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CABBAGE

Cabbage is king of the cruciferous vegetable family and can be the most delicious of vegetables if not overcooked. Sadly, cooked cabbage has been wrongfully accused of smelling up kitchens everywhere. It’s not the cabbage to blame, but the cook. The notorious odour problem is a result of overcooking. Cabbage should be cooked just until tender, preferably using stainless steel pans.

There are many varieties available: the tightly packed round green cabbage; the elongated sugarloaf; the striking red cabbage and the crinkly Savoy are the most familiar. Readily available also are the popular Chinese relatives of cabbage such as bok choy, gai, choy and wong bok, among others.

As with broccoli, cabbage may reduce the risk of some forms of cancer, including colorectal cancers. Cabbage is also high in beta-carotene, vitamin C and fibre.

Look for tight, heavy, unblemished heads. Fresh, uncut heads of cabbage can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Cover loosely with a plastic bag or use perforated bags. Do not wash cabbage before storing; the extra moisture will hasten deterioration. If you plan to eat the cabbage raw, use within a few days. Cabbage that you plan to cook can be stored in the refrigerator for about two weeks.

The most popular and successful method of preserving cabbage is pickling. Kimchee and sauerkraut are fermented, pickled products that take days to make. Cabbage flavour is compatible with many herbs and spices. Steamed cabbage can be seasoned with anise, basil, caraway and celery seeds, dill, mustard, fennel, nutmeg, oregano, black pepper, savory and tarragon.

Savoy cabbage: Crinkly, with waves of blue-green leaves, Savoy cabbage has thin, richly flavoured leaves, which are ideal served raw in salads, or cooked. Cooked Savoys do not have the strong sulphur odour of green cabbage. Savoy only keep for about 4 days in the refrigerator, so buy it when you plan to use it.

Red cabbage: The heads are usually smaller and denser than green cabbage. Red cabbage needs to be cooked longer than the green types and is often braised with vinegar (or another acidic ingredient) to help retain its beautiful red colour. Always use stainless steel when preparing red cabbage to prevent discoloration.

Basic preparation: It is usually cut into wedges or shredded for cooking. Trim heavy stem and inside ribs from wedges. To shred, cut a head downwards, into quarters. Hold each quarter by the stem, with the top pressed firmly on a board, and use a sharp knife to cut thin slices from the side. Discard heavy ribs and stems.

To cook: The old way to cook cabbage is to boil it for hours. The new way is to steam it until just crisp-tender, or, for quite a different effect, gently braise in stock with added flavourings.

Steamed cabbage: Shred cabbage or cut into wedges. Wash in a colander under cold running water. Melt a knob of butter in a heavy saucepan and add cabbage. Season with salt and pepper, plus a grating of nutmeg if desired. Cover tightly and steam on brisk heat until cabbage is just tender, with slight crunch – about 5 minutes for shredded cabbage, 8–10 minutes for wedges. Shake pan frequently to toss cabbage with butter and to prevent scorching.

Braised cabbage: Shred half a small red or green cabbage. Heat enough butter to cover the bottom of a heavy flameproof casserole, and toss cabbage until coated in butter. Season with salt and pepper and add enough stock to come to top of cabbage, plus a spoonful of vinegar for red cabbage. Cover tightly and bake in a preheated moderately slow oven (160°C/ 325°F) or cook over a gentle heat for about 1 hour or until cabbage is very tender and stock absorbed. If desired, aniseed, nutmeg, caraway seeds or other flavourings may be added to the cabbage. Serves 4.

CABBAGE ROLLS (DOLMAS)

10 cabbage leaves
500 g (1 lb) minced beef or pork and veal mince
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
pinch cayenne
2 tablespoons vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chopped capers
1 egg, beaten
30 g (1 oz) butter
1 × 425 g can tomatoes, drained, chopped, juice reserved

Blanch cabbage leaves in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and plunge into cold water. Drain again and pat dry with paper towels. Combine all remaining ingredients except butter and tomato juice. Divide into 8 portions and place one portion on the stem end of each cabbage leaf. Fold sides over filling and roll up into a cylinder. Place stuffed rolls close together in a buttered casserole dish, seam sides down. Dot with butter and pour tomato juice over. Cover tightly and bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 1 hour or until rolls are very tender. Serve with pan juices. Serves 4.

SWEET AND SOUR RED CABBAGE

1 small red cabbage, shredded
90 g (3 oz) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large cooking apples, cored and thinly sliced
pinch caraway seeds
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soak cabbage in cold water to cover for 15 minutes. Heat butter in a wide heavy saucepan or deep frying pan and fry onion gently until soft. Lift cabbage from water with hands, leaving it moist, and add to pan with remaining ingredients. Stir to combine, then cover and simmer very gently for 1½ hours. By this time, cabbage should be very tender and all liquid absorbed. (If necessary, add a little boiling water during cooking to prevent cabbage from sticking.) Adjust seasoning, and spoon into a heated serving dish. Excellent with roast pork, duck, venison or any game. Serves 4.

CABBAGE WITH PANCETTA, GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

100 g (3½ oz) pancetta (Italian bacon), cut into thin strips
1 large clove garlic
good pinch chopped rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 kg (2 lb) cabbage, shredded
½ cup chicken stock or white wine
freshly ground black pepper

Mix together the pancetta, garlic and rosemary. In a large pan heat the oil and gently fry the pancetta mixture until aromatic and sizzling. Add the shredded cabbage and toss to coat well. Add the stock and pepper and cover very tightly with a close-fitting lid. Cook over a gentle heat for 30–45 minutes until done to taste. This is an Italian dish and the cabbage is usually fairly well cooked. Because it hasn’t been boiled in water it doesn’t impart a strong unpleasant smell despite the long cooking. Serves 4–6.

CABBAGE AU GRATIN

1 medium cabbage, quartered
1½ cups Béchamel Sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper pinch nutmeg
60 g (2 oz) Gruyère cheese, grated
fresh white breadcrumbs and melted butter to finish

Cook cabbage in plenty of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain, refresh and press well to remove water. Remove core and chop moderately finely. Mix with the sauce, using sufficient to give a creamy mixture. Season well with salt and pepper, add a little nutmeg, and cook gently for 10 minutes. Stir in grated cheese, reserving a little for the top. Put mixture in flameproof dish and sprinkle with reserved cheese mixed with crumbs and melted butter. Brown in a hot oven or under a preheated grill. Serves 6.

ASIAN-STYLE COLESLAW

This appeals to those who appreciate the flavours of Asian seasonings in a light, crisp, fresh-tasting cabbage salad over a heavier coleslaw.

½ small white and red cabbage, halved and cored
few leaves English spinach
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 small onion, halved and finely sliced
¼ cup snipped coriander leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sesame dressing

cup sesame seeds
4 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon light olive oil

First make sesame dressing. Place sesame seeds in a dry frying pan and toast until they are golden. Add all dressing ingredients to a bowl and mix with a fork. Place dressing in a small saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 2 minutes or until dressing thickens and set aside. For a fuller sesame flavour, grind sesame seeds in mortar and pestle with 1 tablespoon soy, then add to other sauce ingredients before cooking.

Hold each cabbage quarter by the stem, with the top pressing firmly on a board, and use a sharp knife to cut into long thin shreds. Discard heavy ribs and stems. Cut off the stems of the spinach at the base of the leaves. Wash in several changes of cold water, dry well and cut into thin shreds. In a bowl place the cabbage and spinach and toss to combine. Add the sesame seeds with the onion and coriander. Drizzle over the dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 8.

CABINET PUDDING

A traditional English pudding made of cubed bread or cake, dried fruit and custard. It may be baked or steamed in a mould. It is an economical family pudding – nice in winter.

STEAMED CABINET PUDDING

30 g (1 oz) butter
2 tablespoons sugar
4 slices white bread, crust removed and diced
½ cup sultanas, raisins or mixed dried fruit
2 eggs
1 cup milk
pinch salt
½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Use all the butter to grease a 4-cup pudding basin and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Put bread into a bowl with fruit. Beat eggs, add remaining ingredients, including remaining sugar, and pour over bread. Allow to soak for 30 minutes, then spoon into prepared basin. Cover with greased greaseproof paper and a snap-on lid, or tie down with 2 layers of foil. Place in a saucepan, with boiling water to come halfway up sides of basin, cover with a lid and steam for 1 hour. Replenish boiling water as necessary. Unmould and serve with custard, cream or ice cream. Serves 4.

NOTE: Cabinet pudding may be baked. Grease a 4-cup ovenproof dish. Follow recipe instructions and spoon mixture into prepared dish. Cover with greased foil and bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 35–40 minutes or until set.

CAESAR SALAD

One of the world’s great salads, created by chef Alexander Cardini, working at the San Diego race track, in honour of his brother Caesar – also a chef, working in England. There are many variations of the salad today, but this is the original one.

CAESAR SALAD

1 cos (romaine) lettuce
4 anchovy fillets
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons butter
8 slices French bread
1 egg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Wash and dry lettuce leaves and crisp in refrigerator. Mash anchovies with garlic and butter, and spread on bread. Bake bread in a preheated slow oven (150°C/ 300°F) for 25–30 minutes or until crisp. Allow to cool. Place egg in boiling water for 50 seconds and remove. Place lettuce in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper and break egg over. Beat the lemon juice, oil and Worcestershire sauce together and pour over lettuce. Add bread slices and cheese and very gently roll lettuce in the dressing until each leaf glistens (the egg becomes part of the dressing). Serve at once. Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a side salad or first course.

CAFÉ AU LAIT

French for coffee with milk. In France and most European countries it means coffee and hot milk in equal proportions. The coffee and milk are served in separate pots, and poured into the cup at the same time.

CAKES

Most cakes fall into one of four main categories – butter cakes, sponge cakes, quick-mix cakes and rich Continental cakes, which are often served for dessert with coffee. They are classified according to the proportion of fat, sugar and eggs they contain and the method by which they are made. Each has something special to offer.

Butter cakes

One of the most popular categories of cakes, having the fine flavour that butter can give. They are enjoyed, too, for their own particular flavour, whether it be the basic butter mixture or flavoured with vanilla, lemon, orange, ginger or chocolate, etc. They can stand on their own, unadorned, or can be dressed up with various icings and fillings. Butter cakes keep well because of the high proportion of butter to flour. Cooking margarines may replace the butter, if liked. You will, however, trade the distinctive flavour for a measure of economy, a spongier texture and a somewhat greater volume.

Butter cakes include such favourites as Madeira Cake, Dundee Cake and Fruit Cake (see separate entries).

BASIC BUTTER CAKE

125 g (4 oz) butter
¾ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch salt
½ cup milk

Cream butter with sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs. (If using an electric mixer, add eggs one at a time and beat well after each.) Sift flour and salt together 3 times and fold into creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Pour into 2 greased and bottom-lined 20 cm (8 in) sandwich tins. Lightly smooth tops and bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 25–30 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack and fill and ice as desired.

NOTE: The cake may also be baked in a deep, 20 cm (8 in) square or round tin. It will then take 45–50 minutes to bake.

VARIATIONS

LEMON CAKE: Add grated rind 1 lemon and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Omit vanilla.

CHERRY CAKE: Add ½ cup halved glacé cherries (dusted with flour to prevent them sinking).

SEED CAKE: Add 1 tablespoon caraway seeds to batter and sprinkle 1 teaspoon on top before baking.

FRUIT SQUARES:Add ½ cup mixed fruit. Bake in a 28 × 19 cm (11 × 7½ in) lamington tin.

CUP CAKES

Bake cup cakes in muffin or patty tins. For children’s parties and informal occasions, bake and serve in fluted paper cases; they retain their shape better if the cases are placed in muffin tins for baking.

125 g (4 oz) butter
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch salt
¾ cup milk
Glacé Icing
nuts, glacé cherries, candied angelica, etc. to decorate

Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, then beat in eggs a little at a time. Sift flour and salt together 3 times and fold into creamed mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon into patty cases set in muffin tins. Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/ 375°F) for 15 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, ice with glacé icing. Decorate as desired. Makes about 20.

VARIATIONS

BUTTERFLY CAKES: Use the same mixture as for Cup Cakes, but increase oven temperature to hot (200°C/400°F) and bake cakes in hottest part of the oven. The tops of the cakes will rise in a peak. When cool, cut a slice from the top of each cake and reserve. Top cakes with a peak of sweetened whipped cream. Cut cake slices in half, arrange on top of cream to form ‘wings’ and dust with sifted icing sugar.

SULTANA CUP CAKES: Omit vanilla and add 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind. Fold ½ cup sultanas into creamed mixture with flour.

CHERRY CUP CAKES: Fold ½ cup sliced glacé cherries into creamed mixture with flour.

ORANGE CAKE

125 g (4 oz) butter or soft margarine
grated rind and juice 1 medium orange
¾ cup caster sugar
2 eggs, separated
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch salt
2–3 tablespoons milk
sifted icing sugar

Cream butter with orange rind and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time and beat well after each. Sift flour with salt and fold into creamed mixture alternately with strained orange juice and milk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form and gently fold in. Spoon into 20 cm (8 in) round or square tin, or 21 × 11 cm (8½ × 4½ in) loaf tin, that has been greased with melted butter, bottom-lined with greased greaseproof paper and dusted with flour. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 35–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack and when cool dust with sifted icing sugar.

CHOCOLATE SANDWICH CAKE

A light, fine-textured chocolate cake with the special flavour of raspberry jam.

2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons raspberry jam
125 g (4 oz) butter
¾ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
extra raspberry jam for filling
icing sugar, sifted or Chocolate Glaze

Mix cocoa to a smooth thin paste with a little boiling water. Add jam and mix in sufficient boiling water to make ¾ cup. Allow to cool. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, then gradually add eggs, mixing well after each addition. Fold in flour alternately with cocoa and jam mixture. Spread evenly in 2 greased and bottom-lined 18 cm (7 in) sandwich tins. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 25–30 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched with the finger. Turn out onto wire racks to cool. Sandwich together with raspberry jam and top with sifted icing sugar or with chocolate glaze.

Sponge cakes

There are two ways of making a sponge cake. The first method is to beat whole eggs with sugar until thick and light, then fold in the flour – this is called a whisked sponge. The second way is to separate the eggs, make a meringue of the whites and sugar, then add beaten yolks and flour. This is called a sponge sandwich.

The French, however, make a slight different version called Génoise, with melted butter added. It is used as the basis for Petits Fours and other decorated cakes. Swiss Rolls also belong to the sponge family, but are baked in a shallow tin, rolled while warm, then re-rolled around a filling.

Sponge cakes (except Génoise) contain only a tiny amount of butter, so they don’t keep as well as butter cakes, and are at their best when eaten freshly made.

WHISKED SPONGE

3 eggs
¾ cup caster sugar
grated rind ¼ lemon
1 cup self-raising flour
pinch salt
1 teaspoon melted butter
2 tablespoons hot water

Filling and topping

1 cup cream
few drops vanilla essence
1–2 teaspoons sugar
pulp 2 passionfruit, 1 cup sliced strawberries, or 2 sliced bananas tossed with a little lemon juice
1 tablespoon icing sugar, sifted

Combine eggs, sugar and lemon rid in a heatproof bowl and place it over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk for 10 minutes or until a little of the mixture when lifted on the whisk falls in a smooth, steady ribbon onto mixture in the bowl. Remove from heat and continue whisking for about 5 minutes until cool. Sift flour and salt and, using a metal spoon, gently fold flour into egg mixture alternately with combined butter and hot water. Turn into 2 × 18 cm (7 in) sandwich tins that have been greased, bottom-lined with greased greaseproof paper and dusted with a mixture of 1 teaspoon each flour and sugar. Bake cakes in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 20–25 minutes or until cakes spring back when touched lightly with the finger. Immediately turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

For filling, whip cream with vanilla and sugar until stiff. Combine half the cream with selected fruit and use to sandwich cakes together. Decorate top with rosettes of remaining whipped cream and dust with icing sugar.

SPONGE SANDWICH

3 eggs, separated
¾ cup caster sugar
1 cup self-raising flour
pinch salt
1 teaspoon melted butter
3 tablespoons hot water
jam and whipped cream or sifted icing sugar to finish

Beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually add sugar and continue whisking until thick and glossy. Add egg yolks at once and whisk only until combined. Sift flour and salt together twice. Sift again directly over egg mixture, and fold in lightly and evenly. Sprinkle melted butter and hot water over top, and fold in quickly and lightly. Pour into 2 greased and floured 18 cm (7 in) sandwich tins. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 20 minutes. Turn out and cool on a wire rack. When cold, sandwich together with jam and decorate with whipped cream, or dust top with icing sugar.

BLOWAWAY SPONGE

Extremely light, and best eaten the day it is made.

4 eggs, separated
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup arrowroot
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
sweetened whipped cream and sifted icing sugar to fill and decorate

Beat egg whites until stiff. Gradually add sugar and continue whisking until thick and glossy. Add egg yolks all at once and whisk only until combined. Sift together arrowroot, flour, cream of tartar and bicarbonate of soda and fold lightly into egg mixture with vanilla. Gently pour immediately into 2 greased and floured 20 cm (8 in) sandwich tins. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 25 minutes or until cakes have shrunk slightly from sides of tins and centres spring back when touched with a finger. Cool on wire racks. Sandwich together with whipped cream and dust top of cake with icing sugar.

See also Swiss Roll.

AUSTRALIAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

90 g (3 oz) cooking chocolate
2 tablespoons water or black coffee
5 eggs
¾ cup caster sugar
¾ cup self-raising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
grated rind 1 lemon
60 g (2 oz) butter, melted
walnut halves to decorate (optional)

Filling and frosting

185 g (6 oz) cooking chocolate
1 cup cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon rum

Melt chocolate in a heatproof basin over simmering water. Stir in water or coffee and cool slightly. Beat eggs until light and frothy. Add sugar and beat until very thick and mousse-like. Fold flour into egg mixture with vanilla, lemon rind, butter and chocolate mixture. Pour into a greased, lined and floured 23 cm (9 in) springform tin. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 40–45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed in the centre. Leave to cool with the spring released.

