ELK Cookbook | Edition Three: Winter

COOK WITH EASYLIFE KITCHENS Recipes for your new kitchen!

Winter Edition

INDEX Chicken Pot Pie Cacio e Pepe Corn & Beer Bread Bangers with Pesto Mash Balsamic Caramelised Shallot Pasta Crispy Phyllo Feta with Honey Mince Orzo ELK Malva Pudding Biscoff Mug Cakes

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CHICKEN POT PIE Ingredients: 2 tablespoons oil 1kg boneless chicken thighs 2 onions, finely chopped 2 celery sticks, finely chopped 2 carrots, finely chopped 50g butter 50g flour 500ml flour 1 chicken stock cube 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard Bunch of thyme 1 egg, beaten 375g sheet readymade puff pastry

Method: Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large flameproof casserole or deep frying pan over high heat. Once hot, brown half the chicken pieces on both sides, season, and transfer to a plate or bowl. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Reduce the heat to medium and heat the remaining oil in the pan. Fry the onions, celery, and carrots for 8-10 mins, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits from the base, until all the veg has softened. Tip into the bowl with the chicken and return the pan to medium heat.

Melt the butter in the pan and stir in the flour to make a paste.

Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring until the paste turns golden. Add a splash of the milk, then whisk to combine.

Continue slowly adding the milk, whisking continuously until you have a smooth, creamy sauce.

Crumble the stock cube into the sauce and add 250ml water.

Return to a gentle simmer, then return the chicken and veg to the pan. Stir in the mustard and thyme, and season well.

Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 15-20 mins, stirring occasionally until the chicken is tender. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celcius if you're cooking the pie straightaway.

Shred the chicken in the pan using two forks, pulling it into bite-sized pieces.

Transfer the filling to a pie dish (or divide it between individual pie dishes). Brush a little of the beaten egg around the rim of the dish. Unravel the pastry and lay it over the top of the dish, then trim the edges with kitchen scissors, leaving a little pastry overhanging the edge. Crimp this excess to seal the pie. Brush the pastry all over with some more of the beaten egg and poke a few holes in the top using a skewer (this will release any steam inside during baking). Roll out any pastry offcuts and cut out decorations for the top, if you like. Stick these to the pastry and brush with any remaining beaten egg.

Bake for 35-40 mins at 180 degrees Celcius until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edge.

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CACIO E PEPE Ingredients: 200g spaghetti 25g butter

2 teaspoons black peppercorns, ground 50g parmasan, finely grated

Method: Cook the pasta for 2 mins less than the pack instructions state, in salted boiling water.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium frying pan over low heat, then add the ground black pepper and toast for a few minutes.

Drain the pasta, keeping 200ml of the pasta water. Tip the pasta and 100ml of the pasta water into the pan with the butter and pepper. Toss briefly, then scatter over the parmesan evenly, but don’t stir – wait for the cheese to melt for 30 seconds, then once melted, toss everything well, and stir together. This prevents the cheese from clumping or going stringy and makes a smooth, shiny sauce. Add a splash more pasta water if you need to, to loosen the sauce and coat the pasta. Serve immediately with a good grating of black pepper.

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CORN & BEER BREAD

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Ingredients: 4 cups flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon sugar 340ml beer of your choice 2 cups corn kernels (tinned or fresh) 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 6 tablespoons butter, melted

Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F and grease a loaf pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix together.

Add the beer then mix until just combined. Stir in the corn and cheese.

Transfer to the prepared loaf pan then place the butter on top and place in the oven.

Bake for 60 minutes, checking to see if the bread is cooked after 45 minutes. Test by inserting a skewer, if it comes out clean the bread is cooked.

If the bread is browning too fast, loosely cover it with a piece of foil and continue baking.

When the bread is cooked, remove it from the oven and allow to cool before serving.

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BANGERS WITH PESTO MASH Ingredients: 4 sausages of your choice olive oil for frying 3 large white potatoes 200g cherry tomatoes on the vine 1/2 tub fresh pesto

Method: Peel and quarter the potatoes, then cook in a large pan of salted, boiling water for 15 mins. Drain and set aside.

Pour some olive oil into a large frying pan over medium heat and cook the sausages for 15 mins. Add the tomatoes to the pan for the final 5 mins.

Mash the potatoes well and mix in the pesto. Season and serve with the sausages and tomatoes.

