Raspberry Trifle

This is a delicious raspberry trifle. It has everything you would expect from a trifle but by using good fresh quailty ingredients it makes it extra special. The key is making your own custard and making your own rasberry coulis instead of jelly, this gives the everyday trifle a taste boost!

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

20 trifle sponges
3 250g punnets of fresh raspberries
1 dash of lemon juice
110g of caster sugar
200 ml of orange Juice
2 x 500ml of double cream
100ml of milk
1 vanilla pod
6 egg yolks
2 tsp of cornflour
1 dash of water
1 handful of fresh mint
block of dark chocolate
Handful of Pistaichio nuts


WHAT TO DO:

Put one punnet of raspberries in a very hot, dry pan. Add the lemon juice and sugar and cook quickly for one minute. Whisk, then pass through a sieve and cool.

With a potato masher take the sponges, a punnet of fresh raspberries and the orange juice, put in a bowl and mash all together.

Put a spoonful of coulis in the bottom of each glass tumbler, along with three raspberries. Spoon the sponge mix between each dish then add any remaining coulis, plus another raspberry. Place in the fridge.

To make the custard:

Split the vanilla pod in half and scrape the seeds out. In a pan place 500ml of double cream and  all of the milk, then add the vanilla pod seeds. Bring to the boil.

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Add the corn flour paste (mix it with a dash of water to make a paste) to the yolks

Ladle some cream into the yolks and whisk well, keep doing this until you have put all the cream mixture into the yolks.

Handy Hint:

Keep mixing all the time while ladling the cream as by not doing this can then cook the eggs making it like scambled eggs

Then return all the mixture to the pan, cooking until thick (continuing to stir). Set aside and leave to cool down completly.

Once cooled down place the custard into a pipping bag and pipe the custard around the dishes (making sure you do it neatly...presentation is Everything!!!). Once done, place back into the fridge.

Take the remaining 500ml of double cream and place in a bowl and add the vannila essence and wisk until thick. Place in a piping bag and pipe the cream around the glasses.
Finley slice the chocolate and sprinkle over the cream, then do the same with the crushed patachio nuts. Take a couple of leaves of Mint and place on the side.

Place in the fridge until ready to serve.


recipie by Paul Heathcote

Photos by Rach & Matt Grice

Amazing Chilli

I love this Chili! By swapping mince for stewing beef, adding spices and some TLC this Chili changes from being bog standard, to a dish rich in depth of flavour.  Spending a little more time and thought takes it from being a bland dish to a tasty dinner with friends meal or fantastic lads grub...in either case, drink with Mexican beer...Corona with a slice of lime...perfect!

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

2lb Diced stewing beef (from a quality Butchers)
1 tsp Oregano
Thumb nail piece of fresh chili, finely chopped
400g tinned kidney beans
Heaped tsp of Smoked Paprika
Heaped tsp of Ground Cinnamon
Heaped tsp of Cumin
2 tbsp of Tomato Puree
400g Chopped tomato's (Tinned)
2 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
1 large Glass of Red Wine
1 Onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp of chilli flakes
Sea Salt
Ground pepper
1 red pointed Pepper, finely sliced
1 lime
Fresh Coriander chopped.
3/4 cubes of Dark Chocolate
plain flour
500mls of chicken stock


WHAT TO DO:

Turn the oven onto 170c

In a Cast iron pan (or a pan suitable for both the hob and oven) pour a glug of olive oil and place on a medium heat.  Spread some flour on a plate and season with salt and pepper. Take the beef and coat in the flour and then in batches fry the beef in the pan. (you want to brown the beef on all sides). Once browned, remove and set aside, do this with all the beef, remove and set aside.

In the pan pour a glass of wine and deglaze the pan (to deglaze; is to use liquid with a wooden spoon to scrape all the crispy bits off the bottom of the pan). Once you have done this pour the wine into a jug (do not throw this away as this liquid is amazing and helps flavour the dish later).

In the empty pan pour a tiny bit of oil and place on a medium heat, and add the onions, Paprika, Cumin, Cinnamon, Oregano, Chilli's and Garlic. Gently fry to allow the oils to come out (takes about 5 minutes). Add the meat back in and stir.

Now pour in the tinned chopped tomatoes, reserve red wine (saved from before), the tomato puree and stir, add the stock.

Take a large sheet of tin foil, fold in half and wrap over the top of the pan. Place the lid on top and put in the oven for 2 1/2 hrs.

Handy Hint:

After 1 1/2hrs check the liquid if you feel it is drying out a bit add some boiling water.

After 2 1/2 hrs remove from the oven, add the kidney beans and the finely chopped coriander, chocolate and chopped red pepper. Put back in the oven for 30 Min's.

Handy Hint:

Add the kidney beans later on in the cooking process so not to over cook the beans as they can go mushy if this happens

Remove from the oven. The chili should have a thick sauce. If you need to thicken more, cook for a little bit longer.

Serve the Chili with Mexican tortillas, nachos (this brings in different textures to the dish) and lime on the side. You could also serve it with plain rice....And don't forget the Beer!

Pictures by Matt & Rach Grice

Gooey White Choc Chunk Brownies

 

These are a secret...so at the moment no recipe...sorry!

 

Recipe by Matt Grice 

 

Photo's by Rach Grice