To make filling and frosting, melt chocolate in a heatproof basin over simmering water and cool. Whip cream, fold in icing sugar and rum. Reserve a little melted chocolate and fold remainder through cream to create a ripple effect. When cold, split cake in half and sandwich together with half the filling and frosting mixture. Spread remainder over top of cake. Decorate with walnut halves, if desired, and drizzle over reserved melted chocolate.

Quick-mix cakes

These are also sometimes referred to as ‘one bowl’ cakes, because they are made by mixing all the ingredients simultaneously in one bowl. To make mixing easy, the fat type specified is often melted butter, but can be oil or sour cream.

There are many delicious cakes made by the quick-mix method, including Australia’s boiled fruit cake (below). Don’t try to adapt ordinary recipes, but use those especially created for quick mixing.

BOILED FRUIT CAKE

An economical and easy cake that keeps well. For Christmas, it may be topped with almonds before baking, or iced and decorated afterwards.

750 g (1½ lb) mixed dried fruit
185 g (6 oz) butter or margarine
1¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 cup water
2 teaspoons rum or sherry
1 cup plain flour
1½ cups self-raising flour
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Place fruit, butter, sugar, lemon rind, spice, water and rum or sherry in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and leave until lukewarm. Sift flours and salt together. Beat eggs with bicarbonate of soda. Stir flour and beaten eggs alternately into fruit mixture. Pour into a deep 20 cm (8 in) cake tin that has been greased and lined with 2 layers of greaseproof paper. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 45 minutes, then reduce heat to moderately slow (160°C/325°F) and bake for a further 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Turn out of tin and cool on a wire rack before removing paper. Store in an airtight container. This fruit cake will keep for up to 2 weeks.

MELT AND MIX CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup evaporated milk
1½ cups flour
pinch salt
½ cup cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1¼ cups caster sugar
155 g (5 oz) butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 eggs
raspberry jam or whipped cream, and Rich Chocolate Icing or sifted icing sugar to finish

Mix vinegar with evaporated milk. Sift flour, salt, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and sugar into a bowl. Add butter and dry ingredients with soured milk, vanilla and eggs. Beat vigorously for about 2 minutes or until smooth. Pour into 2 greased and bottom-lined 20 cm (8 in) sandwich tins. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 30–35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Sandwich together with raspberry jam or whipped cream and ice with chocolate icing or dust with icing sugar.

CARAMEL NUT CAKE

1¾ cups flour
pinch salt
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
125 g (4 oz) butter, softened (or soft margarine)
2 eggs
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
¾ cup chopped walnuts, almonds or pecans
sifted icing sugar

Sift flour, salt, baking powder and sugar into a bowl. Add butter, eggs, milk and vanilla and beat vigorously until well blended. Fold in nuts. Spoon into a greased and bottom-lined 23 × 33 cm (9 × 13 in) cake tin. Bake cake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/ 350°F) for 30–35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack, then dust with icing sugar. Cut into squares to serve.

Continental cakes

Europe has given us a heritage of superb cakes.

Generally speaking, Continental cakes have a richer, closer texture than butter, sponge or quick-mix cakes. When they contain a high proportion of ground nuts instead of flour they are often referred to as tortes, and when they are split into many layers and decorated they may be called gâteaux.

In Continental cakes rich butter-cream fillings are used, and different types of liqueurs, chocolate or coffee are favourite flavourings. Nuts and fruit are used as decorations, and frequently the cake is chilled before serving.

Springform tins make it easy to turn out the richer mixtures, and the interestingly shaped gugel-hopf, bundt and ring tins give authentic shapes to Continental cakes.

See also Gâteau.

BIENENSTICH

The much-loved honey-bee sting cake of Germany with its creamy filling.

1¾ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
75 g (2½ oz) butter
cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 egg

Topping

75 g (2½ oz) butter
½ cup sugar
125 g (4 oz) blanched, slivered almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Filling

125 g (4 oz) butter
4 tablespoons caster sugar
1 cup thick cold egg custard (custard powder custard may be used)
2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Combine milk and egg and gradually add to creamed mixture. Work in dry ingredients to make a soft dough. Press dough evenly over bottom of greased 20 cm (8 in) spring-form cake tin.

To make topping, melt butter in a saucepan over low heat, add sugar and stir until combined. Remove from heat, stir in almonds and vanilla and allow to cool. Spread over dough. Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/375°F) for 40 minutes. Release spring and cool on a wire rack.

To make filling, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in cold custard and vanilla. When cold, split cake into 2 layers and sandwich together with filling.

FINNISH SOUR CREAM CAKE

A moist, richly flavoured cake that needs no decoration. An excellent family cake, it is easily made with sour cream and keeps well in an airtight container. It has a spicy cardamom flavour.

2 eggs, beaten
2 cups sour cream
2 cups caster sugar
3 drops almond essence
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Place eggs, sour cream, sugar and almond essence in a large bowl and mix until combined. Sift flour with bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices and add gradually to egg mixture, beating until batter is smooth. Pour into greased 23 cm (9 in) gugelhopf, bundt or ring tin that has been dusted with sugar. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean. Leave in tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool on a wire rack.

MOCHA NUT CAKE

5 eggs, separated
1 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
½ cup flour, sifted
½ cup finely ground hazelnuts or walnuts
sifted icing sugar

Filling

2 cups cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder dissolved in 1 tablespoon brandy

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar until mixture stands in stiff peaks. Beat egg yolks separately until thick and light, then fold into whites. Mix coffee, flour and nuts together and fold into the egg mixture gently but thoroughly until no white streaks remain. Spoon into a greased and floured 23 cm (9 in) springform or ring tin. Bake in a preheated moderately slow oven (160°C/325°F) for 50–55 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger. Cool on a wire rack.

To make filling, whip cream until thick, then fold in sugar and coffee dissolved in brandy. Split cake into 4 layers. Just before serving, sandwich together with filling and sprinkle icing sugar on top.

CHOCOLATE TOFFEE CAKE

125 g (4 oz) butter
cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
½ cup self-raising flour
½ cup ground almonds
75 g (2½ oz) dark chocolate, grated
extra grated chocolate (optional)
Toffee icing
60 g (2 oz) butter
cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
½ cup cream
sifted icing sugar (optional)

Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then fold in flour and ground almonds. Add chocolate and mix well. Pour into a greased and lined 20 cm (8 in) cake tin. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 1¼ hours or until firm to a light touch. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn carefully onto a wire rack to cool.

To make toffee icing, put butter, sugar and syrup into a saucepan. Stir over a gentle heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce heat immediately and simmer, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly pour in cream in a steady stream, beating well with a wooden spoon. Leave to cool and thicken. If you prefer a thicker icing, add sufficient icing sugar to give the desired consistency. Spread over cake and swirl surface with a spoon. Decorate with extra grated chocolate, if wished.

VIENNA CAKES

Attractive, buttery-flavoured cakes.

185 g (6 oz) butter, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
½ cup icing sugar, sifted
1¾ cups flour
extra sifted icing sugar
raspberry jam

Cream butter with vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in flour. Pipe or spoon mixture into paper patty cases set in tartlet pans and make a slight dent in the tip of each cake. Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/375°F) for 10–12 minutes. Leave to cool. Sift extra icing sugar over each cake and drop a little raspberry jam into centres. Makes 12.

Children’s cakes

Plain, or lightly flavoured butter cakes are usually the best to use when the party is for tiny children, since not all children like the stronger flavours of some other cakes.

LITTLE BEAR MAYPOLE CAKE

2 × 20 cm (8 in) Basic Butter Cakes
1½ quantities Butter Cream
¼ cup raspberry jam
2 packets chocolate-coated finger biscuits
2–3 drops green food colouring
1 cup desiccated coconut
stick and narrow ribbons for maypole
5–6 small model bears
artificial or sugar flowers

Sandwich cakes together with a little of the butter cream and some of the raspberry jam. Place cake on a board or tray covered with foil and spread a thin layer of butter cream around sides of cake. Stick chocolate-coated finger biscuits all around sides of cake with the tops just showing above edge to represent a fence. Add food colouring to coconut and mix through with your fingertips to distribute evenly. You may need to add more colour according to the shade desired. Brush top of cake with remaining jam and cover it with an even layer of coconut. Make maypole with a long thin stick covered with foil, with one of the ribbons wound around it. Position the maypole in the centre of the cake, pushing the stick through until it reaches the board. Stand the little model bears around edge of cake. Attach several ribbons to top of maypole with a drawing pin or sellotape, cover pin with a rosette of butter cream and arrange the ribbons over the cake, taking them out to the bears. The maypole and the edge of the cake may be decorated with artificial flowers, if you wish. Use remaining butter cream to decorate the biscuit fence.

WINIFRED WHITE MOUSE

1 packet butter cake mix, or 1 quantity Basic Butter Cake mixture
1 quantity Butter Cream
1½ cups desiccated coconut
1 licorice stick
2 pink marshmallows
4 white pipe cleaners

Make cake mixture according to directions on the packet, or follow the recipe. Pour into a well-greased 1 litre (4 cup) ovenproof pudding basin and bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Turn onto wire rack to cool. Cover a board with foil. Trim top of cake flat so the mouse will sit evenly and invert cake onto the board. Cut the cake into a mouse shape by trimming away one side from top to base so that it is narrower and slopes more, and trimming base of this slope into a slight point for the nose. Cover cake evenly with butter cream and sprinkle thickly with coconut, pressing on firmly. Position a long piece of licorice at the broad end of the mouse to form a tail and cut 2 small pieces of licorice to make the eyes. Halve one of the marshmallows and use for the ears; use the whole marshmallow for the nose. Halve pipe cleaners and place in each side of the nose for the whiskers.

CALAMARI

The Italian name for squid. Squid are saltwater molluscs, related to the octopus and cuttlefish, and found in many parts of the world, where they are prized for their sweet, tender flesh. The baby squid, call calamaretti in Italy, are especially sweet. See Squid.

CAMOMILE

A plant which resembles a daisy, and is cultivated for the pleasantly aromatic flavour and scent of its flower heads. Dried, they are used in the preparation of camomile tea (said to soothe as well as refresh), in aperitifs and hair rinses.

CANAPÉS

A French word meaning ‘couch’, which is used to describe bite-size pieces of bread, toast, biscuits or pastry topped with savoury food. Canapés may be served whenever a savoury tid-bit is called for – with drinks, at tea and coffee time, for supper or as part of an hors d’oeuvre selection. They can be hot or cold, as simple as a biscuit spread with savoury butter, or as elaborate as pastry shapes baked with a lobster mornay topping. Canapés should look decorative, but remember to keep any toppings and garnishes manageable for eating with the fingers, to keep them bite-size, and not to serve too many. Like appetisers, they are designed to whet the appetite, not to satisfy it.

Canapé bases: Suitable bases are many and varied, and include: white or wholemeal toast, cut into strips, squares or circles; crispbreads; Melba toast; pumpernickel and rye breads; plain or flavoured savoury biscuits; fried bread (croûtes); pastry rounds; sliced French bread, bread sticks or rolls; home-made quick breads; tiny split hot scones; or pancakes.

Canapé butters: These can be used alone, or garnish the butters as desired; the garnish may be a dab of the flavouring – caviar, sardine, olive, etc.

Sardine Butter: Soften 60 g (2 oz) butter and combine with 1 cup mashed sardines, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon tomato ketchup, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Caviar Butter: Soften 60 g (2 oz) butter and combine with 2 tablespoons caviar or lumpfish roe, 1 teaspoon grated onion, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Olive Butter: Soften 60 g (2 oz) butter and combine with 2 tablespoons finely chopped stuffed olives and 1 teaspoon grated onion.

Canapé toppings: Blend all topping ingredients well together.

Liverwurst and Bacon: 90 g (3 oz) liverwurst (Latvian, chicken etc.); 2 bacon rashers, rind removed, grilled and crumbled; few drops Tabasco or chilli sauce; 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Roquefort: 90 g (3 oz) cream cheese; 30 g (1 oz) Roquefort cheese; ¼ cup cream;salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Cheese and Ham: ¾ cup grated mature Cheddar cheese; cup devilled ham spread; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; ¼ cup cream.

Egg and Walnut: 4 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped; ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts; 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot; Mayonnaise to bind.

Camembert Canapés: A make-your-own canapé plate – this is a German favourite, great with beer. On individual plates place a wedge of Camembert, a small mound of finely chopped onion and smaller mounds of finely chopped anchovies and canned pimientos. Salt shakers, peppermills and oil and vinegar cruets should be on the table, with platters of thickly buttered rye and pumpernickel bread. Each person mixes their own canapé toppings according to taste.

Hot canapés:

Snails: Use any of the canapé toppings suggested. Roll out Plain Shortcrust Pastry into an oblong shape, spread generously with chosen filling and roll up like a Swiss roll. Chill for 1 hour, then cut into 1 cm (½ in) slices and arrange on greased baking trays. Bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) until golden. Serve hot.

Rarebit Puffs: Beat 2 egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Fold in 1 cup grated mature Cheddar cheese, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, salt and ground black pepper. Spread over round cracker biscuits. Place under a hot grill until topping is puffed and brown. Makes 24.

Hot Crabmeat Canapés: Flake 1 × 185 g can drained crabmeat and mix in 1 teaspoon chopped onion, 1 teaspoon chilli sauce, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise. Spread on crustless toast triangles, going right to the edges. Place under a hot grill until browned. Makes 24.

CANNELLONI

Meaning ‘big pipes’, these are an Italian specialty – tubes of pasta which are filled with a savoury stuffing. The pasta is usually cooked first and, after filling, the cannelloni are sprinkled with melted butter and grated cheese or with a sauce, and browned in the oven. Fillings may vary from cheese and spinach to a rich chicken or meat mixture.

Cannelloni are usually bought as dried pasta, already formed into tubes. If you prefer, you can make your own fresh pasta dough, cut it into squares and roll round the filling (in some areas, you can buy fresh pasta from a specialty shop). Thin Crêpes, fried on one side only, may be used instead of pasta dough. There are pre-cooked cannelloni tubes sold in packages, ready for filling. For cannelloni recipe see Pasta.

CANTELOUPE

See Melon.

CAPER

The small, olive-green bud of a bush native to the Mediterranean and North Africa. Capers are handpicked, salted and pickled in vinegar. Their piquant flavour adds zest to white sauces, mayonnaise, salads, creamed foods and fish dishes; they also make an excellent garnish for open sandwiches, appetisers and so on.

Caper Sauce: The traditional sauce for boiling mutton and lamb. Add creamed capers to Velouté or Béchamel Sauce (See Sauces) in the proportion of 1 tablespoon per cup of sauce, or according to taste.

Egg and Caper Sauce: Add 1 chopped hard-boiled egg per cup to Caper Sauce (above) and serve on poached or steamed fish, smoked fish, vegetables or hot corned beef.

CAPSICUM

See Pepper.

CARAMEL

The familiar flavour of caramel results when sugar is cooked long enough to form a rich golden-brown syrup. It is used in cakes, sauces and puddings, to line moulds for creams and custards, and to colour Parisian essence. It is also used to make a clear brittle topping, for profiteroles and cakes such as Gâteau St Honoré.

To caramelise: This means to dissolve sugar slowly and boil steadily without stirring until a dark brown colour. Put 1 cup sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan and stir over gentle heat, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook quickly without stirring, until golden-brown. Dip pan in cold water (it will make a loud hissing noise but there’s no need for alarm) to prevent caramel from getting darker.

Caramel Syrup: This syrup, used to flavour cakes and biscuits, keeps indefinitely if stored in a covered container in the refrigerator. Gently melt 1 cup sugar in a heavy-based pan until golden. When bubbles appear over the whole surface, remove from heat and very slowly pour in 1 cup boiling water. Cool. Makes 1½ cups.

CREAMY CARAMEL SAUCE

125 g (4 oz) butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 × 125 g can reduced cream

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan, add sugar and stir over low heat until dissolved. Increase heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and when bubbles subside, carefully stir in cream. Makes about 1½ cups.

BUTTER CARAMELS

Caramels should be soft and chewy; the longer you cook them, the harder they become so be sure to stop when they are the colour of milky coffee.

125 g (4 oz) butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
1½ cups sugar
1 × 400 g can sweetened condensed milk
½ cup water
large pinch cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Place all ingredients except vanilla in a heavy saucepan and stir constantly over fairly low heat until mixture is pale brown – a little dropped into cold water should form a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and pour into a buttered 15 cm (6 in) square tin. When nearly set, mark into squares. Wrap squares in wax paper or cellophane when cold. Makes about 36.

VARIATION

WALNUT OR ALMOND CARAMELS: Stir 1 cup chopped walnuts or unblanched almonds into the mixture just before pouring into tin.

CARAWAY

Tiny pungent seeds used in many popular sweet and savoury dishes in Europe, which add flavour to cheeses and cakes, rye breads, casseroles, salads, sauerkraut and potatoes. In Europe the root of the plant is boiled and eaten with parsley sauce. The seeds can be mixed with melted butter and chopped parsley and tossed through ribbon noodles to accompany goulash and other paprika-flavoured dishes.

CARBONNADE DE BOEUF (CARBONADE FLAMANDE)

A traditional dish from Belgium with a rich sauce based on beer.

