All posts tagged: MasterChefUK

Brighton Be Beautiful: Bardsleys, The Chilli Pickle, The Lion & Lobster & Coggings & Co.

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Oh I do like to be beside the seaside. So much so that last weekend I played away from home (cheated on my glorious sandy hometown of Swansea) and enjoyed a weekender in Brighton. I was fortunate enough to have plenty of suggestions and advice from a network of food lovers and twitterers, so ‘the ol’ food itinerary’ was pretty chocker block.  Alex has been away with me enough to know that ‘free time’ doesn’t really feature in my holiday itineraries – but what’s leisure time when you get the chance to taste the best food around with me, eh? BRIGHTON BITES 1. For the perfect fish & chips – Bardsley’s   Now, I spent the best part of my early teenage years working in a cracking local chip shop on the seafront in Swansea. During the summer of 2008, I think mushy peas were the only vegetable in my diet and my lunch of choice was curry and cheese on chips with chilli sauce (oh to have the metabolism of a teenager again.) So I know good fish …

Paneer Tikka Arancini Balls

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Here’s the recipe for my twist on Arancini, fabulous little breaded balls of creamy risotto. Paneer Tikka Arancini balls are filled with spiced biryani and delicious Indian Paneer cheese, which is similar to mild halloumi when cold and oozes like mozzarella when hot. You’ve just gotta try them. For the paneer tikka biryani: 1 onion 1 garlic clove 3 inch piece of ginger ½ red chilli 1 tsp mustard seeds ½ tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp curry powder 1 tsp garam masala a pinch of saffron 100g risotto rice 200ml hot chicken stock 1 tin of coconut milk salt and pepper 1 packet of paneer 1 small bunch of coriander For dredging: 1 egg 75g flour dried breadcrumbs (not golden) oil, for deep frying Finely dice the onion, then bash and chop up the ginger and garlic, and finely chop the chilli. Dry fry the mustard, coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan on a medium heat until the mustard seeds pop. Remove and grind up in a pestle and mortar to …

Beth’s Swansea Scotch Eggs

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My black pudding bonbons have become famous. They started off as a humble Glamorgan sausage (a Welsh vegetarian croquette made of leeks and cheese). Then I introduced my old friend, the mighty black pudding and experimented a lot before I perfected the recipe. They’ve been called ‘yummo’ by John Torode, ‘delightful’ by Thomasina Miers and ‘banging’ by my very honest flatmates/ food guinea pigs. But behold… they have transformed again, into Scotch Eggs, with a hidden runny yolk inside! Beth’s Swansea Scotch Eggs Makes 5 large scotch eggs 7 medium eggs 1 leek 5 sage leaves a small bunch of parsley a small bunch of thyme 400g black pudding chubb 1½ tsp English mustard 200g extra mature cheese, grated ½ loaf of white bread (nothing fancy) Salt and pepper 4 heaped tbsp flour oil, for deep frying Take two eggs, separate and keep the yolks and whites together. Add the yolks to a mixing bowl, and the whites to a deep baking dish for dredging later. Cut the leek lengthways three times then very finely slice. Add to …

Beer Battered Cod & Triple Cooked Chips & Chip Shop Curry Sauce

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There’s nothing better than proper Fish and Chips. Cooking this dish was the first time I felt completely in my comfort zone in the MasterChef kitchen, it brings back so many fond memories of home and my childhood (and I don’t doubt it does for lots of others too!) I even brought my own chip shop paper and chip forks for the show; I think it makes it taste better.  Pale ale gives a great flavour to fish batter. I use my cousin-in-laws’ home brew iota, which gives a sweet malty taste. My curry sauce is a take on the Chinese style curry sauce that everybody loved at the my local chippie. Serves 2 Ingredients For the fish: 2 cod fillets groundnut oil, for deep frying 100g plain flour, kept cold in the fridge until use 150ml pale ale, or your favourite lager ¾ tsp baking powder a pinch of salt For the skin-on chips: 3-4 large Maris pipers groundnut oil for deep frying malt vinegar and sea salt For the chip shop curry sauce: 1 small onion …

Popty Ping – MasterChef and my homage to last year’s winner

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‘Popty Ping’ means microwave in welsh. Although there is not a microwave in sight in the below recipes, it does give a clue as to the inspiration for the Malaysian dinner party I hosted a few weeks ago for my nearest and dearest, in celebration of my upcoming TV debut. And the loose theme I chose was Malaysian, as an ode to last year’s MasterChef Champion 2014, the fabulous Ping Coombes. It was Ping’s flawless home-style Malaysian cooking and attitude to food that prompted me to submit my application! From the beginning her dishes were amazing, giving John and Gregg, and the viewers at home a real culinary lesson. She cooked from the heart, using flavours and techniques learnt from her family, and made everyone realize that you don’t have to dine out in expensive restaurants to know about amazing food. So I prepared a (maybe not so traditional) Malaysian feast, with a few of my own little touches too. Entertaining for a big group in a tiny flat takes plenty of planning and lots of …