CHEF by Gary Rhodes
Steamed chicken leg jardiniere
Ingredients
*
1 medium swede
*
2 medium carrots
*
2-3 celery sticks
*
2 large turnips
*
2 parsnips
*
4 chicken legs
*
½ small onion, very finely chopped
*
1 bay leaf
*
salt and freshly ground black pepper
*
25-50g/1-2oz butter (optional)
*
squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
*
1 tbsp flatleaf parsley, leaves only, torn
Preparation method
1.
Cut the swede, carrots, celery and turnips into batons.
2.
Cut the parsnips to 5cm (2in) pieces and then slice into batons.
3.
De-bone the chicken (if preferred).
4.
Sprinkle the chopped onion and bay leaf in a large saucepan, cover with 1.2 litres (2 pints) of water and bring to a rapid simmer.
5.
Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper and sit them in a steamer skin-side up. Place over the simmering water and cover with a lid. Cook for 25 minutes.
6.
After 15 minutes, remove the chicken legs and add the carrots, swede and celery to the steaming water. Bring to the simmer again before returning the chicken legs to steam.
7.
Continue to steam for a further five minutes.
8.
Remove the chicken legs and keep them warm within the steamer. Strain the vegetables from the pan, discarding the bay leaf and saving the liquor in a separate saucepan. Simmer.
9.
Arrange the vegetables in a bowl. De-skin the chicken and place on top.
10.
Whisk the butter into the simmering cooking liquor and add a squeeze of lemon juice.
11.
Finish with the torn parsley, then pour over the chicken and vegetables and serve.
CHEF by Gennaro Contaldo
Baked aubergine rolls filled with mozzarella
Ingredients
*
1 large aubergine, cut lengthways into 6 slices about 5mm/¼ inch thick
*
2 tbsp plain flour
*
2 eggs, lightly beaten with some salt and pepper
*
olive oil for frying
*
40g/1½oz parmesan cheese, freshly grated
*
18 large fresh basil leaves
*
300g/11oz mozzarella cheese, roughly sliced
*
salt
*
freshly ground black pepper
For the tomato sauce
*
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
*
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
*
1 small onion, finely chopped
*
½ celery stalk, finely chopped
*
400g/14oz tin of plum tomatoes
To serve
*
leafy green salad
Preparation method
1.
To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a saucepan, add the garlic, onion and celery and sweat until softened. Stir in the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, then cover the pan and simmer gently for 25 minutes.
2.
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
3.
Dust the aubergine slices in the flour, then dip them in the beaten egg.
4.
In a large frying pan, heat some olive oil to a depth of about 1 cm/½ inch, add the aubergine slices and fry on both sides until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
5.
Line the aubergine slices up on a large chopping board, season with salt and pepper, then evenly sprinkle 25g/1oz of the parmesan over the top.
6.
Place three basil leaves on each aubergine slice and top with a couple slices of mozzarella, reserving half the cheese. The carefully roll each slice up, making sure they are seam-side downwards so they don't open up.
7.
Line a large ovenproof dish (or individual ones) with some of the tomato sauce and place the aubergine rolls on top.
8.
Spoon over the remaining tomato sauce and top with the remaining mozzarella slices and parmesan.
9.
Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, until the top is very lightly coloured and beginning to bubble. Serve with a green salad.
CHEF by Gino D'Acampo
Chilli con carne with rice
Ingredients
*
2 tbsp olive oil
*
1 onion, finely chopped
*
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
*
1 carrot, finely chopped
*
1 celery stick, finely chopped
*
400g/14¼oz minced beef
*
1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely diced
*
1 tsp paprika
*
1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
*
400g/14¼oz can chopped tomatoes
*
1 x 400g/14¼oz can kidney beans, drained
*
½ bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
*
steamed basmati rice, to serve
Preparation method
1.
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a medium to high heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrot and celery. Fry until the vegetables are softened, but not browned (about eight minutes).
2.
Increase the heat and add the minced beef and red chilli. Turn regularly to brown the meat on all sides.
3.
Add the paprika and tomato purée. Cook for three minutes, stirring continuously.
4.
Add the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 35 minutes, adding water if the mixture begins to dry out.
5.
Stir in the kidney beans and the coriander and cook for a further five minutes.
6.
Serve generous portions of chilli with steamed basmati rice.
CHEF by Giorgio Locatelli
Locanda Locatelli tiramisu
This recipe is adapted from the Locanda Locatelli tiramisu recipe
Ingredients
For the mascarpone mousse
*
170ml/6fl oz whipping cream
*
1 medium free-range eggs
*
3 medium free-range egg yolks
*
50g/2oz caster sugar
*
2 tbsp orange liqueur
*
2 gelatine leaves, soaked in cold water
*
170g/5½oz mascarpone cheese
For the base
*
8 savoyard (lady fingers) biscuits
*
6 shots of espresso or 100m/2fl oz strong, dark freshly brewed filter coffee
*
cocoa powder, to dust
Preparation method
1.
For the mascarpone mousse, whip the cream until it forms stiff peaks when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Transfer to the fridge and chill until needed.
2.
Place the eggs, egg yolks and sugar into a bowl and whisk using an electric hand whisk until the mixture turns pale and triples in volume.