CARBONNADE DE BOEUF

750g (1½ lb) chuck steak, cubed
2 tablespoons dripping
2 onions, sliced
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup beer
1 cup hot beef stock
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 bouquet garni
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vinegar
8 slices French bread, 5 mm (¼ in) thick
French mustard

Brown meat in hot dripping in flameproof casserole, then lower heat and add onions. Cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, pour on beer and hot stock and stir until boiling. Add garlic, bouquet garni, salt, pepper, nutmeg, sugar and vinegar. Cover and cook in a preheated moderately slow oven (160°C/325°F) for 2 hours or until meat is tender. Remove casserole from oven, remove bouquet garni, skim off fat and spoon it over bread slices. Spread bread thickly with mustard. Arrange on top of casserole, pushing bread well into gravy (it will float again to the top). Cook uncovered for a further 30 minutes or until bread forms a good brown crust. Serves 4–6.

CARDAMOM

The dried seed pods and the little aromatic dark brown seeds of cardamom are used in curry, pickles, pilau and sweet dishes. There are several varieties – green, white and black – and it is best to buy the seed pods and grind the seeds as needed, since they quickly lose their pungent aroma and distinctive flavour after grinding.

CARDAMOM CHICKEN

8 chicken legs or thighs
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons oil
½ cup toasted almonds
½ cup water

Garnish

1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
2 tomatoes, sliced

Dry chicken legs on paper towels. Combine garlic, salt, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, pepper and chilli and rub over chicken legs. Allow to stand for 1 hour. Heat butter and oil in frying pan and fry chicken until golden-brown. Add almonds and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in water, cover and simmer over low heat for about 15–20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Serve chicken on a bed of boiled rice, garnished with egg and tomato slices. Serves 4–6.

CARDAMOM CREAMS

Cardamom-flavoured delicious custard creams. A perfect finale to a curry meal.

2½ cups desiccated coconut
2½ cups milk
6 whole cardamom pods
4 eggs
¼ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
1 cup cream

To make cardamom coconut milk, place coconut, milk and cardamom pods in a heavy saucepan. Bring to the boil slowly, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes to extract flavour from cardamom pods. Cool slightly. Strain through a sieve and squeeze out as much of the milk as possible from coconut. Beat eggs, sugar and freshly ground cardamom until well blended. Add cardamom coconut milk (this should measure 1 cup) and cream and mix well. Strain custard mixture into 6–8 individual moulds or mousse custard pots and set in a roasting tin of hot water. Bake in a preheated moderately slow oven (160°C/325°F) for 35 minutes or until custard is set and a knife inserted near centre comes out clean. Allow to cool, then chill for several hours or overnight. Unmould onto serving dish or plates, or leave in mousse pots. Serves 6–8.

RICE BLANCMANGE

3 cups milk
3 tablespoons rice flour
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons blanched, slivered almonds

Mix ½ cup milk with flour to make a smooth paste. Add sugar to remaining 2½ cups milk and bring to the boil. Remove from heat, stir in milk and flour mixture, return to heat and stir constantly until mixture boils and thickens. Boil, stirring, for 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cardamom, nutmeg, vanilla and half the almonds. Pour into 6 individual little pots or a 3-cup dish and chill thoroughly. Sprinkle remaining nuts over top before serving. Serves 6.

CARPACCIO

A specialty of good Italian restaurants, the simplest carpaccio is very thin slices of good-quality fillet beef, arranged overlapping on plates, rosette-style. It is then simply dressed with a good olive oil, lemon juice and freshly ground pepper and offered as a first course. Good-quality tuna may be prepared the same way.

CARPACCIO WITH ROCKET AND PARMESAN

375 g (12 oz) trimmed beef fillet
handful baby rocket leaves, washed and dried
small wedge Parmesan
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Wrap the beef well in plastic wrap and semi-freeze for 1 hour, or until it is firm but not frozen solid. Using a very sharp knife cut the fillet across the grain into very thin slices. To make the slices even thinner, arrange on sheets of plastic wrap, cover with additional sheets of wrap and gently roll them using a rolling pin, testing a slice as you roll to make sure they are not too thin to transfer to serving plates. Roll up the sheets loosely between sheets of baking paper or plastic wrap and chill the beef for at least 1 hour.

Divide the beef among 4 chilled plates, lining the plates with a single layer of the slices. Mound the rocket in the centre with shavings of Parmesan made by shaving the wedge of cheese with a vegetable peeler. Each plate should have about 5 shavings, or to taste. Give each serving a good grinding of pepper and drizzle a little of the lemon juice and olive oil over each. Serves 4.

CARPETBAG STEAK

Claimed as an Australian contribution to gastronomy. A thick cut of steak becomes a ‘carpetbag’ when it has a pocket cut into it and is filled with oysters.

CARPETBAG STEAK

250 g (8 oz) rump, boned sirloin or fillet steak, cut 2.5 cm (1 in) thick
4 canned oysters, drained
freshly ground black pepper
parsley to garnish

Trim excess fat and any gristle from steak and cut a deep pocket in it, about halfway through. Fill pocket with oysters, season with pepper and close opening with wooden toothpicks or poultry pins. Place steak under a preheated very hot grill, and cook on each side for about 5 minutes for medium-rare. Serve garnished with parsley. Steak may also be pan-fried. Use a thick frying pan, oil bottom lightly and cook steak over high heat for 1 minute each side or until a brown crust forms. Lower heat to moderate and continue cooking for 3–4 minutes each side for medium-rare. Serves 1.

CARROT

Carrots are one of the three great aromatic vegetables, the others being onion and celery. They are used constantly in casseroles, soups and stews and they are the traditional accompaniment to boiled beef. There is also an excellent carrot soup, Potage Crécy.

Basic preparation: Young carrots need only be lightly scraped and, if they are tiny, cooked whole.

They are delicious cooked in a very little water and a little butter, in a tightly closed pan that permits them to steam until they are just tender. A little sugar or honey added to the water brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots.

Older carrots should be scraped or skins peeled with a swivel-bladed vegetable peeler, and sliced or cut into strips or diced and lightly boiled.

To boil: Cook, with lid on, in boiling salted water until tender. Young whole carrots will take about 15–20 minutes; older carrots, cut in thick slices, will take 15 minutes. Drain, glaze with butter and toss in chopped parsley or coat with a creamy white sauce.

Golden Carrots: Scrub 500 g (1lb) young carrots and slice thinly. Drop into a small saucepan containing 3–4 tablespoons boiling chicken stock, cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until tender but still crisp. Sprinkle with salt and, if liked, add a dab of butter. Serves 4.

Carrots Vichy: Scrub 500 g (1 lb) young carrots and cut into slices. Melt 60 g (2 oz) butter in a heavy saucepan, add carrots, 2 tablespoons water and 2 teaspoons sugar. Cover and cook gently until almost tender, then remove lid and continue cooking until water evaporates leaving a light syrup. Toss carrots to glaze and sprinkle with salt and chopped parsley. Serves 4.

Carrots Julienne: Scrap 500 g (1 lb) carrots and cut into julienne (matchstick) strips. Put into a saucepan with 2 tablespoons each of butter and water and cook, covered, for 6–7 minutes or until tender. Drain off any remaining liquid; add salt, freshly ground black pepper and 5–6 mint leaves, cut into fine strips. Toss over low heat for 1 minute and serve immediately. Serves 4–6.

Dilled Carrots: Scrub 500 g (1 lb) young carrots cut lengthways into quarters. Place in a saucepan with ¾ cup dill-pickle juice and simmer, covered, for 10–15 minutes until crisp-tender. Cool, then chill overnight in the liquid. Drain carrots and toss them with 1½ tablespoons each snipped fresh dill and chives and ¾ cup sour cream. Serve with fish or other salads. Serves 4–6.

Lemon-glazed Carrots: Scrub 500 g (1 lb) young carrots and cut lengthways into quarters, or leave whole if very small. Simmer, covered, in salted water for 10–15 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Melt 60 g (2 oz) butter in a frying pan, add 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons chopped parsley and 1½ tablespoons lemon juice and heat gently. Add carrots and toss over medium heat until glazed. Serves 4.

Minted Ginger Carrots: Scrub 500 g (1 lb) carrots, cut into batons and put into a baking dish with ½ cup orange juice, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and ½ teaspoon each salt and sugar. Cover and bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 45 minutes or until tender. Serve hot or chilled, sprinkled generously with mint. Serves 4.

CARROT CAKE

3 cups flour
2 cups caster sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1½ teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
1 cup undrained canned crushed pineapple
2 cups grated carrot
4 eggs
1½ cups salad oil
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup chopped nuts

Sift flour, sugar, salt and bicarbonate of soda together into a large mixing bowl. Add pineapple, carrot, eggs, oil and vanilla and beat until combined. Stir in chopped nuts. Spoon batter into a well-greased bundt tin or 2 deep 20 cm (8 in) ring tins. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.

CASHEW

The nut of a tree indigenous to Brazil but now grown in many tropical countries. Cashews are sold raw or roasted, salted or unsalted. They are delicious as a snack food or made into a butter like peanut butter. They are also used as an ingredient for sweet and savoury dishes in both Western and Eastern cuisines.

CHINESE CHICKEN WITH CASHEWS

1 egg white
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon salt
pinch freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon cornflour
2 half-breasts chicken, skinned and boned
½ cup peanut oil
1 cup shelled roasted cashews
1 shallot, chopped
1 small green or red pepper, seeded and cut into 1 cm (½ in) squares
1 cup canned, sliced bamboo shoots
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 extra teaspoon cornflour, mixed with
1 tablespoon water
hot boiled rice to serve

Beat egg white lightly with a fork and mix in 1 tablespoon sherry, the salt, pepper and cornflour. Slice chicken into 2.5 cm (1 in) slices, add to egg white mixture and turn pieces to coat them. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in wok or frying pan over high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. In another pan, heat 3 tablespoons oil and fry cashews gently until golden-brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Add remaining oil to pan, heat and stir-fry shallot, green pepper and bamboo shoots for 1 minute. Add remaining sherry with soy sauce, sugar and cornflour mixed with water. Stir until thickened. Add chicken, turn to coat with sauce and heat through. Sprinkle with cashews and serve hot with boiled rice. Serves 3–4.

CASSATA

Meaning ‘in a case or chest’, cassata is the name of two famous Italian desserts. Both were traditionally made in the form of a case with a filling, but today they are often made in layers instead.

Cassata Gelata: Line a mould with softened ice cream, fill centre with lightly sweetened, whipped cream, mixed with chopped glacé (candied) fruit and chopped sugared almonds, and freeze until firm. If preferred, ice cream and whipped cream mixture can be arranged in layers.

CASSATA SICILIANA

500 g (1 lb) ricotta cheese
1 cup caster sugar
pinch cinnamon
60 g (2 oz) dark chocolate, grated
2 tablespoons sweet liqueur
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios or pine nuts
3 tablespoons chopped glacé (candied) fruit
1 × 20 cm (8 in) round or square Sponge Cake
sifted icing sugar and extra glacé fruit to decorate

Beat ricotta and sugar together until fluffy. Reserve half for topping. Add cinnamon, chocolate and liqueur to remaining mixture and mix well. Fold in nuts and fruit. Line bottom of a 5-cup bowl or mould with greaseproof paper. Cut cake into 1 cm (½ in) slices and use about three-quarters of them to line mould. Fill centre with ricotta mixture, cover with remaining slices of cake and chill, covered, for several hours or overnight. Turn out of mould, coat with reserve topping, dust with icing sugar and decorate with glacé fruit. Alternatively the sponge cake may be split into 3 or 4 layers and filled with the ricotta mixture. Chill, coat with topping, and decorate as described. Serves 8–10.

CAULIFLOWER

A fresh head of cauliflower has very white, closely packed florets, and surrounding leaves are still fresh and green. Before cooking, all the dark outside leaves should be broken off. Boiling cauliflower needs a sauce of some kind; cauliflower and cheese have an affinity. Raw cauliflower florets are often served as part of a dish of Crudités with garlic mayonnaise.

To cook: Separate florets, leaving no more than about 2.5 cm (1 in) of stem. Drop into boiling salted water and cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Drain, and serve with a cheese sauce or a sprinkling of cheese.

Boiled Whole Cauliflower: Cut off thick stems and make deep incisions with a sharp knife in remaining smaller stems, so that heat will penetrate them more easily. Sometimes tender young leaves are left on; when lightly cooked they enhance the look of the dish.

Boil head of cauliflower, stem down, in a large pan of lightly salted water, uncovered, for about 15–20 minutes. When stems can be easily pierced with a fork, it is fully cooked. Drain it carefully without breaking off any of florets and place on a heated serving platter. Pour on melted butter, Mornay Sauce or fried, buttered crumbs.

CAULIFLOWER PARMIGIANA

1 large cauliflower, trimmed into florets
salt
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Cook florets in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes or until tender. Drain carefully in a colander. Melt butter and fry breadcrumbs until golden. Butter a shallow baking dish, sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese and arrange florets in dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs mixed with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake in a preheated very hot oven (230°C/450°F) for about 5 minutes or until top is golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle parsley over. Serves 6.

CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN

1 cauliflower, trimmed into florets
salt
1 cup Mornay Sauce
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Cook florets in boiling salted water for about 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Arrange stems side down in a baking dish, cover with mornay sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and then with melted butter. Bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) for 5–6 minutes or until the surface is golden. Serves 6.

CAVIAR

The salted roe of the sturgeon, which is considered a great delicacy. The caviar from Russia, and from the Beluga sturgeon in particular, is thought by many people to be the finest. Caviar varies in colour from grey to shiny, jet black, and in size from tiny eggs the size of a pin head to eggs the size of seed pearls.

Iced champagne or vodka usually accompanies caviar.

Ways to serve caviar:

• Well chilled, with small, neat triangles of hot toast, fresh unsalted butter and thin slices of lemon.

• In a dish surrounded with crushed ice, accompanied by Melba Toast, finely chopped onion, sour cream and freshly ground black pepper.

• Accompanied by very finely chopped egg white and egg yolk, with hot toast.

• Spread savoury butters on canapés and top with caviar.

• As an accompaniment to Blini, which are small buckwheat pancakes made with yeast.

CAYENNE PEPPER

This hot, pungent spice is a member of the pepper family and is sold as a powder, ground from dried red chillies. Cayenne is used to flavour curry and chilli and to season sauces, cheese and fish dishes. Just a pinch of cayenne can add sufficient piquancy to a dish – it should be used sparingly.

CELERIAC The edible turnip-like

The edible turnip-like root of a variety of celery, and with a similar flavour. The root is peeled, the flesh sliced or diced and cooked in boiling salted water for 20–30 minutes or until tender. It is drained and served with a good white sauce, or melted butter and pepper.

Celeriac is often used raw in salad. The flesh is grated or cut in julienne (matchstick) strips and dressed with Vinaigrette Dressing. Raw celeriac discolours quickly, so the minute it is exposed to air and cut, it should be put into a bowl of acidulated water until required.

CELERY

This features in many salads and is a favourite flavouring for soups and stews. It is also an excellent vegetable served in its own right as a special dish or accompaniment to meats.

Basic preparation (this is always the same): The root ends should be trimmed off and the top leaves removed (these may be reserved for the stock pot). Trim a whole bunch down to about 18 cm (7 in) long and cut in 2.The tough, fibrous strings on the outer stalks should be scraped off, or, if using large bunches, the outer stalks may be removed and reserved for the stock pot. Wash the stalks under running cold water.

To cook: Drop into a small quantity of lightly salted boiling water and boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Drain, return to pan, heat gently to dry off any moisture. Add 1 teaspoon butter, pepper, salt, a little grated cheese and chopped parsley to enhance flavour.

CELERY POULETTE

1 bunch celery
1 tablespoon chopped onion
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons flour
¼ cup cream
¾ cup chicken stock

Prepare celery as described above, cutting it into roughly 8 cm (3 in) lengths. Place celery, onion, salt and pepper in a saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Cook slowly, shaking pan often, for about 10 minutes or until celery is almost tender. If the lid does not fit tightly, it will be necessary to add a little water, but celery should be almost dry at end of cooking time. Place in a heated serving dish. Melt butter, blend in flour and gradually add cream and chicken stock. Bring to boil, stirring, then reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Spoon over celery. Serves 6. for 3 minutes. Spoon

VARIATIONS

CELERY AMANDINE: Sprinkle ¼ cup shredded, toasted almonds over Celery Poulette.

SCALLOPED CELERY IN CHEESE SAUCE: Prepare Celery Poulette and add ¾ cup grated cheese to the sauce. Stir until cheese has melted. Place celery in a casserole, pour over sauce and sprinkle top with additional grated cheese or with buttered breadcrumbs. Brown under a preheated grill or in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F).

CELERY AND MUSHROOM SALAD

1 bunch celery, trimmed and sliced diagonally
250 g (8 oz) mushrooms, finely sliced
1 large canned pimiento, drained and sliced
2 spring onions, sliced
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup vegetable oil
juice 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine celery and mushrooms in a salad bowl, cover and chill. Place pimiento in blender or food processor, add spring onions, parsley, vinegar and mustard, and pureé; or place in a small bowl and pound with a pestle or the end of a rolling pin. Gradually add olive and vegetable oils, then mix in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over celery and mushrooms; toss well. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Serves 4–6.

CEREALS

Cereals are cultivated grasses essential for good health. The seeds and grain contain protein, vitamins and minerals to provide a cheap source of energy in the form of carbohydrate. Wholegrain cereals are the most nutritious and add fibre to the diet. Wheat and rice are the major sources of cereal food for man.

See also Barley; Cornmeal; Muesli; Oatmeal; Polenta; Porridge; Rice; Semolina; Wheat.

