It is that time of year – no more winter, not yet spring (unless 10C and continuous rain seems like a spring to you). I find Chinese broth just the perfect meal for when the weather is in transition. Plus, cooking in a large quantity, you could use this as a base for other meals!
To cook 4 litres ( full large pot ) of this delicious liquid you’ll need:
2 medium onions,
2 red chillies
bunch of spring onions
4 pearl onions – they’re such great flavour enhancers
1 whole organic chicken
4-5 garlic cloves
100g ot a few generous chunks of fresh ginger
3 tablespoons of cane sugar
a glass/300ml of Chinese cooking wine
Add all the ingredients – except the chicken – into the water and simmer in a large saucepan over high heat. Once boiling, add the whole chicken and depending on the size of the chicken, simmer on a reduced heat for about 30-40 mins.
 Allow to cool. Skim any excess fat from the surface and discard the solids if you prefer it clear. Serve over the rice noodles with fresh chilli if you like it 🌶🌶 and garnish with yuzu pepper.
Dutch Baby, so fashionable these days, is nothing else but the pastry my Mum used to make for my siblings and I when we were in need for some dessert fix. Now that I’m older it doesn’t surprise me why that was her fix of choice. It’s surprisingly easy to make it, Â takes minutes to bake it and above all it looks rather spectacular whether you’re an adult or child in need of sugar rush.
So, baking  this kind of pancake- Yorkshire pudding- pastry was not only fun but also a nostalgic carefree flashback of a sweet times with my sweet Mama.
To make  this 26cm size pastry you need:
3 whole eggs
100g plain flour
1 tbsp of caster sugar
pinch of sea salt
1 vanilla pod
150ml whole milk
large tbsp of butter of any kind
Preheat the cast iron pan in oven at 220C.
Place the eggs and sugar in a blender, mix them well.
Add milk, vanilla beans from the pod, salt and the flour to achieve a smooth batter.
Take the hot pan out of oven and melt the scoop of butter.
As soon as butter has melted, pour the batter into the pan and place it in the oven for approx. 20 mins.
Once golden brown and high in size, take it off carefully out oven and garnish with seasonal fruits and icing sugar if you like it.
Comfort food. Classic of the classics. Quintessentially French ‘manger’.
This autumnal meal, in Anglo-Saxon dictionary also known as a Burgundy Beef, is a great option for weekend cooking for many reasons. Especially when you host a small dinner party for your friends. Its a really good warmer and indulgent enough to not bother with a starter. Unless a crusty baguette is considered as a starter…
As usual, I didn’t follow any particular recipe to make this excellent meal, so here are ingredients used in order to create the #boeufbourguignon
600g of good quality diced beef
8-10 chestnut mushrooms
4 shallot onions
4medium carrots
2parsnips
bunch of lemon thyme
1 whole garlic
2 tablespoons of dried garlic leaves
2 tablespoons of smoked salt
2 tablespoons of white/green pepper
1 bouquet garni
3 bay leaves
2-3 cox apples
3 tablespoons of freshly grated ginger
1 bottle of reasonably good wine (cheap=bad)
2 tablespoons of goose fat or good butter  to fry the meat
From my experience it is good to fry the seasoned (with salt&pepper)  beef in a heavy bottomed dish, ideally using goose fat. This not only fries  the meat well but also keep it moist at the same time. When the meat is done, put it to the side and using the dame dish braise the onions, mushrooms, thyme, garlic, ginger and herbs until golden brown and softened.
When ready, add the meat and braise together for a few minutes with a generous splash of wine from the bottle.
At the same time on a low heat – using another pot – braise together (using a remaining spoon of goose fat)Â chopped carrots, parsnip, apple and dried garlic leaves cover with a lid to keep the moist. The smaller the chunks of the veggies, the shorter the time of braising. It shouldn’t take more than 10 mins to do so. Do not worry if some of the chunks aren’t soft enough. They’ll will be when mixed with meat and wine for additional 3 hrs of cooking.
When all is ready to be mixed together into one large heavy bottomed pan, finish it with the remaining wine from the bottle and stir well. Braise the contents, covered with lid  on a very low heat for about 3-3,5hrs unit beef is very soft and succulent and flavours are just perfect. Don’t worry, when it comes to boeuf bourguignon, you’ll know when it tastes perfect.
TIP; Divide wine into 3 parts so you’ll know how much to use and when.
1st part for braising the meat,
2nd for braising the vegetables
3rd for the final stage when both, beef and vegetables are mixed together.
Serve in the bowl with topped with a fresh baguette. And a glass of red wine, obvs!
style dispenser 