How to make Hummus. It’s easy to make this classic middle eastern snack, better and fresher than the bought version. Its smooth healthy, and full of flavour. And once you have mastered the process there is a wealth of other flavours you can add to the basic mix.
Flavoured Butters are one of the easiest ways of putting flavour onto a dish. I simply can’t think of anything else you can that make that will transform your cooking so quickly and efficiently. Imagine a simple jacket potato lifted by adding cheesy bacon butter. Boring cooked rice given a punch with lime, ginger, chilli, and coriander butter. Or a grilled chicken breast topped with harissa flavoured butter, amazing!
Potato and Roast Garlic Soup is a simple recipe, yet quite refined. Ideal as a starter for a dinner party or served in expresso cups as a pre-starter. Its rich, smooth consistency, offset by serving the soup with parsley pesto is always a winner!
This is not made with the harsh, biting garlic that you may be imagining. Roast garlic is wonderfully mellow, and sweet on the tongue. If you have yet to discover the joy of roast garlic, look up our post on How to Become a Garlic Expert.
Using a teaspoon, scoop the soft roasted garlic out of the shell. Place the garlic to one side then drop the leftover shell into the hot stock to infuse.
There is no need to simmer the garlic shell in the stock. It will release enough flavour on its own.
Wash, trim, and thinly slice the leek. Peel the celeriac and slice into small pieces so it cooks quickly.
Heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the leeks and cook slowly with the lid on for about 5 minutes.
Add the celeriac to the pan along with the soft garlic, Strain the stock over the vegetables, discarding the shell of the garlic. Add a pinch of salt and two or three turns of mill pepper. Beware, you may not need the salt if you are using stock cubes.
Bring the soup up to the simmer and let it cook while you peel the potatoes.
Slice the potatoes into small, thin pieces and add to the pan. Bring the pan to a gentle simmer and cook for about 15 minutes until the potato is tender.
As the soup is cooking it’s time to make the parsley pesto.
Small food processor or mortar and pestle
Wash and pick the parsley to remove any stalks. Crush the pine kernels then add the parsley leaves.
Process the leaves down to a coarse paste then work in the olive oil and lemon juice. Season and store in the fridge until needed.
Allow the soup to cool slightly and then liquidize. Have a taste and correct the seasoning if needed.
Serve in small bowls with a swirl of cream and a spoonful of parsley pesto in the middle. Sprinkle on a few toasted pine kernels and serve.
You can also serve this in little cups. Freshly liquidized, it should have a nice cappuccino-like froth on top.
Make a seasonal variation in the spring. Leave the roast garlic out completely and when the potatoes are tender throw in a handful of washed and picked wild garlic leaves. Let the soup cook for five minutes then liquidise. Use a dollop of crème fraiche on top in place of the parsley pesto.
Enjoy life !
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
© Copywrite, John Webber. 2024
Braised Oxtail is my idea of heaven on a cold winter’s day. So, with the frost on the ground and minus five on the thermometer I decided the time was right to get cooking.
For me Braised Oxtail is the pinnacle of meat eating. Its not difficult to cook, but it does take a little time. If the idea of having the oven on for such a long cook, use a slow cooker to do most of the cooking.
These Italian delicate almond cookies with a melt in the mouth centre are usually enjoyed during Christmas time in Tuscany. Try them out as an alternative to or in addition to mince pies when entertaining guest over the holiday.
Gratin Dauphinoise Potatoes are an absolute classic crowd pleaser, and so versatile. The lusciously rich creamy potato with a boost of garlic is a great accompaniment to both red and white meats. Its easy to make and can be made ahead and reheated if needed. I’m going to show you the correct method for making the gratin, so forget what you may have had in the past and try these out.
Try them out with the Christmas Turkey, they make a great alternative to the humble roast potato.
This is not the solid slab of potato with a hint of cream you may be familiar with but a soft, rich, flavourful potato you never tire of. Commonly grated cheese is sprinkled on top before baking, but it shouldn’t be needed.
The delicate flavour of a Dauphinoise is created by a reaction of the fat in the cream, the garlic, and the starch in the potatoes. Properly mix and cooked together the flavour will naturally develop to a luscious experience of garlic and cream . Cooking the potatoes on the hob releases the starch into the cream and starts the process off.
Restaurants often don’t cook Dauphinoise correctly (see below) and add a layer of cheese to catch up’.
Of course, if you like the cheese don’t let me stop you, just use a really good one!
When the gratin is made in a restaurant the chefs want a product that is easy to make, looks good and is easy to serve.
To that end most restaurants make the dish like this-
The garlic cream is made separately, then sliced potatoes are laid in a deep tray with a layer of cream poured between. When the tray is full a layer of cream and cheese is put on top then the whole thing is cooked in the oven.
