Recipe for Mayonnaise

Recipe for Mayonnaise
Ingredients of Recipe for Mayonnaise
2 egg yolks
2.5ml (1/2 tsp) Dijon mustard
150ml (5fl oz) light olive oil
150ml (5fl oz) sunflower oil
15ml (1 tbsp) white wine vinegar or lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method of Recipe for Mayonnaise
1. Place the egg yolks and mustard in the mixer bowl. Mix the oils together in a jug. Using the Whisk at maximum speed start to whisk the egg yolks and mustard together. When they have combined add the oil, drop by drop to begin with and then in a slow steady stream, until half the oil is added.
2. Switch off the machine, add half the white wine vinegar or lemon juice and seasoning, then whisk slowly, to combine. The mayonnaise should now be quite thick and smooth.
3. Gradually add the remaining oil, whisking at maximum speed. Add the remaining vinegar or lemon juice. Store in a screw topped jar for up to 3 days in the fridge.
4. Using the food processing attachment or liquidiser place the egg yolks, mustard and half the vinegar or lemon juice in the food processing bowl or liquidiser jug and blend until pale and creamy. With the motor running gradually pour in the oil and blend until the mayonnaise is thick. Add the remaining vinegar and seasoning.

CORIANDER AND LIME MAYONNAISE
Replace the vinegar or lemon juice with lime juice and stir in 30ml (2 tbsp) finely chopped coriander and the finely grated rind of 2 limes.

CUCUMBER MAYONNAISE 
Finely chop 7.5cm (3 inch) piece of cucumber and pat dry on absorbent kitchen paper. Fold into the mayonnaise with 30ml (2 tbsp) chopped chervil or tarragon and a little extra salt. This mayonnaise makes a perfect accompaniment for fish.

TARTARE SAUCE 
Add 10ml (2 tsp) snipped chives and 15ml (1 tbsp) each of chopped gherkins, capers and parsley to the finished mayonnaise. Stir in 15-30mi (1-2 tbsp) lemon juice to thin the mayonnaise.

Recipe for Mediterranean tomato sauce

Recipe for Mediterranean tomato sauce
Ingredients of Recipe for Mediterranean tomato sauce
450g/1lb medium sized tomatoes
1-2 cloves garlic
Handful of basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Method of Recipe for Mediterranean tomato sauce
1. Place the tomatoes in a large bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to stand for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and when cool enough to handle, remove the skins.
2. Cut in half and place in a clean bowl with the garlic, basil and olive oil Toss together and season with salt and pepper.
3. Transfer to a large frying pan and turn the tomatoes so that the cut side is uppermost.
4. Heat until just starting to sizzle then cook over a low heat for 30 minutes. The tomatoes should have shrunk a little in size and be charred underneath. Remove from the heat.
5. Allow to cool slightly then transfer to the Liquidiser and blend until smooth. Serve with pasta, or as an accompaniment to meat dishes.

Recipe for Red Thai curry sauce

Recipe for Red Thai curry sauce
Ingredients of Recipe for Red Thai curry sauce
200ml/7fl oz coconut cream
10-15ml/2-3 tsp Thai red curry paste
4 spring onions
30ml/2 tsp coriander
1 fresh red chilli, seeded
5ml/1 tsp soy sauce
Juice of 1 lime
Sugar to taste
25g/1oz dry roasted peanuts
Salt and pepper to taste

Method of Recipe for Red Thai curry sauce
1. Place the spring onion, coriander and chilli into the liquidiser and chop finely.
2. Add to the coconut cream with the soy sauce and lime juice. Add sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a dish.
3. Chop the peanuts in the liquidiser and sprinkle over the dip. Serve with crudités.
4. Try adding the dip to cooked chicken strips, simmer and serve with rice.

