More St George's Day recipes

From www.greatbritishkitchen.co.uk


Carrot Cake
Serves 8

Ingredients:
225g (8oz) butter
225g (8oz) light soft brown sugar
4 eggs, separated
1/2 orange, zest only
4 teaspoon lemon juice
175g (6oz) self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
50g (2oz) ground almonds
125g (4 1/2oz) Walnut pieces, chopped
350g (12oz) young carrots, peeled and grated
225g (8oz) creamed cheese
2 teaspoon clear honey

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 180 °C / 350 °F / Gas 4. Grease and line a deep 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks, then stir in the orange zest and three teaspoons of the lemon juice. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then stir in 100g (3 1/2 oz) of the walnuts.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the cake mixture with the carrots. Pour into the prepared tin and hollow the centre slightly. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours. Cover top with foil after 1 hour if it starts to brown. Leave to cool slightly, then turn out onto a wire rack and remove the lining paper. Leave to cool.

To make the topping, beat together the cheese, honey and remaining lemon juice and spread over the top of the cake. Sprinkle the topping with the remaining walnuts.

From the Chough Bakery, Padstow, Cornwall (www.thechoughbakery.co.uk)

Cornish Pasty

Ingredients:
500g strong bread flour (It is important to use a stronger flour than normal as you need the extra strength the in gluten to produce strong pliable pastry)
120g white shortening
25g cake margarine
5g salt
175g cold water

Method:
Pastry
Mix fat lightly into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add water and beat in a food mixer until pastry clears and becomes elastic. This will take longer than normal pastry but it gives the pastry the strength that is needed to hold the filling and retain a good shape.

Leave to rest for three hours in a refrigerator, this is a very important stage as it is almost impossible to roll and shape the pastry when fresh.

Filling
450g good quality beef skirt
450g potato
250g swede
200g onion
salt and pepper to taste (2/1 ratio)
clotted cream or butter

Chop the above finely then add to the rolled out circles of pastry raw. Layer the vegetables and meat adding plenty of seasoning.

Put your dollop of cream or a knob of butter on top. Then bring the pastry around and crimp together. Try practising on a potato first or just flatten like a turnover and mark with a fork.

Cooking time and temperature
Gas 6, approx 50min-1 hour
Electric 210, approx 50min-1 hour / fan assisted 165, approx 40 mins
 
Handy hints:
Always use a firm waxy potato such as Maris pier or Wilja.
Put in plenty of seasoning.
Ensure that all your veg is freshly prepared.

From waitrose.com

Fish and Chips

Ingredients:
125g self-raising flour, plus 2 tbsp
½ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
½ ground turmeric
200ml light beer, such as Waitrose Bavarian Wheat Beer
1.3kg large floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper
700g skinned Icelandic cod or haddock, preferably in one piece
2 litres (approx) sunflower or vegetable oil, for deep frying
Lemon wedges, to serve
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Sift 125g flour with the salt, baking powder and turmeric into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour half the beer into the well and whisk the beer, gradually incorporating the flour from around the bowl to make a thick batter. Whisk in the remaining beer. Cover and leave to stand for 1 hour in the fridge.

Peel and cut the potatoes into 1.5cm thick slices then cut across each slice to make chunky chips. Put the chips in a bowl, pour in cold water to cover and leave until ready to cook. (You can prepare the potatoes several hours in advance.) Pat the fish dry with kitchen paper and cut into 4 chunky pieces. Season each piece on both sides. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to cook.

Heat the oil in the deep fat fryer or pan with basket to 180-190°C. While the oil is reaching temperature, thoroughly drain the potatoes and pat dry using plenty of kitchen paper. Add half the potatoes to the pan and fry for 10-12 minutes until golden and tender. When ready, drain the chips on kitchen paper then tip into a roasting tin. Keep the chips hot in a moderate oven while frying the second batch, and the fish.

Remove the seasoned fish from the fridge and sprinkle with the remaining flour, turning them until they are coated in a fine dusting. Before you start to fry the fish, check the oil temperature. You will probably need to reduce the heat as the oil will get hotter once the chips are removed. Dip 2 pieces of fish in the batter until completely coated.

Carefully lower the fish into the hot fat. Fry for about 4 minutes until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper on a plate and keep warm while coating and frying the remaining pieces. Serve hot with the chips and lemon wedges.