When cooked a second tray is placed on top and weighted down. This compresses the potato which when cool provides a firm slab of potato which can be cut into shapes according to the presentation required. The shapes can then be refrigerated and re-heated as needed.
Hence the uninteresting dry, firm, block of potatoes you may have been served in the past.
Peel the garlic, remove any visible green shoot and chop. Sprinkle the salt onto the chopped garlic then use your cook’s knife to crush the garlic and salt to a paste.
Pour the cream or milk/cream mix into the pan and add the garlic. Mix the garlic well into the cream then bring the pan to the simmer. When simmering remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand. This is your garlic cream mix.
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1 …mm slices using a mandolin or food processor. If that’s not going to be possible to do safely, check out our alternative ideas below. Whatever you do, DO NOT RINSE THE POTATO, you will wash off the starch we need in the cream.
Return the pan to the heat and start to add the sliced potatoes. Don’t just add then all at once, add the slices as if you were dealing cards. This will ensure each slice is covered in cream.
Cook the potatoes and cream together carefully for about 10-15 minutes. Push the potatoes down gently so they stay below the surface. Check the bottom of the pan from time to time to check the potato is not burning.
When ready the starch will be released into the cream, thickening it, and forming a sauce. While the pan is cooking butter the inside of the baking dish to avoid sticking
Add a little milled black pepper and check the seasoning adding a dash of salt if needed. Chefs often use white pepper because they think if you see black bits in your potato, you will think its been burnt. Do that if you wish but for me its black pepper every time.
Be carful not to overdo the seasoning. The dish should taste just slightly under seasoned before going into the oven. As the cream evaporates in the oven the seasoning will catch up
Lift the contents of the pan into the baking dish trying to keep the layers of potato as flat as possible. Lightly press the potato to level everything up and keep a tin layer of cream on top.
Bake in the oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. The top should be golden brown and the potatoes tender.
The texture of the cooked dauphinoise should be not dissimilar to a ripe Brie cheese. Slightly oozing from the edges but not running all over the place.
If serving this at home, I let my guest help themselves directly from the serving dish.
If you do want to portion out the potato, I would recommend serving it as a side dish. It’s much easier and a lot quicker! Have a look at the alternatives below for another suggestion on how to cook and serve the potatoes.
This one is great for serving with well flavoured meats like game, and one for the cheese lovers.
Substitute 200g of potato in the recipe above for peeled and very thinly sliced celeriac. Cook on the hob as above then spoon half the mix into the baking dish. Sprinkle on 30g of parmesan cheese then add the balance of the potato mix.
Dust a further 30g of parmesan on top and bake in the over as before.
Great for serving with the Sunday roast. Add 1 to 2 tbsp of freshly grated horseradish to the garlic cream as it cooks, then bake as normal.
This really copies the idea of a Tartiflette, a French potato dish of cream, bacon, and cheese.
Take 200g of dry cured bacon pieces and fry then in a little olive oil until cooked. Proceed as for the main recipe up to the point of putting the potato mixture into the baking dish. Mix 60g of grated extra mature cheddar cheese and 60g of grated parmesan. Now start to fill the baking dish with the potato. Layering it up with a sprinkling of the cheese and bacon pieces. Top off with the remaining cheese and bake.
You may have used too rich a cream mixture, or more likely it has been baking at too high a temperature. Originally the dish was baked in a water bath to avoid overheating. With today’s modern accurate ovens, it shouldn’t be needed. If you are suspect your oven runs a little hot, reduce the cooking temperature.
There is an alternative, a little like a potato crumble, which is also very easy to serve.
Make the garlic cream as in the main recipe. Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes just over 1cm across. Cook the cubes in the cream been carful they don’t start to break up. Then spoon the mixture into butter heatproof ramekins. Cover the surface with some breadcrumbs and a little parmesan cheese then bake in the oven. They should only take 30-40 minutes. Serve the dish in the ramekins as a side dish.
No problem, simply mix 300ml double/heavy cream with 100ml of milk to bring the fat content down.
Enjoy Life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
©John Webber. 2023
These, Easy and Delicious, Apple Crumble Overnight Oats make the perfect Autumn breakfast. Layers of apple compote, oats, yoghurt, and shortbread. What more could you want?
These Mocha Overnight Oats are packed with flavour. Rich peanut butter and Maple syrup are backed up with a kick of coffee to get your day started.
I like to serve the Mocha Overnight oats topped with a crunchy layer of muesli. Choose a variety with plenty interesting ingredients or add some more dried fruits if needed. We are looking for some texture and interest rather than adding more oats to our breakfast.
Easy Overnight Oats, make the perfect lazy breakfast. Packed with goodness they are one of the most versatile breakfast options around. Very little, is any cooking is required and the simplest versions can be made in minutes.