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BALSAMIC CARAMELISED SHALLOT PATA Ingredients: 2 cups dry pasta 2 tablespoons olive oil 9 - 10 shallots, peeled Salt & Pepper to taste 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 cup grated parmesan Balsamic Reduction for serving

Method: Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced shallots and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar to the skillet, stir, and cook for 5 more minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated and the shallots have cooked down (they should be almost sticky).

Transfer the drained pasta to the skillet and pour in a little bit of pasta water. Stir in the parsley and parmesan cheese. Add more pasta water as desired to ensure that the noodles are evenly coated with cheese, herbs, and shallots.

Top with more cheese and drizzle with balsamic reduction if desired before serving.

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CRISPY PHYLLO FETA WITH HONEY Ingredients: 4 sheets phyllo pastry 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 tub feta 4 tablespoons honey

Method: Lightly brush the entire sheet of phyllo pastry with olive oil on both sides before wrapping a slice of feta up in it and placing it on a baking sheet. Repeat for remaining phyllo and feta.

(You should get 2-4+ layers of phyllo when the sheet is wrapped up around the feta.)

Bake in a preheated 180 degrees Celcius oven until the phyllo is lightly golden brown and crispy, about 20 minutes.

Drizzle the honey over the phyllo packets and enjoy while warm!

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MINCE ORZO Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 450g mince 1 small brown onion, finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon each: salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, dried thyme 1 tablespoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 60 ml red wine, optional 140g oz tomato paste 250g cup orzo 4 cups chicken broth 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 1 tablespoon lemon juice 50g grated Parmesan Crushed red pepper or chilli flakes, for serving

Method: Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add ground beef and break it up into pieces. Cook until it starts to brown.

Add garlic and onion. Stir in salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, thyme, and cinnamon.

Cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Pour in red wine, and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste. Add orzo, and stir until combined. Pour in 3 cups broth, add bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Simmer over low for 10-15 minutes, until the orzo is al dente (according to the package directions). Stir occasionally to prevent orzo from sticking to the bottom of your skillet. Add the remaining broth.

When ready, sprinkle with lemon juice and stir in grated parmesan. Taste and adjust salt. Finish off with chopped parsley, black pepper and red pepper flakes. Enjoy!

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ELK MALVA PUDDING Ingredients: Pudding: 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature 1 cup brown sugar 4 tablespoons apricot jam 1 large egg 1 cup milk 2 tablespoon vinegar 2 teaspoons vanilla essence 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt

Sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 125ml cream 4 tablespoons brown sugar 2 tablespoons water Optional: Caramel

Method: Pudding: In a large mixing bowl add your first 4 ingredients - butter, sugar, jam, and egg. Beat until it lightens and gets a bit fluffier.

In a large measuring cup or a bowl, add milk, then vinegar and vanilla essence. Whisk lightly.

In another measuring cup/bowl, add bicarb to flour and give it a quick stir.

Alternating between the milk mixture and the flour, add to the large mixing bowl and mix well as you go along, and pour into a lightly greased oven-proof dish.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out with spongy crumbs stuck to it (it’s not likely to come out clean) rather than uncooked batter. The pudding will stay in its mold and rest for a bit once the sauce is poured over.

Sauce: Add all sauce ingredients together in a pot and bring to a boil. Let it simmer, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. This time will give the sauce a richer, deeper taste.

Stab the pudding a few times with a fork to help the sauce sink in so that it doesn’t pool at the sides and soak in only there. Then pour the sauce over slowly, being sure you’re not leaving any part dry.

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BISCOFF MUG CAKES Ingredients: 30g butter 1 egg 2 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp milk 1 tsp vanilla extract 75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour 100g (1/3 cup) Biscoff spread Biscoff biscuits, to serve (optional

Method: Lightly grease two 375ml microwave-safe mugs. Place the butter in a small microwavesafe bowl and microwave on High for 10 seconds or until melted.

Refrigerate again for about 30 minutes for the layer underneath the brulée to firm up again.

Alternatively, place on a baking sheet and place under a heated grill.

Grill until the sugar forms a crisp, golden-brown layer. Watch carefully – as the sugar can burn easily.

Use a fork to lightly whisk the egg in a bowl. Whisk in sugar, milk, vanilla until combined.

Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Add the melted butter and 1/4 cup of the spread.

Whisk until combined.

Divide the biscoff mixture evenly between the prepared mugs. Top each with 2 teaspoons of the remaining spread. Microwave on High for 1 minute 10 seconds or until puffed and just firm when lightly touched.

Serve the cakes with biscoff biscuits, if desired.

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