Recipe Box

Get creative in the kitchen with celebrity chef Nigel Brown. Each week the Yorkshireman will bring you a new and exclusive recipe to tempt your taste buds.

Duck breasts with Calvados apple sauce

Posted by Nigel Brown on Thursday, 13 June 2013

A mere four ingredients is all that is required to create this delicious dish...

4 duck breasts
20g salted butter
4 firm apples, sliced
200ml Calvados

Method

1. In a nonstick frying pan, add the breasts to the pan skin side down and cook over high heat for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 more minutes on each side.

2. Melt the salted butter in a separate frying pan on high heat, add the apples and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Reduce to low heat and cook the apples for 10 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to very low and deglaze the pan with Calvados.

5. Serve the duck breasts immediately with the Calvados sauce.

Treacle Tart

Posted by Nigel Brown on Thursday, 06 June 2013

This traditional English dessert is sure to put a smile on everyone's face this summertime... Treacle Tart

Ingredients

50g fresh white breadcrumbs
150g shortcrust pastry
6 tablespoons golden syrup
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

Preheat oven to 200 C.

In a saucepan, combine the breadcrumbs, syrup and lemon juice. Heat gently over medium low heat until just melted. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool.

Roll out the pastry and line a 20cm (8 in) flan or baking dish. Pour the cooled syrup mixture over the pastry.

Trim the pastry over-hanging from the dish.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Serve hot or cold with whipped vanilla cream, ice-cream or custard.

Rhubarb, Ginger and Tea Tiramisu

Posted by Nigel Brown on Thursday, 30 May 2013

This is a dessert that will certainly impress...

Rhubarb, Ginger and Tea Tiramisu

Ingredients

Strong cold tea
300g rhubarb
4 tspn diced preserved ginger root
1 tbsp caster sugar
3 tbsp water
25ml Raspberry liqueur

Filling

250g mascarpone cheese
30g icing sugar
200ml whipping cream
1 vanilla pod
Amaretti biscuits
25ml Raspberry liqueur

Topping

50g Cocoa powder
50g Icing sugar

Method

Cut the rhubarb into 2cm lengths and place it into a thick bottom pan, add the caster sugar, water and diced ginger and heat until the sugar has dissolved while cooking the rhubarb gently until it is soft but still has a firmer centre. Quickly remove from the heat and transfer into a cold bowl to cool.

For the filling

In a separate bowl, add the vanilla seeds to the mascarpone and icing sugar and gently mix and soften using the back of a spoon. In a separate bowl, gently whisk the whipping cream until just beginning to leave a light ribbon effect on the surface. Fold the mascarpone with the whipped cream together.

Take a Martini-style cocktail glass and place a heaped tablespoon of gingered rhubarb in the bottom of the glass keeping back some to layer up with.

Continue filling the remaining space with the amaretti biscuits and sprinkle with the raspberry liqueur and cold tea followed by the mascarpone mix. Now sprinkle some of the crushed amoretti biscuits over the top, keep layering all the ingredients until you finally fill the glass with the remaining mascarpone mix.

Place in the fridge for two hours to set.

Decorate by sieving the cocoa powder and icing sugar together over the top of the glasses and serve.

Asparagus tart

Posted by Nigel Brown on Friday, 24 May 2013

With asparagus season upon us, why not take advantage and enjoy a delcious asaparagus tart.

Ingredients

250g puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
1 bunch asparagus
150g Brie cheese, sliced
Salt and pepper

Method

Roll out the pastry to a large rectangle, around 23 x 30cm .
Using the remaining pastry roll and cut out 4 x 3cm wide strips, egg wash them and frame the pastry sheet that you first made and egg wash again.
Place your frames pastry square on a baking sheet and chill for 15 minutes. Trim the asparagus to fit across the inside of the frame. Blanch it for 2 to 4 minutes in a saucepan of boiling water, then refresh and drain well on kitchen paper.
Preheat the oven to 200 C.
Bake the pastry in the oven until lightly browned. Remove and discard the top layer of the inner rectangle to prevent having too much soggy pastry underneath the asparagus. Arrange the asparagus inside the pastry frame, top with the cheese and season well.
Bake the asparagus tart for 20 minutes or until the pastry is nicely browned and the cheese has melted.
Served hot with some steamed Jersey Royal potatoes and a green salad.

Tomato Ravioli

Posted by Nigel Brown on Thursday, 16 May 2013

Almost too colourful to eat this pasta dish will delight...

Nigel Brown recipe

Ingredients

200g '00' plain flour
2 eggs
1 medium onion, chopped
1 fresh red chilli, chopped
4/6 tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
250g grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper

Method

1. Pour the flour into a donut shape on your work surface, crack the egg into the middle and add a pinch of salt. Use your hands to fold together and then knead the pasta dough for about 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Using a rolling pin or pasta maker make rectangles approximately 2mm thick, 10cm wide and 30cm long.

3. Fry off the onion and chilli; add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, before removing from the heat and add the thyme and grated Parmesan cheese.

