Ingredients:
375g pack puff pastry, preferably all-butter
5 large eating apples – Cox’s, russets or Elstar
juice of 1 lemon
25g butter , cut into small pieces
3 tsp vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp caster sugar
3 rounded tbsp apricot conserve
Serves 3
Method:
Heat the oven to 220C. Roll out the pastry and trim to a round about 35cm across. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Peel, core and thinly slice the apples and toss in the lemon juice. Spread over the pastry to within 2cm of the edges. Curl up the edges slightly to stop the juices running off.
Dot the top with the butter and sprinkle with vanilla and caster sugar. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the apples are tender and the pastry crisp.
Warm the conserve and brush over the apples and pastry edge. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.
For more information about Four Gables Food Academy, telephone 01372 275276 or visit the website at www.FourGablesFoodAcademy.com.
