No-knead tin bread

• 3.5 cups flour (white, wholewheat or a mix of both)
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1.75 cups water (room temperature)

The day before:

• Combine flour, yeast, water and salt for 1 minute in a large bowl using a spatula or spoon until all mixed together. 
• Cover with plastic wrap and leave on the counter for 8 to 24 hours. 

On the day:

• Spread flour on a work surface, tip the dough on top. 
• Using a plastic spatula, fold the dough on itself 2 or 3 times. 
• Place the dough in a loaf tin (oiled), cover with plastic wrap and let proof for 90 minutes. 
• Warm up the oven at 210°C, then cook bread uncovered for 30 minutes. 
• Bread is cooked when sounding hollow. Take bread out of the tine and let cool before cutting. 

Pumpkin soup (velouté)

• 600g pumpkin
• 2 potatoes (200g)
• 2 leeks
• 2 onions
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons butter

1. Peel and cut all the veggies in cubes. 

2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter, then add the onions and leeks. Let cook for a few minutes at low temperature. Add the potatoes and pumpkin, cook a few more minutes. 

3. Warm up the milk and pour in the pan together with the hot chicken stock. 

4. Cook for 60 minutes, or 30 minutes if using a pressure cooker. 

Peer and almond (and chocolate) tart

• 1 pastry sheet
• 2 cans of peers in syrup
• 100gr butter
• 100gr sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100gr almond meal
• 25 gr flour
• Chocolate chips

Preheat oven at 180°

1. Mix the softened butter with the sugar. Add the beaten eggs then the almond meal and flour.

2. Roll the pastry sheet in a dish. Cover with the mixture and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Then arrange the peers delicately on top. 

3. Cook 30 to 40 minutes until golden and firm. 

Rhubarb tart

• 2 bunches of rhubarb
• 2 eggs
• 25cL fresh cream
• 80gr sugar
• 1 pastry sheet

Heat the oven at 190.

1. Peel the rhubarb and cut in 2cm chunks. Cover with sugar and let sit for an hour

2. Line a circular dish with the pastry. Drain the rhubarb and place the chunks on top of the pastry. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes.

3. Beat the eggs, cream and sugar together. Add on base and cook for another 15 minutes or until set and golden.

Tiramisu

• 3 eggs
• 250gr mascarpone
• 110gr sugar
• 2 cups coffee
• 2 packs of sponge fingers
• Dark cocoa powder

1. Separate the eggs

2. Mix the yolks with the sugar, then add the mascarpone.

3. Beat the whites until nice and firm, then gently fold into the mascarpone mixture

4. To prepare the cake, dip the sponge fingers in coffee and place in the bottom of a rectangular oven dish until completely covered. 

5. Cover with half the creme and repeat another layer of biscuits and creme

6. Top with a thin layer of dark cocoa

Leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours. 

Pastry base (pate brisée)

• 200gr flour
• 100gr soft butter
• 6cl warm milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar, if used for sweets

1. Place flour in a large bowl and add salt and sugar (if using for sweets)

2. Add the butter and mix with your hands until the texture crumbles.

3. Quickly add the milk to make the mixture hold as a ball. Don't use all the milk if not necessary. 

4. Roll and flatten directly on a pastry sheet.

Crepes

• 4 eggs
• 250gr flour
• 1/2L milk
• 50gr Sugar
• 20gr butter
• 1 tablespoon rhum or orange water

1. Place flour and in a large bowl and make a hole. Add eggs, butter, sugar and flavoring. Mix well with a whip.

2. Add the milk gradually while still beating, until nice and smooth. 

3. Add butter in a flat frying pan, cook the crepes until golden then flip them.

Chicken stir fry

• 2 chicken breasts, sliced
• 3 garclic cloves
• 1 teaspoon of ginger powder or a small piece of fresh ginger
• 1/2 broccoli head, cut into florets
• 1 courgette, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• A handful cashew nuts

1. In a small bowl, put together the chicken stock, cornstarch and soy sauce. Stir and set aside. 

2. In a wok heat up some olive oil then sauté chicken, garlic and ginger until the chicken is no longer pink. Set aside. 

2. Add more oil to the wok then add the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes until a bit tender.

3. Stir the stock then add to the wok. Bring to a boil and cook for another minute or two, until the vegetables are cooked to your liking. 

4. Add the chicken and cook another minute until heated through. Add cashew nuts and serve with rice or noodles. 

Maureen's banana cake

• 115gr butter
• 2 eggs
• 170gr sugar
• 2 bananas
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 130gr flour

Preheat the oven at 180°C. 

1. Mix butter and sugar, then add eggs.

2. Add mashed bananas, then the baking soda disolved in the milk. 

3. Add flour and baking powder, mix well.

4. Pour in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until cooked through. 

Curried spinach and chickpeas

- 1 can chickpeas

- 200gr baby spinach

- 1 cup tomatoe sauce 

- 3 tablespoon ketchup

- 1 onion

- 2 teaspoons curry powder

1. Chop onion and cook a few minutes in oil with curry powder.

2. Add washed spinach and stir until wilted.

3. Add tomatoe sauce, ketchup, a bit of water and season to taste. Let cook a bit longer and serve