4. Using a teaspoon, make small evenly spaced fillings of the tomato mixture along the middle a pasta rectangle, ensuring the end fillings are at least 1.5cms from the edge. Fold the pasta over the filling and use your fingers to seal around each filling before cutting out the ravioli shape.

5. Cook the ravioli in salted, boiling water for approximately 4 minutes then drain and serve with some olive oil tossed through and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese or serve with some additional tomato and basil sauce if preferred.

Spicy chicken wings

Posted by Nigel Brown on Thursday, 09 May 2013

Spice up your life with this simple recipe. I defy you to eat this without licking your fingers. A lot.

Spicy Chicken wings by Nigel Brown

Ingredients

6 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp runny honey
3 tbsp hot chilli sauce
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp grain mustard
24 chicken wings

Method

1. Place all the ingredients except the chicken in a large bowl and mix thoroughly, then transfer to a large re-sealable food bag. Add the chicken wings, seal the bag and turn, massaging the wings to make sure they are completely covered with a generous amount of marinade. Ensure the bag is well sealed, put it into a large bowl and place in the refrigerator to marinate for between 2 and 24 hours.

2. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220ºC/425ºF/gas mark 7.

4. Space out the wings on an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and cook in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until crispy and sticky, turning once. To test they’re done, pierce a wing through the thickest part right to the bone with a small, sharp knife. The juices should run clear.

5. Serve with your favorite dips and salads.

Cheese Omelette

Posted by Nigel Brown on Thursday, 02 May 2013

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best - and this one will certainly brighten up brunch!
Cheese omelette recipe by Nigel Brown

Ingredients

Rapeseed oil and butter for frying
1 medium onion, sliced or 2 spring onions
3 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper
40g Gruyere cheese (grated)

Method

Heat a frying pan with oil and butter and add to the pan the onions and fry them until they are softened.

Whisk the eggs and add the seasoning. Pour into the pan and cook slowly until the top is just starting to cook. Place the onions back on top and add the grated cheese.

Place the pan under a grill to finish off - 2 minutes.

Carefully fold over the omelette and serve.

Bakewell Tart

Posted by Nigel Brown on Wednesday, 24 April 2013

This traditional English dessert makes a wonderful afternoon tea treat...

Nigel Brown's bakewell tart

Ingredients

100g shortcrust pastry
strawberry or raspberry jam
60g butter
60g caster sugar
1 large egg few drops of almond extract (optional)
1/2 tsp lemon zest
200g ground almonds
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon of flaked almonds Icing sugar for dusting

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190 C

2. Grease or line a 20cm (8 in) fluted tart tin.

3. Roll the pastry into a round shape a little larger than the tin.

4. Spread jam evenly over the bottom of pastry base.

5. Beat butter and sugar until white and creamy. Beat the egg and lemon zest and add gradually to the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Add the optional almond extract.

6. Add the ground almonds and baking powder into the wet mixture

7. Spread this mixture over the jam layer. Sprinkle flaked almonds on top.

8. Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes until browned and thoroughly cooked. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve.

Ciabatta Bread Recipe

Posted by Nigel Brown on Thursday, 18 April 2013

An Italian classic that is sure to impress any dinner guest...

Ciabatta Bread recipe

Ingredients

355ml water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
450g bread flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dried yeast

Method

1. Place all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix well together. Combine all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together well. The dough will be quite sticky and wet once all the ingredients have been combined together so resist the temptation to add more flour.

2. Place the dough on a lightly floured board, cover with a large bowl, and let rest for 15 minutes.

3. Lightly flour or use lined baking trays. Divide into 2 pieces, and form each into either 2 round or long loves. Place loaves on prepared trays, dimple the surface and lightly flour. Cover, and let rise in a draft free place for approximately 45 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 220 degrees.

5. Dimple dough for a second time, and then place loaves in the oven, positioned on the middle shelf. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. During baking, sprinkle the loaves with water every 5 to 10 minutes for a crispier crust.

Chilli chicken meatballs

Posted by Nigel Brown on Thursday, 11 April 2013

This lighter type of meatball makes a quick and satisfying supper. Serve with rice, burger buns, or straight out the pan...
Nigel-April11

Ingredients
800g minced chicken
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
4 spring onions, finely sliced
½ bunch fresh coriander, chopped
4 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
salt and pepper
Rapeseed oil for frying

Method
1. In a large bowl, mix together the chicken and breadcrumbs. Season with spring onion, fresh coriander, chilli sauce and lemon juice; mix well.
2. Using damp hands, form mixture into evenly shaped balls that are either small enough to eat with your fingers, or large enough to use as burgers.
3. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Pan fry the chicken meatballs in batches until golden brown all over and the juices run clear.
4. Serve the meatballs with a chilli sauce and rice or as burgers in buns with salad.

Nigel holds exclusive classes in his own cookery school kitchen for more information log on to www.nigelbrownchef.co.uk

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