Frothy cannellini bean soup

Ingredients
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 medium leek, thinly sliced
3 sticks celery, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
2 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1.2 litres 1/2 pints hot vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
142ml carton double cream
150g pot fresh green pesto from the chiller cabinet
125g pack (around 16) sesame bread sticks, optional

Method
1. Using the thin slicing plate in the food processor, slice the onion, leek and celery. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, garlic, leek and celery. Cover and sweat the vegetables over a low heat for 8-10 minutes until softened.
2. Add the beans, stock and bay leaf, then season and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, then simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are completely softened. Allow to cool slightly.
3. Blend in the liquidiser in 2 batches until smooth, pour in the cream and re-heat. (The soup can be refrigerated or frozen at this point).
4. Before serving, add half the pesto. Season to taste.
5. Ladle the soup into 8 cappuccino cups or bowls and spoon some of the remaining pesto into each serving. Serve straight away and accompany with sesame breadsticks.

Chilli con carne soup

Ingredients
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
500g/1lb 2oz shin of beef, cubed
410g can pinto or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
700ml/11/4pints hot chicken stock
Large pinch of crushed dried chillies
2 squares of dark chocolate
Fresh coriander or parsley leaves and some grated gruyere, to serve

Method
1. Using the food processor chop the onions and garlic.
2. Mince the beef using the mincer with the coarse screen. Gently fry the onion and garlic in the oil for a couple of minutes until beginning to soften, then add the mince. Raise the heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the meat is no longer pink.
3. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, stock, chillies, chocolate and plenty of salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer very gently for 1 hour, or longer if you have the time. (You can make it up to a day ahead to this point, then cool and chill.)
4. Ladle into mugs or large cups and scatter with herbs, cheese and black pepper. You’ll need spoons to eat it.

Fresh tomato soup with basil

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion sliced thinly
1 medium potato sliced thinly
700g/1 1/2lb ripe tomatoes
275ml/10fl oz stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method
1. Using the fine slicing plate slice the onion and potato in the food processor. Gently heat the olive oil in a thick saucepan, add the onion and potato and soften them slowly with the pan lid on without browning. This takes 10-15 minutes.
2. Place the tomatoes into a bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. After 20-30 seconds remove tomatoes from the bowl and remove the skins. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and add to the pan stir well and let them cook for a minute.
3. Pour the stock over the tomatoes, stir, season with salt and pepper and add the garlic. Cover and allow to simmer for 25 minutes.
4. When the soup is ready place into the liquidizer until smooth. Taste to check the seasoning, add the basil, then re-heat and serve with crusty French bread. If the weather is hot this soup is just as delicious served ice-cold.

Chilled pea and watercress soup

Ingredients
450g/1lb pack frozen peas
85g bag watercress, roughly torn
850ml/1’/z pints vegetable stock
Juice and zest of 1 small lemon
4 tbsp natural yogurt
Ice cubes to serve

Method
1. Place all of the ingredients, except the yogurt and ice, into the liquidiser or blender. Don’t overfill your machine - you may need to do this in two batches.
2. Blend everything on high speed for a couple of minutes until smooth and speckled with the watercress. Season to taste.
3. Serve straight away or chill until needed. The soup will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a 2 days (give it a good stir before serving) or can be frozen for up to 1 month. Serve the soup drizzled with yogurt and an ice cube or two to make it even more refreshing.

Vegetable Soup with Flat Bread

Ingredients
FOR THE FLATBREAD
5og/2oz plain flour
50g/2oz self-raising flour
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp cold water
1 tsp olive oil
Drizzle of oil

FOR THE SOUP BASE
1 spring onion, chopped
¼ yellow pepper, de-seeded and diced
¼ beef tomato, diced
120 ml/4fl oz vegetable stock

FOR THE SOUP
1 spring onion, finely chopped
¼ beef tomato, finely diced
¼ yellow pepper, finely diced
Small handful of fresh basil and chives, chopped
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. To make the flatbreads, place the plain and self-raising flour, mustard, water and olive oil into the mixer bowl with k beater and mix on speed 2 to form a dough.
2. Using floured hands, knead the dough on a floured surface and then roll out.
3. Fold over the dough and roll again to allow air to be incorporated into the dough. Cut the dough into equal-sized pieces.
4. Heat a griddle pan, drizzled with oil, until hot. Griddle the flatbreads for 1-2 minutes on each side or until golden and crisp.
5. To make the soup base, place the spring onion, pepper, tomato and water into the liquidiser and blend until smooth, adding extra water to thin if necessary. Strain the mixture through a sieve.
6. Transfer the soup base to a pan and stir in the spring onion, tomato, yellow pepper. Heat for a few minutes and then add the fresh herbs, Tabasco sauce, olive oil and seasoning and stir to combine. Heat for 2-3 minutes.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with the flatbreads.

