Recipes

DARK CHOCOLATE & BEETROOT BROWNIE, PUDDING WITH CASSIS CREAM

What you need

• Cocoa solid dark chocolate: 100 gm
• Egg: 2
• Muscovado sugar: 125 gm
• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
• Melted butter: 125 gm
• Cocoa powder: 40 gm
• Self-rising flour: 40 gm
• Grated and cooked beetroot: 150 gm
• Double cream: 200 ml
• Cassis liquor: 2 tbsp
• Icing sugar (optional)

Method

For brownie:

• Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree C.
• Lightly grease the ramekins using melted butter and a silicone brush.
• In a medium-sized bowl, break the chocolate into small pieces.
• Place the bowl over a saucepan of hot water to melt. Do not let the water boil or the bowl touch the water.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick and foamy.
• Use a medium-sized silicone spatula or spatula spoon to stir in the melted chocolate followed by the melted butter. Sift in the cocoa powder and flour. Gently stir.
• Fold in the grated, cooked beetroot.
• Divide the mixture between the four ramekins and bake for 20 minutes.
• The puddings are done when well risen and the surface is cracked. The centre will still be soft.
• For Cassis cream:
• Whisk the cream until thickened and stir in the cassis liquor.
• Serve the puddings warm with the cassis cream and a dusting of icing sugar (optional).

Courtesy: Le Creuset.

Almond orange cake

What you need

For orange puree:

• Orange malta: 2
• For cake batter:
• Caster sugar: 225 gm
• Honey/Invert sugar: 20 gm
• Almond flour: 300 gm
• Egg: 6
• A pinch of salt
• For sugar syrup:
• Sugar: 100 gm
• Water: 100 ml
• Rosemary sprig: 1
• Lemon juice
• Orange juice

Method

• For the orange puree:
• Pierce the whole oranges with a knife.
• Blanch the oranges in water five to six times.
• Simmer the oranges in sugar syrup of 250 gm sugar and 250 gm water for about two hours. Let cool.
• Grind into a paste
• For the sugar syrup:
• Bring all the ingredients to a boil.

For cake:

• Whip the eggs and sugar till light and fluffy or till ribbon stage.
•  Whisk in the honey.
• Mix in the orange puree.
• Fold in the almond powder and salt.
• Pour into the mould and bake at 160 degree C for 20 minutes or till golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and soak in the sugar syrup.
• Let cool. Garnish with oranges slices.

Courtesy: Ila Sarwate, Academy of Pastry and Culinary Arts, Mumbai.

Greek Cucumber Walnut Bites

What you need

• Walnuts, chopped: 1/2 cup
• English cucumber, ends trimmed: 1
• Roasted red pepper hummus: 1/2 cup
• Crumbled feta cheese: 1/4 cup
• Cherry tomatoes, quartered: 5

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C and arrange walnuts evenly on a small baking sheet.
• Bake for eight minutes, check frequently, until toasted.
• Slice cucumber crosswise into 18, 3/4 inch thick slices.
• Using a small spoon, gently scoop out and discard the centre of each cucumber slice, leaving the bottom and the sides intact.
• In a small bowl, stir six tablespoons of chopped walnuts and hummus.
• Spoon walnut-hummus mixture into each cucumber slice and top with two reserved tablespoons of chopped walnuts, feta cheese and quartered tomatoes.
• Enjoy with delight.

Courtesy: Chef Sabyasachi Gorai.

SMOKED SALMON FISH CAKES

What you need

• Smoked salmon: 400 gm
• Mashed potatoes: 300 gm
• Melted butter: 2 tbsp
• Wholegrain mustard: 2 tbsp
• Fresh dill (chopped): 1 tbsp
• Fresh parsley (chopped): 1 tbsp
• Fresh chives (chopped): 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Flour (seasoned): ½ cup
• Eggs, beaten: 2
• Breadcrumbs: 1½ cups
• Oil: 100 ml

Method

• Preheat the oven to 190 degree celsius.
• Place the salmon in a roasting dish, cover with foil and place in the oven for 15 minutes to heat through.
• Flake the salmon with a fork and place in a large bowl together with the mashed potatoes, butter, and mustard. Mix well.
• Add the dill, parsley, chives, lemon juice and zest. Season well with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.
• Divide the mixture into 12 portions and form into balls. Flatten each ball to about one cm thick.
• Dip each fishcake in the seasoned flour, then the beaten egg and finally the breadcrumbs to coat each one.
• Fry the fishcakes in two tbsp oil over medium-high heat for five to eight minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.           

Courtesy: Le Creuset.