The Sunday Pie club is back!  London

After a little longer than expected baby break - I have brought the popular Sunday Pie making club back.  This time in a City venue!  Its a wonderfully kitted out, brand new kitchen with all the mod cons and an area to chill and chat in your pie making breaks.

Established in 2009.  We make proper pies with no soggy bottoms! No lazy pies with just a piece of puff pastry on top of a casserole. I will teach you how to make pastry effortlessly and with my tips you will overcome your pastry fear! 

Lots of fun, a great thing to do in London and lots of individual British Pies to take home with you.

New dates:

• Sunday 20th January 2013
• Sunday 3rd February 2013
• Sunday 3rd March 2013

Here are the details for the new classes:

• 4 hour "hands on class"
• 16 Max per class
• 11am - 3pm (please arrive 15 minutes early)
• £60 per person, all inclusive
• Hats, apron, top equipment and ingredients supplied
• Book of recipes sent as a PDF after class
• Vegetarian option available 

To book your place: click here and follow the links

Our new kitchen venue for the classes, Central Street Kitchen. London

How to cook the best Greek roast Potatoes! A revelation!

Greek Cookery & Wines (Gastronomy) by Sofia Souli.

Most holiday makers that travel to Greece and love the authentic way of Greek cooking, will buy this 1975 cookery book whilst on their holidays. The much loved book has been translated into about 50 million languages, and re-published a trillion times, its quite simply a must have, it displays dishes from the mainland and the islands.  

 

Simple quality ingredients with not so much method, which I think at times is refreshing, if you have a little common sense you will do fine following these recipes. Greek cookery beginners can really get into this book and make it their own.

Not only are the recipes simple but so are the pictures, retro colourful 1970's photography making some of the dishes look like splodges of inedible meals, but that's its utter charm, its brilliant.

 

When I was in Corfu this summer, my mum bought me a copy, and oh is it a treasure! You can buy it in Greece for around 15 euro but if you can't be bothered to go to Greece to pick up a copy you can buy a second hand copy online for as cheap as 65p!! click here to buy 

 

Anyway, since being back in London I haven't roasted my spuds in any other way, other than the recipe from this book. Forget parboiling, its a waste of time, you can cook your spuds to crispy, lemony, fluffy perfection. Do try this at home!

 

GREEK OVEN ROASTED POTATOES

6 portions

1 1/2 Kilos of Medium sized potatoes (red ones are very nice)

1 cup (200ml) of Olive oil

2 Lemons (juice of)

Good handful of Oregano

Salt and pepper

3 cups of water (600mls)

Method

1. Wash and peal the potatoes and cut them lengthwise (Quartered).  Place them in a roasting tin.

2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, oregano, and the juice from 2 Lemons and mix well.

3. Add the oil and 3 cups of water, roast in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for approx 1 hour.

4. Turn the potatoes after 30 minutes.  

 

Whilst cooking the potatoes will absorb the water, lemon and olive oil and I cant describe to you in a blog how good they taste!! You have to try them x

 

Book a Greek Class with me!  We cook 2 main dishes and baklava dessert!! www.marikas-kitchen.com

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

How to Preserve Lemons

I've been cooking lots of Moroccan food lately, one ingredient that keeps cropping up is Preserved Lemons!  To substitute I have been using the natural Lemon/zest, but its just not good enough! I want that authentic fragrant, deep flavour.  So a few trips to the shops later feeling unsatisfied, I turned my nose up to the tiny jars for £4 a pop, and thought, I'll make my own...

I urge you to do the same, the stunning yellow jars will not only look great in your kitchen, but in a months time they will be ready to slice, dice into your salads, stews, tagines, fish dishes you name it!  

I have a few private Moroccan Cooking classes coming up and I think my students will really appreciate them. 
Book a Moroccan class with me.

Lemons are preserved in Salt and Lemon Juice, the salt forces out the bitterness, and you are left with the most incredible taste. During the process the lemons shrink, so you have to squash as many as you can into a jar.  You mainly use the skin/rind, but you can scrap out the pulp and use to intensify your dishes (but don't use too much as it will overtake other ingredient in your pot).  Before use remember to rinse the Lemon well in cold water.

Here is how:
1.  Choose small lemons with strong skin, not thin skin, thin skill will disintegrate more in the process, the peel is the main reason for preserving. (Buy extra Lemons, you need the juice to fill the jar)

2.  Scrub clean the lemons to rid of any dirt that could contaminate the process.

3. Sterilise your preserve jars! Very Important.
Remove the orange rubber ring and set aside.  Wash the jar thoroughly in warm soapy water, dry slightly then put the jar and lid into an oven gas marked 125 Celsius for about 6 minutes.  Take the rubber seal and pour boiling water over it, leave for a few minutes and remove.  Make sure it is dry before use. (if you are bitten by the preserving bug, never use the seal again, buy new one.

Sterilisation is a crucial stage! If the seal is broken or dirty your Lemons will become contaminated and inedible, so you will have to throw it all away :(

4. Only use sea salt, table salt is not real salt (read the label) Put about 3 tablespoons of salt in the bottom of your jar.

5.  Next with a sharp knife trim the little lump at the stem end, on the other side cut down and stop when you get to about 2.5cm from the bottom (don't cut the Lemon in half) then cut down again so you make an X shape.

6.  Take a tablespoon of salt and fill the Lemon, then drop into the jar.  Repeat until whole jar is rammed, squash down with wooden spoon to release some juices.

7.  Add another 3 tablespoons of salt on top along with a few bay leaves, coriander seeds and cinnamon for a little flavour kick.

8.  Add a little vegetable oil before sealing the jar (don't forget the rubber seal) Label your jar with the date. Place jar somewhere out of direct light or keep in store cupboard. After a month they are ready (can leave longer if you like) When open store in the fridge and they will keep for up to 6 month.

  
How much did this cost? = £5
10 Lemons for a £1.  Preserving jar £3.  Greek Sea salt £1