Creamy pumpkin and red pepper soup

Ingredients
1 butternut squash, halved, seeds removed
2 red peppers
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 large red chilli seeds removed and finely chopped
1 litre/1¾ pints vegetable stock
4 cloves garlic, skinned
Freshly ground black pepper

TO serve
4 tbsp low fat Greek yoghurt
4 tbsp finely chopped chives

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Loosely wrap the butternut squash halves in foil and place on a baking sheet in the oven and roast for 40 minutes along with the red peppers.
2. Meanwhile place the onion and chilli into the liquidiser and chop finely then place into a large pan with the stock and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for ten minutes until the onion is soft.
3. Wrap the garlic cloves in foil and fifteen minutes before the end of cooking for the butternut squash and the red peppers add the garlic to the baking sheet and cook until the end.
4. Remove the skin from the peppers and halve and remove the seeds and roughly chop the flesh. Scoop out the soft flesh from the butternut squash and add to the pan with the chopped peppers, garlic cloves and plenty of ground black pepper.
5. Bring to the boil and simmer for about five minutes. Place the slightly cooled soup into the liquidizer and blend until smooth.
6. Serve with a spoonful of low fat Greek yoghurt and a sprinkling of chopped fresh chives.

Leek and potato soup

Ingredients
500g/1Ib 2oz trimmed leeks (about 3)
500g/1Ib 2oz potatoes (about 3)
1 onion
2 rashers rindless streaky bacon
25g/1oz butter
1.4 litres/2 1/2 pints hot vegetable stock
1/4 tsp salt, or more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
142g carton whipping cream
Bacon bits to serve

Method
1. Slice the leeks and potatoes using the thick slicing plate and remove from the bowl. Slice the onion in the same way.
2. Snip the bacon rashers into thin strips with scissors over a saucepan. Cook over a medium heat until the fat begins to run and the bacon becomes tinged golden brown - this will take 2-3 minutes. Add the butter and stir, then add the onion and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent, stirring often and scraping up any brown bits from the base of the pan.
3. Tip in the leeks and potatoes, stir well to mix everything together then cover the pan tightly with its lid. Cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, shaking the pan frequently and stirring halfway through.
4. Pour in the stock and stir well. Turn the heat up to high and bring the soup to the boil - this should take 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to low again, sprinkle in salt and black pepper to taste, then stir again and cover the pan with its lid. Let the soup bubble gently for 30 minutes until the leeks and potatoes are very soft, stirring from time to time.
5. Remove the soup from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes. Using a measuring jug and a ladle, transfer half the soup to a liquidiser. Process for 30 seconds until it forms a smooth puree. Check that there are no lumps - if there are, process again for a few seconds. Pour the puree into a large bowl, and repeat with the remaining soup. A food processor also works but gives a chunkier effect.
6. Pour the pureed soup back into the saucepan. Turn the heat on to between medium and high and reheat the soup, stirring frequently, until it is just bubbling. Stir in the cream, check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Ladle or pour the soup into warmed soup bowls, then sprinkle crispy bacon bits in the centre. Serve immediately.

Garlic Soup

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons chicken, goose
30 peeled garlic cloves (or more or fewer)
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper
Nutmeg
4 or 5 egg yolks
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
slices of bread, toasted until crisp


Directions:
1. Melt the fat over low heat, then add the garlic. Cook, without browning, until the garlic has become very soft. This will take half an hour or more.

2. Add the chicken stock, salt and pepper, and a little freshly grated nutmeg. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Blend the soup either with a stick blender or by allowing the soup to cool slightly and pouring it into a blender. Blend so the soup is completely smooth.

4. Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl then stir in the olive oil. Begin tempering the eggs by adding hot but not boiling soup to the eggs a small amount of the time while beating the eggs. When you've added a half cup of broth or so to the eggs, pour the egg mixture into the broth beating while you do. Heat the mixture being careful not to let the soup come to a boil. You want to make sure you don't curdle the eggs.

5. Place a bread slice in the bottom of each bowl and pour the soup over top.