Toastie.

toastie - a toasted sandwich or snack.
Lorraine Pascale's Prosciutto and brie toastie | Celebrity Kitchen: in Engl.

This is one of Lorraine Pascale's favourite snacks. It can be ready in minutes and is wholesome and tasty enough to give anyone's tastebuds a treat. It's ready in a few minutes and you can substitute the prosciutto for bacon if you prefer.

Ingredients

3 Slices of prosciutto
2 slices chunky white bread
Brie commonly available in 200gram packs
Fresh ground pepper
Butter for spreading
Dash of Olive oil

Lorraine starts by adding 3 slices of prosciutto to a hot oiled pan.
She then places one piece of buttered bread, butter side down into the pan next to the prosciutto, and breaks off chunks of brie which she places on top of the bread until the surface is covered.
Just as the prosciutto starts to crisp up, Lorraine uses some tongs to move the slices ontop of the bread and brie (everything is still the the pan at this stage).
Lorraine butter another piece of bread and grinds a good measure of pepper over it before placing it butter side up on top of the other ingredients in the pan.
She uses a sturdy fish slice to press the sandwhich together before (i did it after!) turning the whole thing over to brown the other side.
After a couple of minutes, Lorraine removes the toastie from the pan, slices it in half and serves with a good squidge of brown sauce.

More: - How to make the PERFECT cheese toastie and grilled cheese sandwich | Daily Mail Online

'You'll need a some good quality sourdough, Heidi Farm Gruyere, Bulla Crème Fraiche and dry white wine.
The mix of Gruyere and Creme Fraiche is the secret to a perfect toastie as the combination of cheeses creates a delicious fondue.
I like to make cheese a meal not just a cheese starter plate - try including a bit of goats cheese, and fresh grapes that are in season at the moment.'

Ingredients:
8 slices of sourdough loaf bread
Unsalted butter (at room temperature)
300g Gruyere, grated
50ml Crème Fraiche
4 bulbs of shallots, finely diced
100ml dry white wine
salt to season
Method:
Butter one side of each slice of bread.
Place 4 slices on your bench, buttered side down.
In a separate bowl, mix the grated cheese with the shallots and garlic before combining with the crème fraiche.
Distribute the cheese mixture over the 4 slices ensuring that it is the same thickness as the slice of bread.
Place the remaining 4 slices on top, buttered side up.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat for 2 minutes.
Put the sandwiches in the frying pan, in batches if necessary, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown and the cheese has slowly started to melt.
At this stage, brush the top of the sandwich with the white wine, ensuring it soaks in well.
Turn the sandwiches with a spatula, pressing firmly.
Cook for a further 2 minutes, until the undersides are golden brown and brush the top with the white wine so that both sides are now crisp and flavoured with the wine. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of pink salt on top.

OR:
- How to make french toast - Indian Simmer
- Meyer Lemon French Toast | Williams-Sonoma Taste

Slow Roast Pork Shoulder.

Really Slow Roast Pork Shoulder with Crispy, Crispy Crackling and Garlic Roast Potatoes : Recipes : Cooking Channel:
By Lorraine Pascale.

2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Kosher salt
One 4 1/2-pound boneless pork shoulder
4 to 5 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
6 to 8 medium whole shallots or 1 large onion cut into 6 wedges
3 carrots, cut into large pieces
2 large pears, cut into quarters
1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white wine, optional
1 cup good quality chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper

Lentil and bean cottage pie with a potato and parsnip mash top.

By Lorraine Pascale.
As far as writing a healthier or lighter cookbook is concerned, I always think it is a good idea to include stuff in there that people actually want to bake.
I mean, nuts and seeds are great, but if I was given a book of recipes full of stuff that I would never normally cook, then I am not sure I would buy it.
Sooo, I was very tempted not to put this recipe in the book and instead place a meaty version in there, but I have it on solemn word from the family that this beany cottage pie really does taste pretty good.

Serves 6
2.5 litre baking dish, measuring
25.5cm square and 6cm deep

Filling
Spray oil
2 leeks, finely chopped
2 big garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 carrots, finely chopped
300g chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
400g tin of green or Puy lentils, drained
400g tin of kidney beans, drained
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
150ml vegetable stock
1 glass of Marsala, dry sherry or red wine
5 large sage leaves, roughly chopped
Leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp caster sugar (optional)
1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mash top
2 medium sweet potatoes (about 500g), peeled and cut into 2cm chunks
2 medium potatoes (about 500g), peeled and cut into 1cm chunks (save the peelings to make my Baked Potato Crispies on page 87)
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 1cm chunks
2 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
Crisp green salad

METHOD
1. Spray a little oil in a large pan and set over a medium heat.
Add the leek and cook gently for 5 minutes until it begins to soften.
Then add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Next, add the carrot, mushroom, lentils, kidney beans, tomatoes, stock, Marsala (dry sherry or red wine), sage, rosemary and chilli flakes (if using).
Whack up the heat and let it bubble away for 20 minutes while you make the mash.

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C, (Fan 180°C), 400°F, Gas Mark 6.

3. Bring a large pan of water to the boil (no need to add salt).
Add the sweet potato, potato and parsnip and cook for about 15 minutes or until everything is nice and soft.
Then, drain well and return to the pan.
Add the butter, season well with salt and pepper, and then mash until smooth and keep warm.

4. Once the pie filling mixture has had its time, add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and sugar, if using.
Let it bubble away for a further minute or two. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water, but if you think the sauce is too thin, then let it bubble away for a little longer.
Taste it and adjust the seasoning to your liking.