CEVICHE

The name given to marinated raw fish, which is very popular in South America and the South Pacific. The fish fillets are cut into pieces, then ‘cooked’, or marinated in lemon or lime juice until the flesh becomes opaque. From here on the treatment varies from one place to another; the excess lemon or lime is squeezed from the fish and the fish is dressed in a sauce like Vinaigrette Dressing or coconut milk, and may be mixed with salad vegetables, onion rings, tomato cubes or wedges, chopped chilli, green or red peppers. In Mexico avocado is added, while in the Pacific Islands coconut milk is used. While raw fish fillets are mostly used, raw scallops or fresh green prawns may be treated in the same way.

CEVICHE (TAHITIAN FISH SALAD)

1 kg (2 lb) firm-fleshed fish fillets
juice 5–6 lemons or limes
1 green or red pepper, seeded and diced
3 sticks celery, cut into strips
4 spring onions, chopped
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ –¾ cup coconut milk

Remove skin and bones from fish, then cut into thick strips. Place in glass or plastic container and pour lemon or lime juice over. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours, turning with wooden spoon from time to time. (Do not use a metal spoon.) The juice will turn fish white and opaque and it will look cooked. Squeeze out all juice from the fish by placing fish in a plastic colander and pressing with a wooden spoon. Put into a clean bowl and add vegetables, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir in coconut milk and toss to coat well. Place fish salad in large serving dish or shell and chill. Alternatively, serve in small individual dishes or shells. Serves 8.

CEVICHE OF SCALLOPS

The combination of ceviche made with scallops and avocado is perfect served as a dinner party starter or as a light lunch followed by a green salad.

375 g (12 oz) scallops
juice 1 lemon
1 stick celery, diced
1 small onion, sliced
4 scallop shells
chopped parsley or snipped chives
lemon wedges to serve

Dressing

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, crushed with a little salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
dash Tabasco sauce

Wash scallops and trim off any brown bits. Place in a bowl, add lemon juice and marinate for 2–3 hours. Squeeze out excess lemon juice. Mix all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl and pour over scallops. Add celery and onion. Cover and chill for about 1 hour. Spoon marinated seafood into each scallop shell and sprinkle with parsley or chives. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

VARIATION

CEVICHE OF SCALLOPS WITH AVOCADO: Halve 2 chilled avocados and remove stones. Scoop out some of the flesh and add to above seafood mixture. Mix lightly and spoon into avocado shells.

CHAMPIGNON

The French name for mushroom, but particularly associated with button mushrooms.

See Mushroom.

CHAPATI

An Indian unleavened bread made from wholemeal or atta flour. Chapatis are eaten with curries and all Indian savoury dishes. Break off a piece and use it to scoop up the food.

CHAPATIS

2 cups fine wholemeal or atta flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ghee or peanut oil
1 cup lukewarm water

Place 1¾ cups flour in a bowl. Add salt and rub in ghee or add oil. Make a well in the centre and add water all at once. Mix with one hand to form a dough and knead for at least 10 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour. (It is preferable to chill the dough overnight for lighter chapatis.)

Shape dough into 12–14 small balls about the size of large walnuts. Roll out each one on a board, sprinkled with remaining flour, to a 13 cm (5 in) round. Heat a heavy frying pan until a drop of water spits when dropped on pan. Place chapatis in pan and press edge with a folded tea-towel to encourage bubbles to form and make chapatis light. Cook for 1 minute, then turn to cook other side. Wrap each chapati in a tea-towel as soon as it is cooked. Serve hot to accompany curries or vegetable dishes. Makes 12–14.

CHARLOTTE

A name given to two entirely different desserts. One is cold: a mould is lined with sponge fingers or sponge cake filled with a creamy mousse or Bavarian cream (Bavarois), fruit-or nut-flavoured. The other is hot: the mould is often lined with buttered bread fingers, and usually filled with apples, then baked.

The traditional charlotte mould is made of tin, with sloping sides, and has 2 lugs on either side. A charlotte may, however, be made in a loaf tin or a soufflé dish.

STRAWBERRY CHARLOTTE

1 kg (2 lb) strawberries
¾ cup caster sugar
2½ tablespoons Kirsch
16–18 sponge fingers (Savoy biscuits)
½ cup sherry
1½ cups cream

Hull strawberries and cut them in half. Put in a bowl with half the sugar and the Kirsch. Moisten sponge fingers with sherry (just dip in and out quickly) and use some to line bottom and sides of a charlotte mould. Whip cream with remaining sugar. Put a layer of strawberries in mould, then whipped cream, and cover with moistened sponge fingers. Continue layering ingredients, finishing with sponge fingers. Chill for at least 4 hours. Unmould and serve in slices with additional whipped cream. Serves 8.

VARIATION

CHOCOLATE CHARLOTTE: Prepare and line charlotte mould with sponge fingers as described in Strawberry Charlotte. Make Chocolate Mousse. Fill the sponge finger–lined mould with alternate layers of mousse and sponge fingers. Chill for 4 hours. Unmould and serve in slices. Serves 8.

APPLE CHARLOTTE

1 loaf white bread, sliced
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs

Filling

60 g (2 oz) butter
5 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons caster sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon grated lemon rind
3–4 tablespoons apricot jam

Remove crusts from bread and cut each slice into 2 strips. Dip into beaten eggs, then coat with breadcrumbs. Arrange around the sides of a greased 5–6-cup charlotte mould or soufflé dish, overlapping slightly. Line bottom of mould, keeping a few slices to cover top.

To make filling, melt butter in a saucepan, add apples, sugar, cinnamon and lemon rind and cook over a high heat, stirring continuously. When apples are reduced to a thick purée, stir in jam. Spoon into prepared mould and top with reserved bread slices. Bake in a moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 35–40 minutes. Allow charlotte to stand for a few minutes before turning out onto a heated dish. Serve with whipped cream. Serves 6.

CHATEAUBRIAND

This is large piece of steak cut from the thick part of the fillet, usually 5–8 cm (2–3 in) thick, and weighing 500–750 g (1–1½ lb). It usually appears on menus as a serving for 2.

To cook: Trim meat, sprinkle both sides with salt, spread with a little butter and grill meat under a preheated grill for about 6 minutes on each side. Transfer meat to a hot frying pan, spread it with additional butter and continue to cook over medium heat, about 10 minutes for rare, 15 minutes for medium-rare. To test: if you look carefully, you will notice that when meat reaches medium-rare stage, tiny drops of pink juice appear on the surface. Touch meat at this stage with the first and second fingers; it will be firm but still retain a noticeable springiness. If it feels soft it is not done; if it is quite firm, it is well done.

Serve with Béarnaise Sauce or Maître d’Hôtel Butter, watercress and Potato Chips.

CHEESE

There are hundreds of varieties of cheese, and it is infinitely versatile. It can appear on the menu at any time of day and in any course; it makes a splendid snack and is one of the most useful ‘emergency’ foods; it is a good companion to drinks from coffee and beer to fine wine. Cheese is remarkable in its ability to complement other foods and plays a vital part in the cuisines of many countries. Cheese can be made from cow, sheep, buffalo or goat milk, each with its own character.

Types of cheese: All natural cheeses, no matter how they may vary in individual character, can be divided into four basic types: soft unripened, soft ripened, firm and hard. Processed cheeses are usually treated to resemble one of these types, and can be used in the same way.

Soft unripened cheeses: These include fresh cottage cheese and ricotta and processed creamed cottage cheese, all low in fat. Cream cheese and Neufchâtel, usually in processed form, are rich and smooth. Fresh mascarpone is luscious and creamy.

Store these cheeses, closely covered, in the refrigerator. Use fresh varieties within a day or two of purchase, processed varieties within a week or two. They are used in salads, for savouries and desserts, as spreads, and in cooking both savoury and sweet dishes.

Salty feta, although firm in texture, is classified in the group because of its high moisture content. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator and use within a week or so. Feta is sliced or diced and served with black olives as an appetiser, or in a salad.

Soft ripened cheeses: These vary from richly flowing Camembert and Brie to the great blue cheeses, namely, Stilton, Roquefort, Gorgonzola and dolcelatte, and buttery Danish blues. Tangy port salut, mild bel paese and chevre (made with goat’s milk) are others. Mozzarella, an Italian soft cheese, melts readily in cooking and is used in such well-known Italian dishes as pizza and lasagne.

Many manufacturers produce soft cheeses combined with walnuts, Kirsch, pepper, herbs and other flavourings.

Serve these cheeses as part of the cheese board, on biscuits or bread as a snack or with drinks, or with fruit and nuts for dessert. Small whole Camemberts may be dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and quickly crisped in hot oil for the fried Camembert featured in some top restaurants as a first course.

Store soft cheeses loosely wrapped in foil in the refrigerator and use within a week or so of purchase. If you are lucky enough to have a whole Stilton, give it special care. Store it covered with a damp cloth wrung out in salt water in the refrigerator. If it is going to be used fairly quickly, the cheese may be cut in half horizontally, one half wrapped round with a napkin and scooped from the centre to serve. There is a tradition of pouring a little port into the centre, but purists disapprove of this. If the cheese is to be used slowly, cut slices across the face as this lessens the risk of drying out.

Firm cheeses: These are the all-rounders, and every cheese-making country has its specialties. Cheddar, originally from the west of England, is probably the most famous of all; Cheddar-style cheeses are not made in many countries. Salty Cheshire, Leicester, sage Derby (so-named because it is flecked with sage) and sharp, white Caerphilly from Wales or Somerset are other well-known British cheeses.

Holland produces smooth-bodied Gouda (shaped like a yellow wheel) and Edam (shaped like a red ball); Denmark makes mild Havarti (formerly called Tilsit) and fuller flavoured samsöe. Swiss Emmenthal (smooth and nutty, with large holes) and Gruyère (stronger, with smaller holes) are the originals on which Swiss cheeses around the world are styled.

Firm cheeses are excellent for snacks, savouries, sandwiches, for toasting, for the cheese board and for cooking. Store them in the refrigerator in a covered container, cut sides covered with foil, or use within a few weeks of purchase.

Hard cheeses: These are strong-flavoured and dry, perfect for grating over pasta, rice, vegetables or soups, or for cooking with. For best flavour, buy in the piece and grate off as you need it. This is practical as these cheeses, low in moisture, do not need refrigeration and keep for a long time provided they have good air circulation. Cheese sellers simply hang them from hooks in a cool, airy place. The great names in hard cheeses are Parmesan, pecorino and Romano, all originally produced in Italy but now much-copied elsewhere.

Serving cheese: Always bring cheese to room temperature before serving, so that it can release its flavour. Cheese which should be buttery or melting-soft may be hard or rubbery if served too cold.

Put flowing cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert, onto the board uncut if possible. French bread, water biscuits or other crisp, thin crackers, crispbreads or oatcakes (Scottish or Irish) are good accompaniments.

Serve with butter or not, as you prefer. Serve cheese, as the French do, after the main course so that diners can finish their red wine with it, or serve at the end of the meal.

There is no need to serve a great variety of types on a cheese board or platter. One beautiful Brie, or 2 generous wedges of different types are far more tempting than an array of little pieces.

Cooking with cheese: Cooking for too long or at too high a heat makes cheese tough and stringy. Always add it at the end of cooking and heat gently for no longer than it takes to melt. Grate hard cheese finely so that it will melt readily; shred firm or soft cheese, or chop it finely.

CHEESE AND BACON BALLS

Serve with pre-dinner drinks.

250 g (8 oz) Cheddar cheese
4 rashers streaky bacon, rinds removed

Cut cheese in 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes. Cut rashers into strips and wrap around the cheese, securing with wooden toothpicks. Grill, turning once, under a preheated very hot grill so that bacon is crisp before cheese melts. Serve immediately. Makes about 24.

CHEESE FEATHERS

½ cup cold water
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup flour
6 tablespoons grated mature cheese
2 eggs, beaten
freshly ground black pepper
oil for deep-frying

Put water and butter into a small, heavy saucepan and bring slowly to the boil. Add flour, stirring all the time. Remove from heat and beat in cheese, then eggs, a little at a time. Season with pepper. Drop teaspoonfuls into hot oil and fry until pale brown. Drain on crumpled paper towels and serve as an hors d’oeuvre with drinks, as an accompaniment to soup, or, with more cheese grated over, as a first course. Makes 60–70.

DEVILLED CHEESE

A good quick breakfast or late-night snack.

60 g (2 oz) grated mature cheese
1 teaspoon chopped mixed pickle
1 teaspoon curry powder
butter
2 slices toast

Mix cheese, pickle and curry powder together. Butter toast lightly and spread with cheese mixture. Place slices side by side on a buttered baking tray. Bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) for about 4 minutes or grill under a preheated grill until browned. Serves 1–2.

CHEESE AND ALMOND FINGERS

A simple cheese savoury.

3 tablespoons chopped blanched almonds
60 g (2 oz) butter
3 tablespoons cream
6 tablespoons grated mature cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
toast fingers

Fry almonds in about one-third of the butter until pale gold. Mix together remaining ingredients except toast and spread mixture on toast. Sprinkle with almonds and place under a preheated grill for a few moments to heat through. Serve at once. Makes 15–18.

EDAM TEA RING

A quickly made, cheesy scone ring.

2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1½ cups grated Edam cheese
4 tablespoons piccalilli pickle, chopped
1 egg
cup milk

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and paprika. Stir in cheese and piccalilli. Beat together egg and milk.

Pour into flour mixture to make a soft dough, reserving a little milk for glazing. Knead dough very lightly and divide into 6 pieces. Form each into a roll and place on a greased baking tray to form a circle with rolls just touching each other. Brush with reserved milk and egg mixture. Bake in a preheated hot oven (220°C/425°F) for 25 minutes or until golden-brown. Cool on a wire rack. Separate rolls and serve split and buttered, either hot or cold. Serves 6.

CHEESECAKE

Most cheesecakes are made from fresh, unripened cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese or Neufchâtel cream cheese, available in bulk from most delicatessens and cheese counters. Cottage cheese is sold creamed, or as farm cheese, which has a more dense, smooth consistency and is available in bulk, or as baker’s cheese, which is a low-fat cottage cheese, also sold in bulk.

All cottage cheeses should be rubbed through a sieve or puréed in a blender before using to give a smooth texture to the finished cheesecake. Ricotta cheese is very white and creamy and may be substituted for any other kind, as well as being used in recipes specifically needing it. It is a low-fat cheese, blends easily and is sold in bulk or in pre-wrapped packages. Italy’s beautiful Cassata Siciliana is made with ricotta cheese.

LINDY’S CHEESECAKE (BISTRO CHEESECAKE)

Crust

250 g (8 oz) plain sweet biscuits, crushed
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon mixed spice
90 g (3 oz) butter, melted

Filling

750 g (1½ lb) cream cheese
½ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
grated rind 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 eggs, separated
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon flour, sifted

Topping

1 cup chilled cream, whipped
nutmeg

Combine all ingredients for crust and press onto side and bottom of greased 23 cm (9 in) springform tin. Chill.

To make filling, beat cheese until soft, then add sugar, vanilla and lemon rind and juice and beat until creamy. Beat in egg yolks one at a time, then cream. Fold in flour. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in. Pour into crust and bake in a preheated moderately slow oven (160°C/325°F) for 1 hour 10 minutes. Turn off heat and leave cake in oven until cold. Release spring and remove sides of tin. Chill until ready to serve, topped with whipped cream and sprinkled with nutmeg. Serves 10–12.

VARIATIONS

Instead of nutmeg, decorate with passionfruit, strawberries, grated chocolate or sliced kiwi fruit.

SULTANA CHEESE SLICE

Pastry

2 cups flour
125 g (4 oz) butter
1 egg yolk, beaten
egg beaten with water to glaze

Filling

250 g (8 oz) cream cheese
60 g (2 oz) butter
¼ cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons cream
3 eggs, separated
½ cup sultanas

To make pastry, sift flour into a bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and enough iced water to make a firm dough. Chill for 1 hour. Roll out two-thirds of dough thinly and use to line a greased 28 × 19 cm (11 × 7 in) tin. Chill.

To make filling, combine cheese, butter and sugar, beating well. Add flour, cream and egg yolks, then sultanas. Beat egg whites until they form stiff peaks and fold into cheese mixture. Pour into pastry-lined tin. Roll out remaining dough and cut into 1 cm (½ in) wide strips. Use to decorate the top. Join strips with egg glaze if too short. Brush dough with egg glaze. Bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) for 10–15 minutes, then reduce oven heat to moderately hot (190°C/375°F) and bake for a further 15–20 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Makes about 16.

MANHATTAN CHEESECAKE

500 g (1 lb) cream cheese
500 g (1 lb) ricotta cheese
1½ cups caster sugar
4 large eggs
60 g (2 oz) butter, melted
3 tablespoons each flour and cornflour, sifted together
2½ teaspoons vanilla essence
2 cups sour cream

Decoration

1 cup cream, whipped
cherries or other fresh fruit
cinnamon or nutmeg

Combine cheeses and beat well until creamy. Gradually add sugar, then beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in melted butter, flour, cornflour and vanilla. Fold in sour cream. Spoon mixture into an ungreased 23 cm (9 in) springform tin. Bake in centre of a preheated moderately slow oven (160°C/325°F) for 1 hour (cake will still be soft in centre).Turn off heat and leave cake in oven for 2 hours. Remove and cool completely in tin, standing on a wire rack. When quite cold, chill for at least 2 hours before removing sides of tin and transferring to a serving plate. Decorate as wished, using whipped cream, fruit, cinnamon or nutmeg. Serves 10–12.

TORTA DI RICOTTA

Pastry

2 cups flour
125 g (4 oz) butter
1 egg yolk, beaten

Filling

750 g (1½ lb) ricotta cheese
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup ground almonds
grated rind 1 lemon
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
4 eggs

To make pastry, sift flour into bowl and rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg yolk and enough iced water to make a firm dough. Chill for 1 hour. Roll out dough and use to line a greased 23 cm (9 in) pie plate. Chill for 1 hour.

