Baked Apples

Some men like desserts and some men don’t. Those who like them, won’t always want to or know where to start. The following is a very simple and dare I say easy recipe for a delicious dessert.

Ingredients

• 3 Granny Smith Apples 
• 2/3 Tsp Demerara sugar
• 3 Tsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tsp of cinnamon
• Rum
• Apple juice 
• Lemon juice

Method

1. Preheat the oven at 250C.
2. Combine sugar, butter and cinnamon together.
3. Core the apples, do not go all the way through to the bottom.
4. Slice the apples in even slices through the diameter (crossways). Stack each slice on top of each other, and repeat with each apple.
5. Add a drizzle of lemon juice on the apple to stop from turning brown.
6. Carefully spoon in the mixture into the centre and place onto baking tray.
7. Pour over some rum and apple juice. 
8. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, basting occasionally until tender.
9. Remove from the oven, drizzle with a bit of honey (optional) and serve with vanilla ice cream or cream.

 Eat and enjoy.

 

Manage your man flu

Mr. Man was not feeling particular well this week, cooking kind of went out of the window. I know that besides a hot toddy and vicks…… a hot and spicy soup can do the job to help elevate the nuisance of a cold or flu. So I came round and fixed him up this lovely soothing Wonton soup, to help him feel souper again!

Here’s how I made it:

Ingredients for Wonton:

• (Fresh) Wonton wrappers
• Minced pork
• Finely chopped chilli (as much or a little as you want)
• 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon of soya sauce
• 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of brown sugar
• A sprinkling of flour
• 2 finely chopped spring onions
• A sprinkling of white pepper (I used black because that was all I had)

Broth

• 3-4 Cups of water with chicken stock cube or chicken stock
• Finely chopped chilli
• Finely chopped garlic
• 1 Tablespoon of fish sauce
• 1 Tablespoon ginger
• 1 Finely chopped spring onion
• 2-3 Baskets of noodles
• Chinese broccoli

How it all happened:

1. Combine with all the ingredients together with the minced pork.
2. Take a wrapper in your hand, place a heaped teaspoon to the middle.
3. Moisten a right angel ‘L’ shape and fold over to create a triangle. Gently press down the outer sides. Bring left and right corners together above the filling, overlap corners and moisten to stick together.
4. Repeat with remaining wonton wrappers (until you run out of mixture or wonton wrappers).
5. In a pan add the water, a chicken stock cube, chilli, garlic, ginger and fish sauce to the pan to the boil.
6. Drop in wontons- should take a few minutes. (When they rise to the top they are done).
7. (After a minute) Add the Chinese broccoli for 3 mins.
8. (After a minute) Add in noodles for 2 mins (or what the instructions tell you).

Serve and garnish with coriander and Sriracha sauce to taste. Yum!

Out into the unknown

I wanted to create something for my other half that would aid him in his discovery in all things culinary and delicious. When you come from an environment when those around you are happy to do most of the cooking- life is good. You appreciate the comforted smell that reaches your nose from a hard day at work or school. I know I did.

I was eager from a young age to join in with the cooking and eat the food. And along the way I picked up some good habits and I picked up some bad. I wanted to help my boyfriend in his culinary experience away from his childhood home. I thought about devising a recipe book, that I would write everything that I knew so that he could learn. But what I know is not easy to learn and nor is it easy to teach. A lot of the times I make it up as I go along. I put a bit of this with a bit of that. If I can’t remember what I used then how I can tell you.  I haven’t been the most patient of teachers and thought this blog would be a good way for him to pick up some tips and hints along his journey.

He can cook, don’t get me wrong but I want to help him while he tries to juggle a busy work load and then coming home and having to cook for himself. I want to provide him with the basic knowledge that he can take and experiment with himself. I want to make cooking seem less daunting, yes it is a necessity but also a pleasure.

Thanks x x