3.
Heat the orange liqueur gently in a pan. Remove the gelatine from the water and squeeze out any excess water. Add the gelatine leaves to the orange liqueur, remove from the heat and stir gently to dissolve the gelatine.
4.
Add the mascarpone and stir to combine. Using a spatula, gradually fold in the chilled cream mxiture, a little at a time. Transfer to the fridge and chill until needed.
5.
For the base, dip the savoyard biscuits in the espresso for a few seconds on each side until they start to absorb the coffee.
6.
Place half of the coffee-soaked biscuits in the bottom of a glass serving bowl or four individual glasses. Top with half of the mascarpone mousse, the remaining biscuits and finish with a layer of mascarpone mousse.
7.
Dust generously with cocoa powder and serve.
CHEF by Gizzi Erskine
Thai green chicken curry
Thai green chicken curry
Curry in a hurry? Save time by using read-made paste in this truly tasty Thai green curry.
Ingredients
*
1 tbsp vegetable oil
*
1-2 tbsp ready-made green curry paste
*
6 chicken thighs, skin and bones removed, meat cut into strips
*
1 x 400ml/14½fl oz can coconut milk
*
2 lime leaves (optional)
*
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
*
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
*
handful green beans, trimmed
*
handful asparagus spears
*
salt and freshly ground black pepper
To serve
*
Thai fragrant rice
*
handful fresh coriander leaves
Preparation method
1.
Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat until smoking. Add the green curry paste and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.
2.
Add the chicken strips and stir until coated in the curry paste. Continue to stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, or until the chicken has browned on all sides.
3.
Add the coconut milk, lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar and stir well. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering. Continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
4.
Add the green beans and asparagus and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, until just tender. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5.
To serve, spoon the rice into four serving bowls, then ladle over the Thai green chicken curry. Sprinkle over the coriander leaves.
CHEF by Gordon Ramsay
Herb and pine nut stuffing
Ingredients
*
200g/7oz white breadcrumbs
*
125g/4½oz butter
*
1 onion, finely chopped
*
large sprig of thyme and rosemary, chopped leaves only
*
6 fresh sage leaves
*
1 lemon, zest only
*
50g/2oz pine nuts
*
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
*
1 tsp sea salt
*
freshly ground black pepper
Preparation method
1.
Melt butter in a large frying pan and gently sauté onion and garlic for five minutes until soft.
2.
Stir in the herbs for one minute then add breadcrumbs to absorb butter.
3.
Mix in zest, pine nuts and seasoning and cook over medium heat for about seven minutes until crumbs start to brown and crisp
CHEF by Graham Kerr
Trout Orleans
Trout served with bananas seems like an unlikely combination but the flavours and textures work really well together. Serve with a rich lemony sauce, this is quite a special meal.
Ingredients
*
2 eggs
*
5 tbsp clarified butter
*
plain flour, to coat
*
2 sea trout fillets, skin on
*
55g/2oz fresh breadcrumbs
*
2 bananas
*
2 lemons, 1 juiced, 1 thinly sliced
*
55g/2oz butter
*
2 egg yolks
*
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
*
salt and white pepper
Preparation method
1.
Preheat the grill to warm. In a shallow dish, whisk the eggs with 2 tbsp of the clarified butter.
2.
Put a good handful of flour on a plate and season lightly with white pepper and salt.
3.
Take the sea trout fillets and coat them with the seasoned flour, then dip them in the egg mixture and finally toss them in breadcrumbs until they are completely covered.
4.
Heat a frying pan until very hot then add 2 tbsp of the clarified butter. Place the breaded fillets in the pan, skin side up for 2 minutes. Turn the fillets over and cook for a further 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Leave the pan on the heat, transfer fillets to a heat-resistant plate, skin side down and place under the grill for 5 minutes.
5.
Halve the bananas, lengthways. Add the remaining clarified butter to the hot pan and place the banana halves in the pan for 5 minutes, turning occassionally to stop them burning.
6.
In a heatproof bowl sitting over a pan of hot water, whisk the lemon juice, butter and egg yolks to a creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7.
Take the fillets from under the grill and place tomato and lemon slices over the flesh side, alternately and overlapping so they cover most of the fish. Turn the grill up to full and cook the fillets for a further minute.
8.
Serve the trout and bananas together on a plate, covered with sauce.
CHEF by Gregg Wallace
Chocolate cups
Use the best quality chocolate you find to get the full flavour of this recipe. For an adult version add a splash of your favourite liqueur.
Ingredients
*
110g/4oz plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
*
290ml/½ pint double cream
*
290ml/½ pint ready-made custard
*
biscuits, to serve
Preparation method
1.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Remove when melted and leave to cool slightly.
Technique: Melting chocolate
Melting chocolateWatch technique1:07 mins
2.
Whip the cream until stiff.
3.
In a separate pan, gently warm the custard.
4.
Add the custard to the cooled chocolate and combine to form a smooth mixture.
5.
Fold in the whipped cream a spoonful at a time.
6.
Divide the mixture between two cappuccino cups and place in the fridge to chill.
7.
Serve with a biscuit such as almond thins.
