Come & Eat At Big Bob's Internet Diner

(but you have to do the cooking yourself)

 

 

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Friday March 19

Baking

 

Apple and Cinnamon Cake

 

 

Ingredients

 

50 g / 2 oz hazelnuts
175 g self-raising flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
175 g / 6 oz butter
175 g / 6 oz caster sugar
3 large eggs
4 Cox's apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp clear honey
142 ml / 5 fl oz carton double cream
1 tbsp icing sugar

 

 

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 360ºF, Gas 4.

 

2. Bake nuts for 10 minutes or until golden, rub off the skins with kitchen towel, then finely chop in a processor or blender.

 

3. Grease two 20 cm sandwich cake tins and line with baking paper.

 

4. Sift the flour and cinnamon together. Set aside. Beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.

 

5. Add one egg, beat well; beat in the last two, one at a time, adding a tablespoon of flour with each.

 

6. Stir in rest of flour and nuts with 1 tablespoon water.

 

7. Divide between tins, level tops and bake for 25 minutes, until the sponge springs back when lightly pressed. Turn onto wire racks and leave to cool.

 

8. Gently cook the apples in a covered pan with the lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water, until tender.

 

9. Add honey, purée in a blender or processor and leave to cool.

 

10. Lightly whip cream, spread one cake with it and then the purée. Top with the other cake, then dust with icing sugar.

 

 

 

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Thursday March 18

Pudding

 

Lemon Meringue Rice Pudding

 

Ingredients

 

45 ml / 3 level tbsps short grain rice
1 pt / 568 ml milk
juice and thinly peeled rind of 1 lemon
1 - 2 eggs, separated
2½ oz / 65 g sugar
jam

 

Method

 

1. Wash the rice and put it into a thick-based or double saucepan with the milk and lemon rind.

 

2. Cook gently for about 45 minutes, or up to 2 hours in a double pan, until the rice is soft and creamy.

 

3. Remove the lemon rind and stir in the juice; cool the mixture slightly and beat in the egg yolks and 30 ml / 2 level tbsps sugar.

 

4. Put a layer of jam on the bottom of a pie dish and pour on the rice.

 

5. Whisk the egg whites very stiffly, whisk in half the remaining sugar and fold in the rest.

 

6. Pile the meringue on the pudding and bake in the oven at 180°C / 350°F / Gas mark 4 for about 15 minutes, until the meringue top is lightly browned.

 

 

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Wednesday March 17

Main Course

 

Chicken and Banana Curry

 

Ingredients:-

serves 4

 

1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced
1½ tbsp olive oil
250 g / 9 oz closed cup mushrooms, wiped and quartered
2 tbsp balti curry paste
400 ml / 14 fl oz can coconut milk
200 ml / 7 fl oz chicken stock
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, diced
100 g / 4 oz stoned, dried dates, chopped
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bananas, peeled and sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

 

1. Fry the onion in the olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over a moderate heat for 3 minutes.

 

2. Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 5 minutes or until softened and browned.

 

3. Add the remaining ingredients, apart from the bananas and seasoning, and simmer for 15 minutes.

 

4. Add the bananas and simmer for 5 minutes.

 

5. Remove any thyme stalks and season to taste.

 

6. Serve with Thai-style fragrant rice.

 

 

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Tuesday March 16

Fish

 

Potted Smoked Fish

(Microwave Recipe)

 

Ingredients:-

serves 4

 

2 smoked or kippered fish fillets
15 g / ½ oz½ butter or margarine
15 g / ½ oz plain flour
6 tbsps cream cheese
6 tbsps milk
6 - 8 pimento-stuffed olives, sliced
2 tsps Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
120 g / 4 oz butter for clarifying
Pimento-stuffed olives and black peppercorns to garnish

 

Method

1. Skin the fish fillets and break up into small pieces. Melt butter for 1 minute on HIGH.

 

2. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes on HIGH. Blend in the cheese, milk, half the olives, mustard and seasoning.

 

3. Add fish and mix until well blended. Put into four ramekins and smooth the tops of each.

 

4. Cover individually with cling film and cook for 1 minute on HIGH to set the mixture.

 

5. Put butter into a medium bowl and heat for 3 - 4 minutes on HIGH, or until boiling". Leave to stand for 10 - 15 minutes.

 

6. Skim the salt off the top and spoon the butter oil carefully over each pot offish. Fill nearly to the top, and leave until almost set.

 

7. Place the remaining olives and peppercorns on top of the butter. Chill until set, then cover the decoration with another thin layer of clarified butter and refrigerate again.

 

 

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Monday March 15

Soups

 

Fish and Vegetable Soup

 

 

Ingredients:-

serves 4

 

225 g / 8 oz cod steaks, bones and skin removed and cut into 2 cm / ¾ in pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 potatoes, cut into 1 cm / ½ in dice
2 carrots, cut into 1 cm / ½ in dice
25 g / 1 oz plain flour
300 ml / ½ pt warm milk
600 ml / 1 pt warm chicken stock
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground black pepper
50 g / 2 oz peeled prawns
½ bunch watercress, stalks removed, to garnish

 

Method

 

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add the onion, potatoes and carrots and cook over gentle heat, stirring, for 3 minutes.

 

2. Sprinkle in the flour, stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat and
   gradually stir in the milk and stock.

 

3. Return the pan to the heat and bring to boil, stirring. Lower heat, add bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 15 minutes.

 

4. Add the cod to the pan and simmer for a further 10 minutes.

 

5. Discard the bay leaf, stir the prawns into the soup and heat through for 5 minutes.

 

6. Taste and adjust seasoning, then pour into warmed individual soup bowls and garnish with the watercress. Serve the soup at once.

 

 

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