To make filling, combine ricotta, sugar, almonds and lemon rind. Beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Pour into chilled pastry case and bake in a preheated hot oven (220°C/425°F) for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate (180°C/350°F) and bake for a further 30 minutes or until centre of filling is firm. Cool and chill. Serves 8.

COUNTRY CHEESECAKE

Crust

2 tablespoons finely ground unblanched
almonds
1½ cups plain sweet biscuit crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
cup melted butter

Filling

375 g (12 oz) cream cheese
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice

salt

1½ cups sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
whipped cream and toasted flaked almonds to decorate (optional)

Combine almonds, crumbs and sugar. Pour in melted butter and mix well. Press into bottom and sides of a greased 20 cm (8 in) springform tin. Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/375°F) for 10 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly.

To make filling, beat cream cheese, eggs, ½ cup sugar, lemon juice and ½ teaspoon salt until smooth and creamy. Put into prepared crust and bake in oven for about 20 minutes, or until just set. Turn off heat and allow cake to cool in oven. Combine sour cream, remaining sugar and vanilla and pinch salt. Pour over filling and bake in a preheated very hot oven (230°C/450°F) for 10 minutes. Allow to cool in oven as before. Chill before serving and decorate, if liked, with a thin layer of whipped cream and almonds. Serves 8.

SEMOLINA CHEESECAKE

Crust

1½ cups flour
pinch salt
90 g (3 oz) butter
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 egg yolk, beaten

Filling

60 g (2 oz) butter
½ cup caster sugar
2 eggs, separated
grated rind and juice 1 lemon
¼ cup ground almonds
250 g (8 oz) cottage cheese, sieved
2 tablespoons semolina
½ cup raisins, chopped

Sift flour and salt into a bowl and rub in butter until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add sugar and mix to a firm dough with egg yolk. If necessary, add a little water. Roll out on a lightly floured board and line a 20 cm (8 in) springform tin, pressing the pastry 4 cm (1½ in) up sides of tin. Press down well to remove any air bubbles and trim edges neatly.

To make filling, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Lightly beat egg yolks with lemon rind and juice, ground almonds, cottage cheese, semolina and raisins. Mix into creamed butter and sugar. Stiffly beat egg whites and fold in. Turn filling into pastry-lined tin and bake in a preheated moderately slow oven (160°C/325°F) for 50–60 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is set. Remove side of tin and allow cake to cool on base. Chill before serving. Serves 18.

CHELSEA BUNS

See Yeast Cookery.

CHERRY

Cherries are delicious fruit eaten fresh or stewed for 5–10 minutes in sugar syrup, flavoured with a piece of cinnamon stick, lemon peel, and with a little brandy stirred in before they cool. They have a very short season and are worth preserving so you can enjoy them later in the year. One of the best ways to do this is by preserving them in brandy, when they can be used over ice cream, and the brandy syrup folded through whipped cream or stirred into fruit salad or fruit desserts to give a rich flavour.

Rancin: Line an ovenproof dish with thinly sliced white bread and butter. Fill nearly to top with cherries which have been stoned and cooked for a few minutes with plenty of sugar. Do not add any of the syrup. Cover with a second layer of bread and butter and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden and crisp. Dust with caster or sifted icing sugar and serve warm with cream.

NOTE: Brioche or any rich yeast bread (see separate entries) may be used in place of white bread.

BRANDIED CHERRIES

185 g (6 oz) sugar

1 cup water

1 strip lemon peel

1.5 kg (3 lb) dark cherries, stoned brandy

Place sugar, water and lemon peel in a saucepan and heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring to the boil and boil for 10 minutes. Add cherries and simmer for 5 minutes more. Pack cherries into warm sterilised jars, half fill with brandy and top up with syrup. Seal and store in a cool, dark place for at least 1 month before using.

CHERVIL

One of the classic French fine herbes (the others are parsley, tarragon and chives) used to flavour omelette aux fines ferbes and to sprinkle on salads. Chervil is good in all egg dishes and with fish and shellfish. Its leaves are lacy, like those of parsley, but a softer and a more delicate green. The flavour is light and distinctive with a hint of anise. It is also available dried.

CHESTNUT

The edible nut is available fresh in winter, and also in cans (whole or puréed) and dried (soak overnight in water, then use as fresh). The kernel is sweet and slightly floury. Chestnuts roasted in the shell are a traditional cold-weather snack; chestnut kernels may be simmered in stock and served as a vegetable or chopped for stuffings; sweetened chestnut purée makes the Italian dessert Monte Bianco (or French Mont Blanc). Marrons glacés (glazed chestnuts) are luxurious sweetmeats, served in paper cases or used to decorate cakes.

To shell chestnuts: With a small, sharp knife, cut gashes in the shape of a cross on flat side of brown outer shell. Put nuts in a pan of cold water, bring quickly to the boil and boil for 1 minute. Turn off heat. Remove one nut at a time, peel off shell and rub off inner skin. Any nut which resists peeling may be returned to the hot water for a few minutes.

To roast chestnuts: Cut a cross in outer shells as described. Place in a pan with an ovenproof handle. Add 1 tablespoon oil for each 500 g (1 lb) nuts. Shake over moderate heat until sizzling, then place in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/ 350°F) for about 30 minutes, after which shells and skins will come off easily.

MONTE BIANCO (MONT BLANC)

Prepare as close to serving time as possible to achieve the best effect.

¼ cup sugar
cup milk
1 × 440 g can unsweetened chestnut purée
1 cup cream
1 tablespoon rum
grated chocolate to decorate

Dissolve sugar in milk over a gentle heat. Add chestnut purée and stir until smooth. Cool, then chill. Whip cream and fold half into chestnut mixture with rum. Fill a greaseproof paper funnel with chestnut cream and pipe so that it falls loosely into cone shape on 6 individual serving plates. Top with remaining cream and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Serves 6.

NOTE: If using sweetened chestnut purée omit sugar and milk; simply fold whipped cream and rum into purée.

CHESTNUT SOUP

45 g (1½ oz) butter
2 onions, chopped
1 rasher bacon, rind removed, finely chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 stick celery, chopped
1 × 440 g can unsweetened chestnut purée
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
Croûtons to garnish

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan, add onion, bacon, carrot and celery and cook until softened. Stir in chestnut purée, salt and pepper and stock. Simmer for about 30 minutes. Put soup through a sieve or purée in a blender or food processor. Reheat and serve garnished with croûtons. Serves 6.

CHESTNUT STUFFING

250 g (8 oz) butter
2 large onions, very finely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
cup chopped parsley
¾ cup chopped celery
4 cups fresh breadcrumbs
500 g (1 lb) chestnuts, cooked, shelled, skinned and chopped

Melt butter in a frying pan and add all ingredients except breadcrumbs and chestnuts. Cook for 5 minutes, then add crumbs and chestnuts. Cook, stirring until crumbs are crisp. Use as a stuffing for turkey. Makes about 8 cups.

NOTE: Canned whole chestnuts may be used in the recipe.

WHOLE BRAISED CHESTNUTS

500 g (1 lb) chestnuts, shelled and skinned
1 cup chicken stock
3 teaspoons cornflour
2 tablespoons dry sherry
salt and freshly ground black pepper
60 g (2 oz) butter

Place chestnuts in a heavy saucepan. Cover with stock to a depth of 1 cm (½ in). Mix cornflour and sherry to a smooth paste, pour over chestnuts, add salt and pepper and dot with butter. Simmer, covered, over lowest possible heat for 50 minutes or until chestnuts are tender. Serve as a separate dish or mix with red cabbage or Brussels sprouts as an accompaniment to turkey.

NOTE: Canned whole chestnuts may be used in this recipe, but simmer for only 10 minutes.

FROZEN CHESTNUT SOUFFLÉ

1½ cups icing sugar, sifted
6 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 cups cream
1 × 440 g can unsweetened chestnut purée
1 quantity Crème Anglaise to serve

Whisk sugar and egg yolks together in a heatproof bowl until very light and fluffy. Scald milk and gradually add to the egg yolk mixture in a steady stream, beating slowly. Place bowl over simmering water and cook custard until it is thickened. Strain, cool and chill for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Whip cream until it holds soft peaks and fold it gently but thoroughly into chestnut purée. Combine the chestnut mixture with custard. Freeze, covered, for 24 hours. Soften a little before serving with well-chilled crème anglaise and crisp biscuits. Serves 8–10.

CHICKEN

Modern poultry-raising has put chicken on everyone’s table at a reasonable price. The wide availability of chicken fillets (skinless, boneless half-breasts) or suprêmes (see Supreme of Chicken) makes it one of the most convenient meats. It has always been one of the most adaptable. As good cold as hot, as ready to go on a picnic, to provide cocktail tid-bits or a speedy meal for one, as to appear, superbly sauced, at a dinner party.

You can be reasonably confident that packaged chicken will be tender. In unpackaged chicken, check that the end of the breastbone will bend readily when pressed – the sign of a young bird.

Organic chicken is the best purchase. Free-range, organic poultry that has been carefully fed and has had time to scratch and peck around the ground rewards with a bird that will taste as it should and has had some sort of a life. Such a bird you pay extra for, but it seems preferable to eat chicken less often and make a meal more special.

What size?: Chickens are sold by weight. Another indication of size is by numbers. A size 12 weighs ½ kg, size 15 weighs 1.5 kg, size 16 weighs 1.6 kg, size 18 weighs kg, etc. A very young chicken is called a spatchcock and usually weighs 0.5 kg. A small chicken (size 12) can be grilled or barbecued. A size 12 to 18 or 20 can be roasted, poached or used in the recipes as indicated. In this book we have used various terms, a medium chicken is size 14 to 16, a large chicken size 18 to 26.

To truss a chicken: Shape the bird neatly with your hands, tucking the neck flap underneath. Take a piece of string and place its centre below the breastbone at the neck end. Bring the ends of the string down over the wings to cross underneath, then up to tie the legs and parson’s nose together.

To joint a chicken: Cut off legs at the joints. Cut either side of backbone and remove. Turn bird over and cut either side of breastbone and discard. Cut each side of chicken in half, removing wings if liked.

To cook: Chicken may be cooked in any of the following ways.

Roast chicken: Put a little butter and a piece of lemon or a few herbs inside chicken; or, if using stuffing, spoon it loosely into cavity. Truss bird and lay it on its side on a greased rack in a roasting tin. Spread chicken with a little butter and place in a preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) for 10 minutes. Turn chicken over and continue cooking, turning and basting every 15 minutes. Turn chicken on its back for last 20 minutes of cooking. Allow about 25 minutes’ cooking time per 500 g (1 lb). Chicken is done when juices run clear if a skewer is inserted in thickest part of thigh near body. Allow chicken to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes before carving. This helps to settle juice back in the meat and makes carving easy. If carved as soon as it is cooked juices run too freely on the plate, making it look rather unappetising. Make Clear Gravy or Thickened Gravy to accompany the chicken if desired (see Gravy).

French roast chicken: This method of roasting gives a beautifully moist chicken, and the skin crisps in the last 10–15 minutes of cooking. Put a few strips of orange peel, a few tarragon or parsley stalks and a little salt and freshly cracked black pepper inside the chicken.

Truss and roast as for Roast Chicken (above) but add ¾ cup chicken stock to the pan at the start of cooking and baste bird with pan juices every 15 minutes. Add more stock if it dries up.

Fried chicken: Dust pieces with flour and coat with egg and breadcrumbs. Chill for 20 minutes to firm crumbs. Shallow-fry in oil and butter over moderate heat, turning once, until golden-brown and cooked through. Breasts will take about 15 minutes; thicker pieces will take about 25 minutes. Drain on crumpled paper towels.

Poached chicken: Place chicken on its back in a heavy saucepan and add water to come to top of thighs (or just to cover chicken pieces). Add salt, pepper, a few slices of carrot, celery, onion and a few herbs. Cover and simmer gently, just until thigh meat feels tender when tested with a skewer – about 30 minutes for a young bird. Cool in the liquid.

Braised chicken (chicken casserole): Use pieces or a whole, trussed bird. Brown all over in a little butter in a heavy saucepan or flameproof casserole. Remove chicken, add a little sliced carrot, celery and onion to pan and fry until golden. Place chicken on top of vegetables, add a few herbs, salt and freshly ground black pepper and 2 cups water or stock, with a little wine if liked. Cover and simmer on top of stove or in a preheated moderately slow oven (160°C/ 325°F) until juices run clear when tested with a skewer in the thickest part. Chicken pieces will take about 30 minutes, a whole bird 1 hour or more. Thicken liquid, if liked, with Beurre Manié at the end of cooking.

Sautéed chicken: Heat a little oil and butter in a heavy frying pan. Add well-dried chicken pieces, a few at a time, sauté on brisk heat until golden on both sides. Replace leg and thigh pieces in pan, cover and cook on low heat for 8 minutes. Add breast and wing pieces, cover and cook for 15 minutes more. Turn and baste several times during cooking.

Grilled chicken: Use very small chickens, or chicken pieces. For whole birds, split in half and cut away back and rib bones. Arrange chicken, skin side down, on a greased rack under a preheated grill. Brush with melted butter and grill, turning once and basting with butter several times. Chicken halves will take 25–30 minutes, pieces 10–15 minutes.

POACHED CHICKEN BREASTS

Store in the poaching liquor in a covered bowl to keep them moist and fresh-tasting. Good for any recipe calling for cooked chicken, such as salads, sandwiches, etc.

4 cups water
½ carrot, sliced
2 slices onion
small piece celery
4 black peppercorns
2 parsley stalks
1 sprig fresh thyme, or pinch dried
1 teaspoon salt
6 half-breasts chicken

Put all ingredients except chicken into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Place chicken in pan, skin side up, turn heat to low, cover and simmer very gently for 10–15 minutes or until meat is tender when tested with a fine skewer. Place chicken breasts in a refrigerator container and strain liquor over. Cool then refrigerate, covered. If you prefer dark to white meat, use chicken thighs and poach according to this recipe.

CHICKEN PIE

This recipe is not only good for family meals, but also for winter entertaining.

1 large roasting chicken (size 18)
1 carrot, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
6 black peppercorns
90 g (3 oz) butter
6 mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup cream
freshly ground black pepper
1 × 375 g packet frozen puff pastry, thawed
beaten egg yolk to glaze

Put chicken in a large pan. Add carrot, onion, bay leaf, salt and peppercorns. Cover with hot water to top of thighs and bring to the boil, skimming occasionally. Simmer gently for 20 minutes. Allow chicken to cool in stock for about 1 hour, then remove to a dish. Joint chicken and remove all flesh from bones. Skin and cut into large chunky pieces.

Place chicken meat in pie dish and cover with a little stock to keep flesh moist. Return bones to stock and boil for 10–15 minutes to reduce it. Strain and leave to cool. Measure 2 cups of stock and chill so that fat will rise to the surface and settle for easy removal. (The remaining stock can be used as a base for soups or sauces.)

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small frying pan and fry mushrooms over high heat for a few minutes. Remove and add to chicken. Melt remaining butter in a saucepan and blend in flour. Add reserved 2 cups stock, stirring to make a smooth sauce. Stir in cream and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken and mushrooms and mix gently. If you have a pie funnel, place it in centre. Roll out pastry to size which fits pie dish. From remaining pastry, make strip long enough to go around top rim of pie dish. Moisten rim of dish and attach strip to it. Moisten strip and firmly press lid of pastry into place. Cut small leaves of pastry from trimmings and arrange on top. Brush top with beaten egg yolk. Bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate (180°C/350°F) and bake for a further 20 minutes. Serve with green vegetables or salad. Serves 4–6.

CHICKEN KEBABS

Boneless chicken breasts are ideal for kebabs.

4 chicken fillets (skinless, boneless half-breasts)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sherry or whisky
1 tablespoon oil
1 red or green pepper

Cut chicken breasts into cubes, about 2 cm (¾ in). Combine remaining ingredients, except pepper, in shallow dish (not metal).Add chicken and marinate, covered, for at least 2 hours. Cut pepper into squares, same size as chicken. Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Thread pieces of pepper and chicken alternately on 8 metal skewers. Grill kebabs under preheated grill, about 13 cm (5 in) from heat, turning and basting with reserved marinade, for 5 minutes or until cooked to taste. Serve with hot buttered rice and, if liked, halved tomatoes, seasoned and grilled with kebabs. For a more informal meal serve a split round of flat Lebanese bread on each plate. The chicken may be slipped off skewers into bread pocket and eaten in hand. Serves 4.

CHICKEN SCHNITZELS

The schnitzels are not crumbed in this recipe, but dipped in egg only and then quickly fried for a crisp, light coating.

4 chicken fillets (skinless, boneless half-breasts)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
about ½ cup flour
2 eggs, beaten
60 g (2 oz) butter
3 tablespoons oil
Garnish
4 thin slices lemon
8 anchovy fillets
capers

Place chicken fillets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and flatten them out slightly with a rolling pin. Trim off any very ragged edges with a sharp knife. Season fillets well with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour. Have beaten eggs in a shallow dish beside stove, and floured fillets on a plate. Heat butter and oil together in a large, heavy pan over medium heat. When foam subsides, quickly dip fillets into egg, then place them at once in pan. Cook for about 2 minutes or until underside is crisp and golden, then turn fillets with a spatula and cook other side for 2–3 minutes. Serve at once on heated plates, garnishing each fillet with a thin slice of lemon, 2 drained anchovy fillets arranged in crisscross fashion on the lemon, and a few capers. Serves 4.

FRIED CHICKEN FLORENTINE

Anyone who has visited lovely Florence will remember the crispy, succulent fried chicken of that city. Serve with crusty bread and a fresh green salad.

