Hairy Bikers - Family Cook off!

Ooh I would love to go on this show! but I can't cos I am a cook by profession!

Anyway it doesn't stop you from entering, get some family members together and apply to cook along with the gorgeous Hairy Bikers!  Contact me if you cant read this poster

xx

Sunday Pie Making Club in Muswell Hill. London

How excited am I to introduce to you my new SUNDAY PIE MAKING CLUB

Held once a month for all you pie lovers!  But no, this is not in my kitchen, its being held in a proper old school Bakery in Muswell Hill (Location told on booking) and the maximum bakers in each class is 12!  Its a Pie making frenzy!  Great way of meeting fun like minded people, so why not book a class for you and a few pals.

DATES:
*Sunday 5th December Christmas Special (sold out)

*Sunday 12th December Christmas Special (10 left)
*Sunday 13th February Valentine Special (10 left)
*Sunday 6th March (12 available)

Quick details:
*Class time: 11am - 4pm

*Max people in each class 12

*£42 pp / £45pp from Jan 11

*Chefs whites and hats provided, quality ingredients only used

*Lots of individual British meat pies, sweet pies and tarts

*Ultra fun Group activity

Book Your Place Now

Aubergine, Smokey Bacon and Feta roll ups!

Last weekend in my Mediterranean Classics cooking class along with lots of gorgeous dishes, one from Corfu, Morocco and Italy we made my Aunt's favorite starter!  Its simple, your friends and family will love you for it.  So here is how we did it. Please DO try this at home.  Book a Mediterranean Class with me.
 
Aubergine, Smokey Bacon and Feta roll-ups

Makes about 12/14

Ingredients

2 Aubergines (Longer the better)

12-14 slices of Smoked Streaky bacon rashers

½ a pack of Good Feta Cheese 100g (Goats/Sheep’s milk only)

Salt, pepper and mild paprika

Greek Yogurt and Lemons quartered to serve
Olive Oil

Cocktail sticks.

Method

           Firstly, square off the aubergine, then slice the aubergine as thin as possible, by placing the aubergine flat down on a chopping board, one hand pressing down whilst the other hand slices across the aubergine about half a centimetre from the board and across.

           Next lay them out on a large plate or tray. Next sprinkle some salt over the aubergines, wait about 10 minutes, turn them over and repeat. 

This draws out the water and flavour of the aubergine making it easier to cook. 

3.        Put a griddle pan onto the hop and heat up for about 5 minutes (don’t add any oil to the pan, leave it dry) Whilst this is happening take some kitchen towel and soak up all the juices from the aubergine slices, shaking off any access salt.  Then with a pastry brush, brush the side showing with olive oil.

4.        Now place the aubergine olive oil side down onto the griddle pan, then brush the other side with olive oil and sprinkle some paprika, leave for roughly 3 minutes, then turn over and repeat. When done slightly fold and set aside. Be gentle, they can be fragile.

5.        Next cook the bacon rashers, not too crispy, as you need to roll them.

6.         Cut chunky slices of feta, place at the largest end of the aubergine slice and roll up, then take a  piece of bacon and roll it around the rolled aubergine and feta, securing with a cocktail stick,  repeat until they are all done.  Serve with Lemon and Greek yogurt.  Heaven!

Summer Picnic cooking class

Holly and Nick joined me today for the first Picnic cooking class of the summer. It was boiling outside, so we hurried along baking Mini spicy beef pasties, Feta, sun dried tomatoes and oregano tarts, Cheese sticks, Banana bread, and Roasted fennel, garlic and celeriac salad...phew, proving you can make all that and still have time to catch the sun and to devour your picnic goodies on some glorious green lawn.  Featured in BBC Olive Magazine August 2010 issue.  Book a Summer Picnic class with me!

Whats an alternative to sugar?

I'm a bit of a sweet tooth and I have been using sweeteners off and on in my tea and coffee since I was in college.  
Aspartame (E 951) If you Google Aspartame or NutraSweet, pages of horror stories and side effects crop up on the subject.

Although I am a cook and I always think about what I consume, I cant believe I failed to think about sweeteners, it took a food allergy test to say "its not agreeing with me".  Who knows what damage it has done to me so far...Oops.

Some of us want to cut down on sugar for dietary reasons, and some of us don't have an option such as people with Yeast Intolerance, so here are some alternatives I've found.. Feel free to add yours.

Xylitol its a natural sugar in the form or crystals found in vegetables and fruit, its even safe for diabetics, its kind to your teeth, it helps bone density, it has 70% less available carbohydrates than sugar, as its absorbed into the blood slower.  Oh and you can use it in baking!  I've tried it and will keep on using it.  

(Find this product in your local Heath store)

Carob Syrup its a natural food product which is good for the the whole digestive system.  They are roasted and ground pods form the Carob tree found in the Mediterranean.  You can use it for sweetening hot drinks, on cereals and in deserts. You can find Carob bars as a substitute for chocolate.  I've tried it and I will keep using it.  (Find the product in Turkish/Greek/Med shops)