2 heaped tbsp mascarpone cheese or crème fraîche, optional
Directions: Put all the peppers in a large frying pan over a medium heat with a little olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place a lid on, and cook slowly for 15 minutes until softened. Don't rush this too much, as cooking the peppers slowly like this really helps to bring out the flavour. Add the onion and cook for a further 20 minutes. Then add the garlic and toss around, keeping everything moving in the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes more. Have a little taste, and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Add the vinegar - it will sizzle away, so give everything a good toss. Then add one handful of the grated Parmesan and the mascarpone or crème fraîche if you are using it and turn the heat down to minimum while you cook the pasta. Put the peppers, pasta, and parsley leaves into a large warmed bowl. Give them a good toss together, then add a little of the pasta cooking water and a few good lugs of extra virgin olive oil to coat the pasta nicely. Serve straight away sprinkled with the rest of the Parmesan.
An easy slow cooker recipe requiring minimal preparation. The flavour of this curry is out of this world!
Ingredients: Makes 4 servings
1/4 cup plain flour
800g lamb shoulder, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large brown onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated
1 long red chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp curry paste
270ml light coconut milk
1 tsp stock powder
1 cinnamon stick
1 dried bay leaf
Basmati rice, yoghurt, naan bread and chopped fresh coriander, to serve
Directions: Place flour and lamb in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Mix throughly to coat. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook lamb, in batches, for 3 to 4 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a 4.5 litre-capacity slow cooker. Add onion, garlic and ginger to pan. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add chilli and curry paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add coconut milk, stock powder and 3/4 cup cold water. Bring to the boil. Transfer to slow cooker. Add cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Cook, covered, on low for 6 hours or until lamb is tender. Remove and discard cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Serve with rice, yoghurt, naan and coriander.
145g dark chocolate, plus 60g finely chopped dark chocolate
115g unsalted butter, plus enough to grease the pan
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
For the ganache glaze:
85g dark chocolate, chopped
1/2 tablespoon golden syrup
1/3 cup heavy cream (or a bit more to achieve desired consistency)
Directions: Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius and butter your pan. Melt the 145g of chocolate and the butter over a double boiler, add 1/2 cup water and the cocoa powder. Stir until cocoa is dissolved and set aside to cool. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs a few seconds to combine, add the sugar and whip until light and very thick (about 3-4 minutes). Add the vanilla and beat until the mixture forms a wide ribbon when the beater is lifted out (about 5-8 more minutes) Gently fold the chocolate mixture and sour cream into the eggs and sugar, and fold in the flour mixture in thirds. Pour half of the mixture into the pan and add the 60g of finely chopped chocolate. Fill the pan with the rest of the cake mixture, and bake for 50-60 minutes. Cool about 30 minutes on a rack, and turn out of the pan. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. In a heatproof bowl, combine 3 ounces of chopped chocolate with the golden syrup. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand until melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Let the ganache glaze cool until thick but still pourable, about 5 minutes. Pour the ganache over the cooled cake. Let the cake stand until the glaze is set, at least 30 minutes, before serving.