1 × 1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken, or 4–6 chicken pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
flour for coating
oil for frying
1 egg, beaten
lemon wedges and Fried Parsley to serve

Cut whole chicken into serving pieces. Combine oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper and parsley and marinate chicken in this mixture for 2 hours, turning pieces occasionally. Dry chicken thoroughly, and coat well with flour. Heat enough oil in a heavy frying pan to come about halfway up sides of chicken pieces. When oil is hot, dip chicken pieces in egg then place at once in oil. Cook over medium heat, turning several times, until chicken is golden and crusty outside and juices run clear when flesh is pierced with a skewer. This will take about 15 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and serve with wedges of lemon and fried parsley. Serves 4.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH HONEY AND ORANGE SAUCE

60 g (2 oz) butter
3 tablespoons honey
salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 × 1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken
1¼ cups orange juice
4 spring onions, chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons cornflour
orange slices to garnish

Melt half the butter in a saucepan, remove from heat and blend in honey, salt and paprika. Place chicken in a roasting tin and brush with honey mixture. Pour over ½ cup orange juice. Roast in a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/375°F) for 1–1½ hours or until juices run clear when pierced with a skewer. Baste every 15 minutes. About 10 minutes before chicken is ready, make sauce. Melt remaining 30 g (1 oz) butter and gently cook spring onions and green pepper. Add remaining ¾ cup orange juice, the ginger, horseradish and salt and bring slowly to the boil. Simmer for 3–5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a heated platter. Pour pan juices into sauce. Blend cornflour with a little cold water, then stir briskly into sauce. Stir over low heat until thickened. Pour into a heated sauceboat and garnish chicken with orange slices. Serves 6.

CHICKEN PILAF

4 half-breasts chicken, or 6 thighs
2 onions, sliced
90 g (3 oz) butter
1 cup long-grain rice
½ cup raisins
2 cardamom pods
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon turmeric
3¾ cups water or chicken stock
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

If using chicken breasts, cut into 2–3 pieces. Fry chicken and onions in butter in a heavy frying pan for a few minutes until golden. Add rice, raisins and turmeric, stir to coat with buttery mixture. Place water or stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add spices, season with salt and pepper and return to the boil. Pour over chicken and rice and mix lightly. Cover, reduce heat and simmer gently for about 25 minutes or until rice and chicken are tender. Serves 4.

VARIATION

BARBECUED CHICKEN PILAF: Thread chicken on to satay skewers (soaked in water), and cook over hot coals. Cook rice mixture as above and serve separately.

ROAST CHICKEN CHINESE-STYLE

Take a group to a Chinese restaurant for a meal and invariably one person will choose a crispy chicken to share with the table. Here’s how it’s done at home. Serve with boiled rice and, if liked, a simple Chinese vegetable dish.

1 × 1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
3 teaspoons salt

Remove any loose fat from inside chicken and wipe inside with paper towels. Combine soy sauce, honey, ginger, sherry, spring onions, garlic and ½ teaspoon five-spice powder. Brush all over chicken and in cavity. Loosen skin of breast and thighs and brush mixture on chicken flesh. Cover and leave in refrigerator for 1–2 hours, turning occasionally. Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Place on rack in roasting tin containing 2 cm (¾ in) water to prevent drippings from burning. Roast in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for about 1¼ hours, turning occasionally and brushing frequently with reserved marinade. Chicken is cooked when juices run clear when thickest part of flesh is pierced with a fine skewer. Chop chicken into serving portions and serve with remaining five-spice powder mixed with salt for dipping. Usually accompanied by rice. Serves 4.

SMOKED CHICKEN HUNAN-STYLE

In Hunan they have a way of smoking chicken which is superb – moist, tender meat with a rich smoky flavour and glistening skin. If you haven’t got a wok with a lid, use a deep, heavy frying pan with a tight-fitting lid or an electric frying pan.

¼ cup black tea leaves
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cooked White Chicken (Chinese Steamed Chicken)
1 tablespoon Chinese sesame oil

Line inside of a wok and its lid with heavy-duty foil. Mix tea leaves with brown sugar and place in bottom of wok. Put a rack in wok which will keep chicken about 5 cm (2 in) above tea leaves – a round wire cake rack is ideal. If using a wire cake rack in a frying pan, you will probably need to rest it on something else to bring it to required height – for example, 4 metal egg rings, or the outside rim of a loose-bottomed flan tin. Arrange chicken on rack, breast side up. Cover wok tightly and heat over a moderate heat for 5 minutes or until tea mixture begins to smoke. (If using an electric frying pan, set dial at medium.) Smoke chicken for 10 minutes, then turn it breast side down and smoke for a further 10 minutes. Take wok from heat and allow chicken to stand, with lid on, for 15 minutes. Remove chicken and brush skin all over with sesame oil. Place on a cutting board and, using a sharp chopper, cut through bones into serving pieces. The wings should be cut in 2, thighs in 3–4 portions each, drumsticks in 3, and breast into 6–8 pieces. Serve as an appetiser, or part of a Chinese meal. Serves 6–8.

CHICKEN JAPONAIS

Chicken breasts are first coated with a Japanese-style marinade, then grilled with a sweet glaze. The crispy golden skin is delicious and the flesh moist and tender. Serve with noodles and a salad.

4 half-breasts chicken
½ cup dry sherry
¼ cup light soy sauce
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons honey

Place chicken breasts in a shallow baking dish. Combine sherry, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and sugar and pour over breasts, turning them so all sides are coated with marinade. Cover dish and chill overnight. Drain breasts, reserving marinade, and arrange in grill pan, skin side down. Place under preheated grill for 12 minutes. Meanwhile, make glaze by combining honey and 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Turn breasts skin side up and continue grilling for a further 8 minutes, brushing several times with glaze. Serves 4.

THAI CHICKEN CURRY

There is little that is plain or bland about the cooking of Thailand, which is rich and highly seasoned, happily blending the themes of Indian and Chinese cooking – as in this recipe. Both whole and ground spices are used and the chicken is stir-fried.

6 chicken pieces (breasts or thighs)
juice 1 lemon
60 g (2 oz) butter
1 tablespoon oil
2 onions, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom pods, crushed
4 whole cloves
1½ tablespoons ground coriander
1½ teaspoons turmeric
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 small red chilli (optional)
1 cup chicken stock
6 dried apricots, soaked, drained and cut into strips
salt
coriander (Chinese parsley) or a few shredded spring onions to garnish

Remove skin and bones from chicken and cut meat into 2.5 cm (1 in) strips. Sprinkle chicken with lemon juice. Heat butter and oil in a heavy frying pan and stir-fry onions and garlic until onions are soft but not brown. Stir in spices. If a hot curry is desired add chilli or part of chilli. Cook mixture, stirring, for 2–3 minutes, then add chicken and stir-fry until it is well coated with spices and just white. Add stock and simmer for about 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add apricots with a squeeze of lemon juice and salt to taste. Remove cinnamon and serve in 4 individual dishes. Strew over a few sprigs of coriander, or shredded spring onions, and serve with bowls of boiled rice. Serves 4.

DEVILLED DRUMSTICKS

8 chicken drumsticks
3 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons finely chopped mango or fruit chutney
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon each English and French mustard
¼ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
pinch salt
freshly ground black pepper

Slash chicken flesh in several places. Mix all remaining ingredients together and spread over chicken, pressing it into slashes. Cover and leave for 6 hours, or overnight, in refrigerator, turning pieces over several times. Grill, bony side up, under a preheated moderate grill for 10 minutes. Turn, baste with marinade and grill for a further 10 minutes or until done. Serves 4–8.

VELVET CHICKEN

Visitors to Chinese restaurants know how good velvet chicken can be. It is fairly simple and makes a great contribution to a Chinese meal.

1 egg white
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon cornflour
500 g (1 lb) skinless chicken breast, sliced into strips
4 cups water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup blanched almonds
2 teaspoons finely sliced fresh ginger
1 bundle asparagus, cut into diagonal lengths and blanched

Whisk egg white lightly in a large bowl (it should not be frothy). Add salt, rice wine and cornflour and whisk again lightly just to mix. Add chicken strips and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bring the water to the boil with 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or wide pan. Add the chicken and keep stirring to separate the strips for about 1 minute or until the chicken looks white. Tip into a colander and shake off the liquid. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the pan and fry the almonds until golden. Scoop out onto paper towels. Heat the remaining oil in the wok, sear the ginger, then quickly toss the chicken strips for 1 minute. Add the asparagus, tossing the mixture. Serve on an oval platter and scatter with fried almonds. Serves 4.

LOTUS WHITE CHICKEN

5 egg whites
½ cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry sherry
2 teaspoons cornflour
125 g (4 oz) chicken breast meat, skinned and finely chopped
oil for deep-frying
30 g (1 oz) cooked ham, shredded, to garnish

Put egg whites in a bowl. Stir in 3 tablespoons chicken stock, the salt, sherry and half the cornflour. Add chicken and mix well. Heat oil to 180°C/ 350°F in a wok or deep-fat fryer. Gently pour in about one-third of egg and chicken mixture. Deep-fry for 10 seconds or until mixture begins to rise to surface, then carefully turn over. Fry until golden, then remove from pan with a slotted spoon. Drain and place on a heated serving dish. Keep hot while cooking remaining chicken mixture in same way. Heat remaining stock in a small pan. Mix the rest of the cornflour to a paste with a little cold water, add to stock and simmer, stirring, until thickened. Pour over the chicken. Garnish with ham. Serve hot. Serves 4.

WHITE CHICKEN (CHINESE STEAMED CHICKEN)

This method is excellent and may be used for any recipes specifying cooked chicken. You will find it makes the flesh firm, white, tender and juicy. Use a fresh, unfrozen chicken for best results.

1 × 1.5 kg (3 lb) chicken
about 3 litres (12 cups) water
1 teaspoon salt
2 spring onions, chopped
¼ cup peanut oil
extra salt

Place chicken in a large, heavy saucepan and add sufficient water to cover the chicken well. When you have established the amount of water you will need, remove chicken. Add salt and spring onions to water and bring to the boil. Lower chicken back into pan, bring back to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover pan, remove from heat and let chicken cool in the liquid for 2 hours. Remove chicken from pan, rinse under cold water and dry with paper towels. Brush skin all over with peanut oil and sprinkle generously with extra salt. Use as desired for Coriander Chicken, or for chicken salads, creamed chicken, etc. The cooking liquid makes a very good light chicken stock, for light soups, sauces and gravies.

NOTE: When cool and just before serving, chop chicken into 5 × 2 cm (2 × 1 in) pieces and arrange on plate.

CHICKEN À LA KING

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1½ cups chicken stock or cream
2 cups cooked chicken, diced (see Poached Chicken Breasts)
½ cup sliced mushrooms, sautéed
¼ cup canned pimiento, cut into strips
1 egg yolk, beaten
salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup slivered, blanched almonds
1 tablespoon dry sherry

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan, stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes over low heat. Gradually add chicken stock or cream, stirring until sauce thickens and boils. Add chicken, mushrooms and pimiento. Pour some sauce over egg yolk and mix well, then return to mixture in pan. Cook gently, stirring until thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper and fold in almonds and sherry. Serve at once with boiled rice or noodles. Serves 4–6.

NOTE: To reheat, place in a heatproof bowl over boiling water.

CHICKEN KIEV

Chicken Kiev at its finest is simply a boned and flattened chicken breast wrapped around chilled butter lightly flavoured with chives. It is then dipped in egg and breadcrumbs and fried golden-crisp. Pierced with a fork, the chicken releases a jet of golden butter (unwary diners should be warned!) and the combination of liquid butter and juicy chicken is perfection, with no further dressing-up needed. If you order chicken Kiev and find it flavoured with garlic, or with mushrooms added to the filling, it is a chef’s unnecessary variation. Follow the recipe below, and you will be making it as it was created in Kiev in Russia, and is still served there today.

CHICKEN KIEV

1 whole chicken breast, cut from a large chicken, with wing attached
30 g (1 oz) butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely snipped chives
flour for coating
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs, rubbed through a sieve
oil for deep-frying

Cut chicken breast in half. With a sharp, pointed knife remove bones from breast, leaving wing joints (including bones) attached. Cut wings off at first joint and scrape meat off bone so it is clean and attached to breast. Peel away skin. Place the 2 pieces of breast between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper or plastic wrap and pound until thin with a mallet or the end of an empty wine bottle. Cut butter into 2 pieces and roll each into a cork shape. Chill. Place a roll of butter at base of each chicken breast, diagonally in line with wing bone. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chives. Fold chicken flesh over butter, then roll up towards bone, folding sides in as you go to enclose butter completely inside chicken. The flesh will adhere without skewers. Coat each rolled breast lightly with flour, dip in egg and roll in breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Heat oil in large saucepan, using enough to cover chicken breasts. To test if oil is hot enough, drop a cube of bread into it. The bread should rise to the surface immediately. Gently lower chicken into oil and fry for 4½ –5 minutes or until golden-brown. (This is the only tricky part to chicken Kiev. The oil must be hot enough to brown chicken breast, but not colour it too much before chicken is cooked through.) If chicken starts to brown too quickly during this time, lower the heat. Remove from oil, drain on paper towels and serve immediately, with warm straw potatoes (the packaged variety will do). Serves 2.

NOTE: If you are buying chicken breasts already cut and boned, the wing joint may be removed. If this is so, proceed with the recipe ignoring the missing wing joint.

CHICKEN WINGS

Many people think the wing is the best part of the chicken. Certainly the wings contain meat that is tender, full of flavour and can be prepared in an endless variety of ways. They make an economical dish to serve a crowd, provide delectable mini-drumsticks to serve with drinks, and are perfect in dishes from China, Italy, Spain or in almost any cuisine imaginable. Chicken wing tips, which are usually removed, make well-flavoured chicken stock, and the trimmed wing can then be used according to your recipe. Buy chicken wings from delicatessens, poultry shops or supermarkets.

BARBECUE CHICKEN WINGS

Guests can nibble these while waiting for the main barbecued food.

1 kg (2 lb) chicken wings, tips removed
2 tablespoons tomato purée
2 tablespoons cider or wine vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon salt

Place wings in a large bowl. Mix together remaining ingredients and spoon over wings. Marinate, covered, for several hours or overnight in refrigerator, turning wings occasionally to coat evenly. Drain wings of marinade, and barbecue or grill under a preheated moderate grill until crisp and brown on both sides. Or bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/ 375°F), turning once. Cooking time on grill or in oven will be 10–15 minutes. Serves 4.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN WINGS

1 kg (2 lb) chicken wings, tips removed
3 cups milk
1 cup flour
salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
¾ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 onion, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon dried sage
extra 4 teaspoons flour
1 cup chicken stock
¼ cup cream
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon cayenne

Place chicken wings in a bowl, cover with 2 cups milk and chill for 1 hour; drain. In a plastic bag combine flour, salt and pepper. Shake wings in bag until they are well coated with flour. Shake off excess flour. Heat oil in a deep frying pan until very hot. Add butter, whole garlic cloves and chicken wings and fry for about 7 minutes or until tender and golden-brown. Turn every now and then with a spoon. Drain on crumpled paper towels and keep warm. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan and discard garlic. Add onion and sage and cook until onion softens. Mix in extra 4 teaspoons flour and cook, stirring, until gravy thickens and boils. Stir in the cream, Worcestershire sauce and cayenne, bring to the boil, and strain gravy into a sauceboat. Serve gravy with chicken wings. Serves 6.

CHICKEN WINGS PROVENÇALE

1 kg (2 lb) chicken wings, tips removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large green pepper, cored, seeded and cut in 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 × 425 g can tomatoes
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram, or ½ teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons chopped thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
12 black olives
chopped parsley to garnish

Halve wings at joints. Heat olive oil and butter in a frying pan and fry chicken wings over moderately high heat until golden-brown. Remove and keep warm. Add onion, garlic and green pepper and cook until onion is softened. Add wine and reduce over high heat for 1 minute. Add chicken wings, stock, tomatoes and juice, tomato paste, marjoram, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes longer or until chicken wings are tender. Transfer chicken wings to heated serving platter. Reduce liquid over moderately high heat to about 1 cup, discard bay leaf, and pour over chicken wings. Garnish with chopped parsley. Serves 4–6.

CHICKEN WINGS ITALIAN-STYLE

½ cup olive oil
juice 1 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 kg (2 lb) chicken wings, tips removed
1 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
oil for deep-frying

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Add chicken wings, turning to coat thoroughly. Marinate, covered, for 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in refrigerator. Drain chicken and dredge with flour to give a light coating. Dip in beaten egg and deep-fry in hot oil for about 5 minutes or until tender and golden-brown. Drain on crumpled paper towels and serve immediately. Serves 4–6.

CHICKEN WINGS IN BLACK BEAN AND OYSTER SAUCE

1 kg (2 lb) chicken wings, tips removed
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons very finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons canned black beans
2 tablespoons very finely chopped spring onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed with pinch salt
½ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
¼ cup sliced spring onions to garnish

Halve wings at joints. Combine soy sauce, sherry, peanut oil, 1 teaspoon cornflour, the sugar and 1 teaspoon ginger. Add wings, coat well with marinade and marinate, covered, at room temperature for 1 hour. Rinse, drain and chop black beans. Combine with chopped spring onions, remaining ginger and garlic. Preheat a wok or frying pan, add black bean mixture and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add wings and marinade and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until wings are browned lightly. Stir in remaining cornflour dissolved in stock and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes or until wings are tender. Cook uncovered, over high heat, tossing wings until they are glazed and sauce thickened. Stir in oyster sauce and sesame oil and cook mixture, tossing it, for 1 minute. Serve on a heated platter, sprinkled with sliced spring onions. Serves 4–6.