5. Once the pie filling is ready, tip it into a 2.5 litre baking dish, measuring 25.5cm square and 6cm deep, and then spoon the mash over the top, spreading it out evenly, fluffing it up in places with a fork so that bits of it crisp up during baking. Sprinkle the Parmesan over, if using, and then bake for 20 minutes or until the mash starts to go a little crispy.

6. Once baked, remove from the oven and serve straight away with a crisp green salad.

Energy 367 Kcal | Fat 6g | Sat Fat 2.9g | Sugar 16.2g Protein 15.3g | Salt 1.69g

Vegetarian shepherd’s pie. By Lorraine Pascale.

BBC - Food - Recipes : Vegetarian shepherd’s pie By Lorraine Pascale:
This simple, hearty, meat-free shepherd’s pie is packed full of healthy vegetables and lentils.
This meal provides 416 kcal, 17g protein, 68g carbohydrate (of which 19g sugars), 6g fat (of which 2.5g saturates), 15g fibre and 1.5g salt per portion.

Ingredients
For the filling
1 tbsp oil
1 leek, trimmed, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
150g/5½oz chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
3 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only, finely chopped
1 x 400g tin green or Puy lentils, drained
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
300ml/10fl oz vegetable stock
250ml/9fl oz red wine
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 tsp caster sugar (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the topping
2 sweet potatoes (about 500g/1lb 2oz in total), peeled and cut into 2cm/¾in chunks
2 floury potatoes (about 500g/1lb 2oz in total), peeled and cut into 1cm/½in chunks
½ small cauliflower, leaves and root removed, separated into florets
knob of unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp finely grated parmesan (optional)


Preparation method
For the filling, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the leeks and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until beginning to soften.
Add the carrots, mushrooms and garlic and continue to cook, stirring regularly, for 4-5 minutes.
Add the sage, thyme, tinned lentils, tinned tomatoes, stock and red wine and stir together until well combined. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat until it is simmering and continue to simmer for 18-20 minutes while you make the topping.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180 Fan/Gas 6.
For the topping, bring a large pan of water to the boil (there’s no need to add salt). Add the sweet potato chunks and boil for 6-8 minutes, then add the potato chunks and continue to boil for a further 4-5 minutes. Finally, add the cauliflower florets and continue to boil for a further 8-10 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Drain the vegetables well and return them to the pan. Add the butter, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then mash until smooth. Set aside and keep warm.
Stir the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, chilli flakes (if using) and sugar (if using) into the filling mixture, which should have thickened during cooking. Continue to simmer for a further 1-2 minutes, adding a little water if the mixture is too dry (simmer for longer if the mixture is too watery). Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Transfer the filling mixture to an ovenproof baking dish, then spoon over the topping and spread into an even layer. If you like a crispy topping, create peaks in the mash using a fork. Sprinkle over the parmesan, if using.
Bake the shepherd’s pie in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the topping is golden-brown and the filling is bubbling.


'via Blog this'

Christmas Genoa cake. Mary Berry.

THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE OFF CHRISTMAS MASTERCLASS: Mary Berry Christmas recipes - Christmas Genoa cake, galette and white chocolate and ginger cheesecake | MK News:

My Christmas Genoa cake.

A moist, fruity cake which makes a great alternative to Christmas pudding.
Preparation time - less than 30 minutes
Cooking time - over two hours
Makes one x 23cm 9in cake

Сottage pie.

From Lorraine Pascale:
SERVES 6
spray oil
2 leeks, finely chopped
2 big garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 carrots, finely chopped
300g (11oz) chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 x 400g tin of green or Puy lentils, drained
1 x 400g tin of kidney beans, drained
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
150ml (5fl oz) vegetable stock
1 glass of Marsala, dry sherry or red wine
5 large sage leaves, roughly chopped
leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp caster sugar (optional)
1 tbsp finely grated Parmesan (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

MASH
2 medium sweet potatoes about 500g (18oz) total,
peeled and cut into 2cm (3⁄4 in) chunks
2 medium potatoes about 500g (18oz) total, peeled and cut into 1cm (1⁄2 in) chunks
1 parsnip, peeled and cut into 1cm (1⁄2 in) chunks
2 tbsp unsalted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

TO SERVE
crisp green salad

● Spray a little oil in a large pan and set over a medium heat. Add the leeks and cook gently for 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Then add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Next add the carrots, mushrooms, lentils, kidney beans, tomatoes, stock, Marsala (dry sherry or red wine), sage, rosemary and chilli flakes (if using). Whack up the heat and let it bubble away for 20 minutes while you make the mash.
● Preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C), 400F, gas mark 6.
● Bring a large pan of water to the boil (no need to add salt). Add the sweet potato, potato and parsnip and cook for about 15 minutes or until everything is nice and soft. Then drain well and return to the pan. Add the butter, season well with salt and pepper, then mash until smooth and keep warm.
● Once the pie filling mixture has had its time, add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and sugar, if using. Let it bubble away for a further minute or two. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water, but if you think the sauce is too thin, then let it bubble away for a little longer. Taste it and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
● Once the pie filling is ready, tip it into a 2.5 litre-3 litre
(41⁄2 pt-51⁄4 pt) baking dish, measuring 25.5cm (101⁄2 in) square and 6cm (21⁄2 in) deep, and then spoon the mash over the top, spreading it out evenly, fluffing it up in places with a fork so that bits of it crisp up during baking. Sprinkle the Parmesan over, if using, and then bake for 20 minutes or until the mash starts to go a little crispy.
● Once baked, remove from the oven and serve straight away with a crisp green salad.