If you’re the type of person who doesn’t have time for breakfast, then these are for you! A healthy tasty, interesting breakfast can be in front of you in less time that it takes to make toast.
And if that’s not enough, take some overnight oats along with you. I sometimes take a jar with me if I’m of on an early morning photo trip been both easy to carry and eat.
I like to use screw top Kilner jars to assemble the oats and all the recipes below are made for that size of jar. Of course, you can use any container you like even old well-washed jam jars.
Essential, well you couldn’t have overnight oats without oats, could you? Ordinary rolled oats are fine for any recipe. Jumbo oats can be added into the mix to give a different texture if needed.
DON’T use quick cook oats as they are part processed already. Oatmeal is also unsuitable particularly pinhead oatmeal (known as steel cut oats in the U.S.A.)
I should say liquid, water you do, but might not be worth getting out of bed for. You can use any of the plant-based milks, coconut, almond, oat, or fruit juices. Try experimenting to impress your guests.
Loads of options here. Try honey, unrefined sugar, maple syrup, golden syrup, or artificial sweeteners. Don’t overdo the sweetener at first as some ingredients like dried fruit will add sweetness.
I like to add a little vanilla to form a background flavour, but like the sweetener don’t overdo it.
A spoonful of yoghurt mixed into the oats adds a richness of the oats and a dollop on top does no harm.
Chia seeds.
These are optional, they provide a richer texture to the oats and add bags of nutrition to the dish. High in fibre’ Omega 3 and loaded with antioxidants. You don’t need a great deal a small packet will get you going.
Flax seeds are a great addition to any cereal. Like Chia they are rich in Omega 3 and have numerous health benefits including controlling cholesterol and gut health.
Good toppings make the difference between good and brilliant overnight oats. The options are endless but as a start try, berry fruits, fruit compotes, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, chocolate, muesli, or crushed biscuits.
Good quality Greek yoghurt will add a fresh creamy texture. Try adding into the soaking oats and adding a spoonful on top before serving
Basically, any way you like. For your guests dress them with some really good yoghurt and plenty of fresh fruit. If you’re in need of a quick breakfast just tuck in straight from the jar.
Don’t be afraid to try serving the oats warmed in the microwave. Great for the winter to get you going. Our Syrup and Spice overnight oats are ideal for this.
For a basic mixture try 1 part (by volume) of oats to 1 ¼ parts milk, plus 1/8thpart chia seeds. Mix the whole lot together in a jar and leave overnight in the fridge. If you wish you could then add sweeteners and toppings as you want.
As long as the milk is fresh the prepared oats will keep up to five days in the fridge. Adding items into the mix will shorten the life of the oats.
I prefer to make a dedicated recipe with all the flavours added in at the start. This makes life much easier first thing in the morning. All my recipes below will make two breakfasts and will keep up to three days in the fridge.
Enjoy Life !
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
©John Webber. 2023
This Thai Chicken and Prawn Soup for me sums up the joy of Thai cooking. Been both fresh and light yet with plenty of substance in the flavour department.
This Easy Creamy Mango Milkshake is a guaranteed hit with the kids, and who doesn’t like a milkshake?
This Easy, Family Citrus Peach Cooler takes just a few minutes to make using ingredients you may already have in the house. Making the base ahead of time speeds up the process of serving everybody and keeps everything as cold as possible.
Using tinned peaches makes the whole recipe quite simple. But if you have fresh peaches you need to use its np problem. Wash the fruit and remove the stones, then chop them up a little. follow the recipe for the blending adding in a tablespoon of Stock Syrup for each peach. One the fruit is blended pass the puree through a fine sieve to remove any traces of skin.
And don’t forget to look up our home page on Easy Summertime Coolers for more ideas for summertime drinks.
Open the tin of peach slices and tip the whole contents into the blender. Add the lemon and lime juice and blend to a smooth sauce. If the sauce has any stubborn lumps pass the sauce though a fine sieve. This should make about 400ml of base.
Store the sauce on a sealed jar in the fridge, (it should keep about four days) or freeze in large ice cubes ready for use when needed.
To serve the cooler, mix equal quantities of the peach base with lemonade and fresh orange juice. Add some thin slices of lime and lemon, add a handful of ice, and stir well.
Serve as cold as possible garnished with fruit slices, mint, and strawberries.
Try the recipe with other tinned fruits like pears or apricots.
Enjoy Life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
If you enjoyed your visit with us, please subscribe up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at The Westcoaster. Subscribe Here
©John Webber. 2023
Beautifully light Helston Pudding. It’s easy to make comfort food which makes a light alternative to Christmas Pudding. I have put in a couple of minor changes to make it even more Christmassy, and served it with an orange brandy sauce.
Make your own Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce, it’s easy! Enjoy the flavor of italy at home in less than 45 minutes.