NOTE: Buy canned black beans, oyster sauce and sesame oil from Chinese grocery stores, health food shops, delicatessens and most supermarkets.

SPICED CHICKEN WINGS WITH CHICK PEAS

1 kg (2 lb) chicken wings, tips removed
salt
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch cayenne
2 cups chicken stock
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups canned chick peas (garbanzos), drained

Sprinkle wings with salt and ginger. Heat oil in a large frying pan and brown wings over moderately high heat. Transfer to a casserole dish. Add onions and garlic to frying pan and cook until onions soften. Stir in spices and cook for 1 minute, then add chicken stock, salt and pepper. Arrange drained chick peas over chicken wings and pour stock mixture over. Cover and cook in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 25 minutes. Remove lid and bake for 5 minutes longer. Serve with plenty of crusty bread and a salad. Serves 4–6.

CHICK PEAS

See Pulses:Dried Beans, Peas and Lentils.

CHICORY

A group of plants cultivated for their leaves. Chicory, or Belgian endive, was first grown in Belgium, where it is called witlof. Its elongated yellowish leaves, with pale green tips, are tightly bunched together. Sliced across, with leaves separated, it makes a lovely salad, dressed with a little lemon juice and olive or walnut oil. It can be mixed with julienne (matchstick) strips of cooked beetroot or slices of orange.

Braised chicory: Blanch whole heads in a little boiling salted water, drain, then cook in a little melted butter and stock. In this way it is particularly good with veal, chicken or ham.

CREAMED CHICORY

6 heads chicory
90 g (3 oz) butter
salt and freshly ground white pepper
pinch nutmeg
½ cup cream

Cook chicory in boiling salted water for 10–15 minutes. Drain, pressing well to remove as much water as possible. Heat butter in a frying pan, add chicory, salt, pepper and nutmeg and sauté over brisk heat for about 3 minutes. Add cream and bring to the boil, shaking pan until cream thickens a little. Serves 4–6.

VARIATION

PURÉE OF CHICORY: Prepare 6 heads chicory as for Creamed Chicory. When cooked, purée in a food processor fitted with a steel blade or in a blender. Reheat before serving. Good with roast beef, pork or duckling. Serves 4–6.

CHICORY FLAMANDE

A version of braised chicory served as a first course or as a vegetable accompaniment.

6 heads chicory
60 g (2 oz) butter
juice 1 lemon
cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
freshly ground white pepper
paprika or chopped parsley to garnish

Arrange chicory in a buttered ovenproof dish. Melt butter with lemon juice, stock, salt, sugar and pepper and pour over chicory. Cover with lid or a piece of buttered greaseproof paper and cook in preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 35–40 minutes. Remove lid and brown top under a preheated grill. Sprinkle with paprika or chopped parsley. Serves 6.

CHICORY AND WALNUT SALAD

A lovely salad. If liked, a tablespoon of walnut oil may replace the same amount of olive oil used in the recipe.

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons salt
cup olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
4 firm heads chicory, quartered lengthways
2 cups watercress sprigs

Mix together vinegar, mustard and salt in a bowl, then add olive oil, pepper and walnuts. Wrap chicory and watercress in a tea-towel and refrigerate to chill and crisp them. When ready to serve, put greens in a salad bowl, pour dressing over them, and toss gently. Serves 4.

CHILE CON CARNE

A Texan dish of beans and beef in a chilli sauce, now popular all over the USA and in other parts of the world. The meat may be diced or minced, and the amount of chilli depends on the cook – although the original version was fiery.

CHILE CON CARNE

2 tablespoons bacon dripping or butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
750 g (1½ lb) stewing beef, minced or diced
1 × 425 g can tomatoes
2 × 310 g cans kidney beans, drained
½ bay leaf
2 teaspoons–2 tablespoons chilli powder (to taste)
salt
pinch brown sugar

Melt fat in a large, heavy saucepan and cook onion and garlic gently until golden. Add beef and brown lightly. Chop tomatoes and add with the juice, beans, bay leaf, chilli powder, salt and brown sugar. Stir, cover tightly and simmer very gently for about 1 hour for minced meat, 1½ hours or until tender for diced meat. Discard bay leaf. Serve with tortillas or Corn Bread. Serves 8.

CHILLIES

These small, fiery members of the pepper family are essential to Latin American, Indian and much of Southeast Asian cuisine. They are used in cooking, as condiments and garnishes and as a flavouring for vinegar and pickles. Unripe (green or yellow) chillies are juicier, with more flavour; ripe (red) chillies, either fresh or dried, are hotter. The dried ones give brighter colour but are less fragrant than the fresh ones. The heat of chillies also differs from one variety to another – the tiny bird’s-eye chilli is particularly fiery.

To handle whole chillies: Working under cold, running water, make a slit down the side of the chilli and scrape out the seeds with the point of a knife. Take care not to touch your nose or eyes as the juice will burn them, and always wash your hands well after handling chillies. Before chopping or grinding dried chillies, tear each one into 3–4 pieces and soak in hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze out excess moisture before using.

Other ways to add chilli flavour: Chilli powder is made from ground, dried chilli flesh. Asian-style powder is hotter than Mexican-style powder, which contains cumin and other spices as well as chilli. Sambal ulek (or oelek) is a paste of fresh chillies ground with salt. Chilli sauce combines chillies with other aromatics and comes in various degrees of heat.

See also Tabasco Sauce.

CHINESE PARSLEY

See Coriander.

CHIPOLATA

Chipolatas are especially small sausages, often pan-fried or grilled and served with cocktail sticks and a sauce for dunking. Chipolatas are also used to garnish roast chicken or the Christmas turkey, in which case they are not separated, but cooked in a string and draped around the festive bird like a necklace.

CHIVES

A member of the onion family. Chives grow in clumps of slender green tubular leaves. With their delicate flavour and bright green colour, chives go particularly well with cheese, eggs and potatoes – especially baked potatoes, split open and piled with sour cream, topped with snipped chives.

Chives grow easily in the garden or in pots; they need plenty of sun and the more you cut them the more they grow. Chives are usually cut up small with scissors to prevent their bruising, and added to foods just before serving.

Ways to use fresh chives: Sprinkle over puréed soups (for example tomato, avocado, vichyssoise, potato); add to beaten eggs for an omelette; sprinkle over scrambled eggs; add to a cheese sandwich; snip over cooked potato or add to creamy mashed potatoes; sprinkle over glazed carrots, green salads, or raw or cooked tomatoes.

GARLIC CHIVES

Garlic chives, Chinese chives, Chinese leek, ku chai or nira is a relatively new vegetable in the English-speaking world. The plant has a distinctive growth habit with strap-shaped leaves. Regular chives, on the other hand, have hollow round spears. The subtle garlic flavour of these chives is perfect for use in dishes where raw regular garlic would be overwhelming or too spicy. The flowers and stems of the budding or flowering chives are edible; simply discard the tough ends. Garlic chives are used regularly in Chinese stir-fries, vegetable dumplings and soups.

SHREDDED BEEF WITH GARLIC CHIVES

500 g (1 lb) rump or porterhouse beef steaks
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine (shaoshing) or dry sherry
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated ginger
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, peeled and cut into eighths, lengthways
1 bunch garlic or Chinese chives, cut into short lengths
½ red chilli, seeded and sliced

Trim beef of fat and sinews and shred finely. In a bowl mix the beef shreds with soy sauce, wine, garlic and ginger, allowing about 30 minutes for seasonings to be absorbed. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan or wok. Add the onions, tossing and stirring for about 2–3 minutes or until they soften. Keeping the heat high, add beef with seasonings, chives and chilli, and continue frying for 3 minutes longer, stirring and tossing all the while. Serve hot with steamed rice. Serves 4.

CHOCOLATE

Chocolate and cocoa are made from the bean of the cacao tree. Chocolate was first enjoyed as a hot drink, later it was used for baking, then a great development took place in Switzerland when someone thought of combining milk and chocolate for eating.

Chocolate is more than a delicacy; it is good solid food and nourishment and is considered as such by many nations. Chocolate is part of army rations in times of stress. Mountaineers carry it with them as a matter of course. French children eat it on bread instead of butter and jam, and the comfort derived from a bar of chocolate when one is feeling tired is not to be underestimated.

Chocolate is also used in baking – chocolate cake is an international favourite. It is essential to some of the world’s most delicious cakes and sweets – truffles, éclairs, chocolate mousse. Chocolate sauce is superb with ice creams or spooned over profiteroles.

See also Cocoa.

Types of chocolate and their uses:

Dark chocolate is semi-sweet (the less sugar that is added to chocolate, the stronger its flavour) and ideal for cooking. Use for icings, mousse, sauces, etc.; it has a high fat content so is easy to melt and the sugar in it helps to produce a good sheen.

Milk chocolate, available in bars, has dried milk added to the formula. It is lighter and milder than chocolate without milk added, and is used primarily as an eating chocolate.

Chocolate pieces, packaged in bits, is a semi-sweet dark chocolate. They retain their shape to some extent in baking, and are especially adapted to biscuit or cookie making – see Tollhouse Cookies.

Powdered or drinking chocolate was introduced before eating chocolate; use in hot or cold milk drinks.

Cooking chocolate is a semi-sweet dark chocolate.

Cheap cooking chocolate compounds are available and are suitable for use in cakes.

To melt chocolate: It burns so easily it is best to melt it on a plate or in a bowl over a pan of hot water – if chocolate is overheated it scorches. Break up or grate chocolate first so it melts more evenly and quickly.

To make chocolate curls(or thin chocolate shavings for topping pies, ice cream or desserts): Use a swivel-bladed vegetable parer. Have chocolate at room temperature, pare little curls of chocolate from edge of the block. Store in refrigerator until required.

To make chocolate caraque: This is the classic chocolate decoration for cakes and many desserts. It takes practice and skill to make, but is well worth the trouble. Shred or grate 90 g (3 oz) good dark chocolate and melt it on a plate over a pan of hot water. Do not allow the plate to get too hot and work chocolate with a palette knife. Spread it thinly on a marble slab. When just on point of setting, curl it off with a thin knife – the chocolate will form long scrolls or flakes. Place these on greaseproof paper and chill in refrigerator; handle carefully. Keep in an airtight container if necessary.

Chocolate Glaze: Melt together 60 g (2 oz) butter and 60 g (2 oz) dark chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Beat in 2 tablespoons boiling water, 1 cup icing sugar, sifted, 1 pinch salt and ¼ teaspoon vanilla. Use as a glaze over chocolate cake.

Rum Chocolate Frosting: Melt 90 g (3 oz) dark chocolate with ½ cup rum over a low heat. Add 4 cups icing sugar, sifted, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 60 g (2 oz) soft butter. Add a little more rum, if necessary, to make frosting of spreading consistency. Use to frost and fill chocolate cakes or gâteaux.

Chocolate Mint Sauce: This is one of the easiest recipes for chocolate sauce. Put 12 chocolate peppermint creams in a small bowl that will fit over a pan of boiling water. Melt creams, then stir in ½ cup cream. Serve warm or cool, spooned over ice cream or poached or canned pears. Serves 4.

Mexican Chocolate: This is especially prepared for making into drinks, and is strongly flavoured with cinnamon. You can get the same effect by melting 30 g (1 oz) grated dark chocolate in a mug of hot milk, with ¼ –½ teaspoon cinnamon added. Beat with a whisk until foamy, adding a little brown sugar if you prefer it sweeter.

CHOCOLATE CAKE (FOR A CROWD)

½ cup cocoa powder
½ cup boiling water
185 g (6 oz) butter
1½ cups caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch salt
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
¾ cup milk
raspberry jam and whipped cream to serve

Blend cocoa with boiling water and cool. Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs. Gradually mix in cooled cocoa mixture. Sift flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda and fold into creamed mixture alternately with milk. Spoon into a greased and floured 28 × 19 × 4 cm (11 × 7½ × 1½ in) lamington tin. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 30–35 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to stand in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares and serve with raspberry jam and a bowl of whipped cream.

HONEY CHOCOLATE CAKE

185 g (6 oz) butter
1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
cup honey
2 eggs, beaten
3 teaspoons rum
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1¾ cups self-raising flour
pinch salt
½ cup sweet sherry
whipped cream, almond essence and icing sugar or Chocolate Glaze to finish

Cream butter with brown sugar and honey until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add rum and vanilla. Sift cocoa, flour and salt together 3 times. Fold into creamed mixture alternately with sherry. Spoon into a greased and bottom-lined 23 cm (9 in) round cake tin. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. When cold, split cake into 2 layers and fill with whipped cream flavoured with a few drops almond essence. Dust top with sifted icing sugar or top with chocolate glaze.

CHOCOLATE SYRUP

Serve over ice cream, pancakes or steamed puddings, or use to flavour milk drinks.

185 g (6 oz) dark chocolate, melted, or 1 cup cocoa powder
knob of butter (optional)
1½ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Blend melted chocolate or cocoa with sugar and salt. Add butter, if liked, for a richer syrup. Place in a saucepan with boiling water and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool, then stir in vanilla. Makes 2 cups.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

An inexpensive but great recipe. Serve hot or cold over ice cream.

½ cup drinking chocolate powder
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon golden syrup
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
2 teaspoons butter

Combine drinking chocolate with evaporated milk and golden syrup in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, then simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Makes 1¼ cups.

TOLLHOUSE COOKIES

An old-time American cookie which has become very popular since the availability of chocolate bits in the packet.

1¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
125 g (4 oz) butter
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 × 100 g packet choc-bits

Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt together. Cream butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Stir in sifted dry ingredients and choc-bits. Drop teaspoonfuls onto greased baking trays, leaving room for spreading. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Makes about 36.

CHOCOLATE ROLL

A lovely, light-as-air chocolate roll with very little flour, which can have a rich brandy cream filling or, if you want a dessert, a filling of strawberries and cream.

½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
60 g (2 oz) cooking chocolate, broken up
4 eggs
¾ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons cold water
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
sifted icing sugar

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Melt chocolate gently in a heatproof bowl over hot water. Cool slightly. Beat eggs with caster sugar until very light and thick. Fold flour mixture and vanilla all at once into egg mixture. Add water and bicarbonate of soda to chocolate, stirring until smooth. Fold quickly and lightly into egg and flour mixture. Turn mixture into a greased and lined 38 × 25 × 2.5 cm (15 × 10 × 1 in) Swiss roll tin, or a paper case. Bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) for about 15 minutes or until cake springs back when centre is gently pressed. Loosen edges and turn cake out onto a tea-towel generously dredged with icing sugar. Peel off lining paper and trim edges of cake with a sharp knife. Roll immediately in towel, first folding hem of towel over edge of cake, and rolling towel in the cake to prevent sticking. After cake is rolled, cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.

Before serving, carefully unroll cake and quickly spread with whipped cream sweetened with a little sugar and flavoured with vanilla or brandy, then sprinkle with sliced strawberries if you wish. Re-roll cake, using tea-towel to help, and dust with more icing sugar. The cake can be decorated with rosettes of whipped cream and the rosettes topped with Chocolate Caraque or whole strawberries.

TO MAKE A PAPER BAKING CASE: Choose a fairly thick greaseproof paper or non-stick paper. Take a piece 30 × 43 cm (12 × 17 in) and fold over ends and sides to form a border about 2.5 cm (1 in). Cut a slit at each corner and fold one cut piece over the other to mitre corner. Fasten each corner with a paper clip so borders stand up. Slide case onto a baking tray before filling with mixture.

HOT CHOCOLATE SOUFFLÉS

This is an easy way to make last-minute soufflés in individual dishes.

125 g (4 oz) dark chocolate
3 tablespoons brandy or coffee
5 eggs, separated
4 tablespoons sugar
1 cup cream, whipped, to serve

Melt chocolate with brandy or coffee in a heatproof bowl over hot water. Beat egg yolks with sugar until very pale and thick. Beat in chocolate mixture. Beat egg whites until firm but not dry and fold in egg yolk mixture with a large metal spoon. Spoon into 4 × ¾-cup, or 6 × ½ -cup, individual soufflé dishes that have been greased with unsalted butter, filling them about three-quarters full. Place on a baking tray, arranging so the dishes do not touch each other. Bake on the bottom shelf of a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/375°F) for 15–18 minutes. Serve immediately on heated plates. Pass whipped cream: each guest makes a hole in the centre of their soufflé and fills it with a dollop of cream. Serves 4–6.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY SQUARES

185 g (6 oz) dark chocolate
60 g (2 oz) butter
220 g (7 oz) digestive biscuits, crushed
grated rind 1 orange
½ cup sultanas
¼ cup chopped glacé cherries
glacé cherries to decorate

Melt chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Remove from heat. Add crushed biscuits with orange rind, sultanas and cherries. Mix well and press into a greased 18 cm (7 in) square tin. Mark into 9 squares and decorate with halved cherries. Chill before cutting into squares. Makes 9.

NO BAKE FRUIT BARS

150 g (5 oz) sweet biscuits, crushed
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup sultanas
2 tablespoons golden syrup
75 g (2½ oz) butter
60 g (2 oz) dark chocolate

Grease a shallow 18 cm (7 in) square tin. Mix biscuits with walnuts and sultanas. Heat golden syrup, butter and chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Pour into biscuit mixture and mix well. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth surface with a palette knife. Chill until set, then cut into small bars. Makes 14.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

125 g (4 oz) dark chocolate, broken up
2 teaspoons instant coffee powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water
4 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons rum or brandy
cream to serve

Place chocolate and coffee in a small heatproof bowl over hot water and stir until chocolate is smooth and melted. Remove from heat and blend in egg yolks one at a time, stirring until thoroughly combined. Beat egg whites until stiff and gently fold into chocolate mixture with rum or brandy. Spoon into 6 mousse pots and chill for 4 hours or overnight. Serve with pouring or whipped cream, or pipe a swirl of whipped cream on top and finish off with chocolate curls or Caraque or candied violets. Serves 6.

CHOKO

A delicate pale green, pear-shaped vegetable which makes its first appearance at the end of summer and continues until early winter. It is one of the most attractive and delicious of vegetables. The choko, which is related to the gourd family, originally came from Mexico, where it is still considered a great delicacy. In Mexico it is known as chayote.

When you buy chokos, look for young, tender ones, with a pale green, almost translucent, skin. The spikes on the skin should be short and soft. Older chokos have a lighter coloured, opaque skin, and the spikes are quite brittle. Often, towards the end of the season, you may notice the seed protruding from the bottom of the choko, another indication that the choko is likely to be old and possibly tough.

Basic preparation: Cut choko into quarters along the natural grooves, peel and remove the centre core. It is best to do this under cold running water, as the choko exudes a sticky liquid which stains the hands. Very young chokos need not be peeled, just halved – the skin is quite tender.

To cook: Drop choko quarters into boiling salted water and simmer for 5–8 minutes until just tender. Drain them, toss in butter and chopped fresh herbs.

Chokos with Ham: Drain cooked chokos, cut in dice or in wedge shapes. Return to heat. Season with salt and pepper, stir in ¼ cup cream, ½ cup diced ham and 1–2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Heat through over gentle heat.

CHOP SUEY

The name literally means ‘bits and pieces’ and is a Chinese way of dealing with leftovers or small quantities of food. It originated in the USA, and is served over steamed rice.

CHOP SUEY

2 tablespoons peanut oil
250 g (8 oz) pork loin or fillet, very finely sliced
½ Chinese cabbage, shredded
125 g (4 oz) green beans, sliced diagonally
2 onions, halved and sliced lengthways
2 sticks celery, sliced diagonally
2 teaspoons cornflour
1 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon soy sauce
250 g (8 oz) cooked chicken (Chinese Steamed Chicken)
250 g (8 oz) green prawns, shelled and de-veined
1 cup sliced bamboo shoots

Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan, add pork and cook for about 5 minutes or until well browned. Add cabbage, beans, onions and celery and toss until all ingredients are well combined. Stir-fry for a further 3 minutes. Mix cornflour with a little stock and add to remaining stock with soy sauce. Pour into wok and stir until sauce boils and thickens. Add chicken, prawns and bamboo shoots and cook for 3 minutes or until prawns are cooked. Served with Chinese-style Rice. Serves 4.

CHORIZO

A spicy, coarse-textured sausage very popular in Spain. It can be sliced and eaten alone or with crusty bread, cheese and black olives, or used in cooking.

CHICKEN CATALONIA

¼ cup olive oil
1 kg (2 lb) chicken pieces
125 g (4 oz) chorizo sausage, finely sliced
125 g (4 oz) boned pork leg or loin, cubed
125 g (4 oz) cooked ham, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 green pepper, cored, seeded and sliced
1¼ cups long-grain rice
2½ cups boiling chicken stock
½ teaspoon saffron, crumbled
½ cup sliced green beans
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup frozen or shelled fresh peas
1 canned pimiento, sliced
chopped parsley to garnish

Heat oil in a large frying pan or paella dish. Brown chicken on both sides, then transfer to a plate. Add sausage, pork and ham, brown lightly and remove to a plate. Put onion in frying pan and brown lightly over gentle heat. Add tomato and green pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in rice and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add stock, saffron, beans, sausage, pork, ham and chicken and bring back to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook over gentle heat for 25–30 minutes or until rice and chicken are tender and liquid is absorbed. It may be necessary to add more stock or water during cooking to prevent dish becoming too dry. Stir in peas and pimiento for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. Serves 6–8.

CHOWDER

A thick fish or seafood soup to which salt pork or bacon and diced vegetables are added, cream or milk making up part of the stock. It takes its name from the French word for pot or cauldron, chaudière, but is now more associated with New England and Newfoundland. Manhattan clam chowder and New England clam chowder vie with each other for popularity in the USA.

OLD-FASHIONED FISH CHOWDER

This recipe may also be made with smoked fish. Poach the fish to remove excess salt, then flake and use as for fresh fish.

125 g (4 oz) pickled (salt) pork, diced, or 4 rashers bacon, rind removed, diced
2 onions, finely sliced
3 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups Fish Stock
1 kg (2 lb) cod, gemfish or any firm white fish fillet, cut in chunks
2 cups hot cream or milk
2 tablespoons butter
salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Cook pork or bacon very gently in a heavy saucepan, until fat has melted and meat is brown. Remove and reserve pork or bacon. Add onions to fat in pan and cook over low heat until golden. Stir in potatoes and flour, and toss until coated. Add fish stock and cook about 10 minutes. Add fish chunks and simmer, partially covered, for about 10 minutes or until fish is tender. Stir in hot, but not boiling, cream or milk and heat very slowly, without boiling. Add pork or bacon and butter, then season with salt and pepper and stir in parsley. Serves 6.

NOTE: Use head and bones from filleted fish to make stock. A good brand of packaged fish soup may be used in place of the home-made stock.

VARIATIONS

MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER: Make as for Old-fashioned Fish Chowder, substituting 2 cups chopped clams (canned do very well) for the fish and 3 cups cooked or canned tomatoes for the fish stock. Add also ½ cup diced green pepper with the potato.

NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER: Make as for Old-fashioned Fish Chowder, substituting 2 cups chopped clams (canned or fresh) for the fish.

CHOW MEIN

‘Food with noodles’ is the literal translation. Diced chicken, pork or seafood is stir-fried in oil with Chinese vegetables, then finished with a sauce and served with fried noodles.

CHOW MEIN WITH SEAFOOD

3½ tablespoons oil
1 onion, sliced
2 rashers bacon, rind removed, chopped
1 × 185 g can crabmeat, drained
3 tablespoons soy sauce
375 g (12 oz) Chinese noodles, cooked in boiling water and drained well
2½ tablespoons butter
3 slices fresh ginger, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 small red pepper, seeded and shredded
6 oysters
250 g (8 oz) green prawns, shelled and de-veined
3 spring onions, sliced
salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons dry sherry

Heat oil, add onion and bacon and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add crabmeat and 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and stir-fry for 1 minute. Mix in noodles and remaining soy sauce and stir-fry for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes. Heat butter in a separate small frying pan over medium heat, add ginger, garlic, red pepper, oysters and prawns. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Sprinkle with spring onions, salt, pepper, sugar and sherry. Stir-fry for a further 1 minute. Spoon the noodles mixture into a large serving bowl and spoon prawn mixture over. Serves 2–4.

CHRISTMAS CAKE

The rich and spicy fruit cake of England, made a few months before 25 December so that it will mature into a festive cake, is one of the joys of Christmas. It may be topped with halved almonds before baking, and finished off with a sprig of holly. Some prefer a more elaborate iced version: a coating of almond paste, then an icing. A few Christmas decorations, a fir tree, a toy Santa Claus, Christmas bells or an appropriate greeting may be used to give a dash of colour.

CHRISTMAS CAKE

1 Rich Fruit Cake
½ quantity Almond Paste

Glaze

3 tablespoons apricot jam
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Icing

2 egg whites
500 g (1 lb) pure icing sugar, sifted
1–2 teaspoons lemon juice

Make cake 2 months before Christmas, and store in an airtight tin until required.

To make glaze, bring apricot jam and water to the boil and boil for 4 minutes. Push through a sieve, return to saucepan with lemon juice and heat through. Brush hot glaze over top of cake. Roll out almond paste into a round to fit top of cake. Place on cake and gently press with edge of rolling pin. Leave for at least 24 hours before icing.

To make icing, whisk egg whites to a light froth and gradually add icing sugar, beating well. Stir in lemon juice and continue beating until icing stands in soft peaks. Spread icing over top and sides of cake. Rough up icing around sides and edge of cake to resemble drifting snow. Decorate with any suitable Christmas decoration. A little of the icing may be set aside, coloured, and used to write ‘Merry Christmas’ on the cake. Leave icing to set overnight.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING

The Christmas pudding, stuck with a piece of holly, flaming with lighted brandy or rum, served with brandy or rum butter or with a rich custard or cream, is one of the highlights of an English Christmas dinner. Plum or Christmas puddings always improve with keeping, which allows the mixture to mature.

RICH CHRISTMAS PUDDING

250 g (8 oz) raisins, chopped
60 g (2 oz) chopped mixed candied peel
250 g (8 oz) currants
250 g (8 oz) sultanas
3 tablespoons overproof rum or brandy
250 g (8 oz) butter
250 g (8 oz) brown sugar
grated rind 1 orange and 1 lemon
4 eggs, lightly beaten
60 g (2 oz) blanched almonds, chopped
1 cup flour, sifted
½ teaspoon each salt, mixed spice, nutmeg, ground ginger, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
extra rum or brandy to serve

The day before making, mix raisins, candied peel, currants and sultanas, sprinkle with rum or brandy and leave overnight. The next day, cream butter with sugar and fruit rinds until light and fluffy. Add eggs a little at a time, then stir in fruit and almonds alternately with dry ingredients and breadcrumbs. Put into a large well-buttered 6-cup pudding basin bottom-lined with a round of greased greaseproof paper. Cover with another round of greased greaseproof paper (to fit over top of pudding basin) then with a pudding cloth which has been scalded, wrung out and floured lightly, or use a large sheet of foil. Tie firmly with string. Steam, covered, in a saucepan with boiling water to come halfway up sides of pudding basin, for 6 hours. Add more boiling water as necessary. Remove from water and when cold cover with fresh greaseproof paper. On Christmas Day put pudding into a saucepan of boiling water as described above and steam for 2½ hours. Turn hot pudding onto a heated serving plate. Warm a little rum or brandy in a soup ladle or small saucepan, set alight and pour over pudding at the table. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

CHURRO

This golden choux pastry fritter is a Spanish favourite. Churros make a lovely dessert, although in Spain they are usually served with a mug of hot chocolate as a recklessly fattening snack.

CHURROS

oil for deep-frying
1 quantity Choux Pastry, sweetened
sifted icing sugar

Heat 10–13 cm (4–5 in) deep oil in a large, deep saucepan until it gives off a slight haze. Using a pastry bag fitted with an 8 mm (⅜ in) star pipe, pipe 13 cm (5 in) lengths of choux pastry into the oil, holding bag high so that pastry falls in thin strips, and cutting off with a knife as each churros is formed. Fry for 3–5 minutes or until golden-brown all over, rolling with a spoon to brown evenly. As churros are cooked, lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on crumpled paper towels. Dredge generously with icing sugar while still warm. Serve immediately. Makes about 12.

VARIATION

STRAUBEN (RUFFLES): The German equivalent of churros. Prepare in the same way, but cut pastry in 5 cm (2 in) lengths as it is piped into the hot oil.

CHUTNEY

This word, of Hindustani origin, describes a well-seasoned relish or pickle that originates in India. Chutney is the standard accompaniment to curried dishes. It may be made from a mixture of chopped fruits, spices, acids and sugar, cooked slowly until thick, while some chutneys are a combination of fresh fruits, chopped, seasoned and served uncooked. Chutney can also be served with cold meat or cheese, or as a sandwich filling.

MANGO CHUTNEY

2 cups cider vinegar
2¼ cups sugar
2 large firm mangoes, peeled and sliced
¾ cup preserved ginger, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup raisins
½ cup sultanas

Combine vinegar and sugar in a heavy saucepan and bring to the boil. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 8–10 minutes or until mango slices are almost tender. Remove fruit with a slotted spoon. Bring syrup back to the boil and continue cooking for about 15 minutes or until reduced to half original volume and quite thick. Return fruit to syrup, return to the boil and pour into hot sterilised jars. Seal. Makes about 6 cups.

NOTE: May be made with other fruits, such as 4 peaches or 12 apricots.

PINEAPPLE CHUTNEY

6 small dried hot red chillies
2 × 425 g cans pineapple chunks
3 cups white vinegar
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved ginger
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup chopped blanched almonds

Soak chillies in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain and remove seeds. Chop chillies. Drain syrup from pineapple into heavy saucepan. Add chillies, vinegar, sugar, salt, raisins, ginger and garlic. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pineapple and simmer for 45 minutes longer or until thick. Add almonds. Pour into hot sterilised jars and seal. Makes 6 cups.

TOMATO CHUTNEY

1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, peeled
1½ cups sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Cut tomatoes into eighths. Combine with sugar, vinegar, garlic, salt and cayenne in a saucepan. Cook for about 45 minutes or until syrup thickens and tomatoes are soft. Add ginger and cook for 5 minutes more. Pour into hot sterilised jars. Cool and seal. Makes about 2½ cups.

APPLE CHUTNEY

4 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
¾ cup sultanas
4 medium onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons dry mustard
¼ teaspoon cayenne
cup chopped dates
cup chopped preserved ginger

Spiced vinegar

2 cups white vinegar
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon whole allspice
2 teaspoons brown sugar

Place ingredients for the spiced vinegar in an enamel-lined saucepan, bring to the boil, remove from heat and leave until cold. Strain. Combine with ingredients for chutney in enamel-lined saucepan and simmer gently for about 1½ hours or until thick. Spoon into hot sterilised jars. Cool and seal. Makes 6 cups.

APPLE AND PLUM CHUTNEY

5 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
12 small dark plums, stoned and sliced
2 large onions, chopped
1 cup sugar
¾ cup sultanas
2 teaspoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground ginger
¼ teaspoon cayenne
2 cups white vinegar

Combine ingredients in an enamel-lined saucepan, and simmer very gently for about 2 hours, until thick. Spoon into hot sterilised jars. Cool and seal. Makes about 6 cups.

APRICOT CHUTNEY

250 g (8 oz) dried apricots, soaked overnight in water to cover
4 chillies, seeded and chopped
1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar
1½ teaspoons salt
chopped fresh ginger
2 cups brown vinegar

Combine apricots and soaking water with remaining ingredients in an enamel-lined saucepan and simmer gently for about 1 hour or until mixture is thick. Spoon into hot sterilised jars. Cool and seal. Makes 3 cups.

BENGAL CHUTNEY

3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 medium onions, finely chopped
7 cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3½ cups brown vinegar
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
¾ cup raisins

Combine garlic, onions, apples and vinegar in an enamel-lined saucepan. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until onions and apples are soft. Cool, then add remaining ingredients and bring back to the boil. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until thick. Spoon into hot sterilised jars. Cool and seal. Makes 6 cups.

CHOKO CHUTNEY

3 medium chokos, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3 medium onions, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons ground ginger
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon cayenne
3 cups white vinegar
½ cup treacle
3 teaspoons salt

Combine ingredients in an enamel-lined saucepan and simmer for about 1 hour or until mixture is thick. Spoon into hot sterilised jars. Cool and seal. Makes about 4 cups.

CIDER

The juice of apples that have been ground to a pulp and pressed to extract their juice; the juice is then fermented to make alcoholic cider or processed without fermenting to make non-alcoholic cider. Cider is consumed with much relish in Central Europe, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Sparkling cider, made sparkling by a number of processes, is a great favourite of the British.

Cider is enjoyed mainly as a drink but is also used, like beer, in batter, casseroles or in baking. Unless otherwise stated, alcoholic and non-alcoholic ciders are interchangeable in cooking.

CIDER MUFFINS

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
teaspoon salt
½ cup sultanas
1 cup apple cider
90 g (3 oz) butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten

Topping

¼ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons cinnamon

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add sultanas and toss to coat evenly with flour. Combine cider, butter and egg, then pour over flour mixture, stirring until just blended. The batter will be lumpy. Spoon into well-greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Combine sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over muffins. Bake in a preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) for 20–25 minutes or until browned and risen. Makes 12.

APPLE CIDER CUP

2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
thinly pared rind and juice 1 lemon
8 cloves
4 tablespoons sugar
4 cups cider
2 cups soda water (or ½ syphon soda water)

Put apples into a bowl with lemon rind and juice and cloves. Heat sugar and 1 cup cider until boiling, then pour over ingredients in bowl and leave to cool. When cold add rest of cider and soda water. Makes 7 cups.

CIGARETTES RUSSE

The name means ‘Russian cigarettes’. These crisp, rolled biscuits are a classic accompaniment to creamy or fruit desserts.

CIGARETTES RUSSE

2 egg whites
½ cup caster sugar
90 g (3 oz) butter, melted
2–3 drops vanilla essence
½ cup flour, sifted

Beat egg whites and sugar with a fork until smooth. Stir in melted butter, vanilla and flour. Place 1 small teaspoonful of mixture on one-half of a buttered and floured baking tray and, using a metal spatula, spread to an oblong shape about 13 × 8 cm (5 × 3 in) in size. Spread out another teaspoonful of mixture on other half of tray, spacing well apart. Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/375°F) for 5–6 minutes or until golden. Remove immediately from oven and cool for 1–2 minutes, then lift from tray with a thin-bladed knife and place upside-down on the table. Working quickly, wind each biscuit round the handle of a wooden spoon. Remove at once, and cool. Bake the remaining biscuits in the same way. Store in an airtight container. Makes 15–20.

NOTE: To test whether mixture is the correct consistency, bake 1 biscuit first. If it is too firm and hard to remove from the tray, add an extra 1–2 teaspoons melted butter. If it is too soft and difficult to handle, add 1–2 teaspoons flour.

CINNAMON

With its sweet, spicy smell, cinnamon gives an indefinable, delicious haunting quality to many foods. It is the bark of a tropical tree, trimmed from the thin branches and dried in the sun to form curled-up ‘quills’. The finest quality is pale yellow-buff in colour and looks like a roll of dried paper. It is also sold ground, in powder form.

Whole cinnamon, in sticks, is used when cooking corned beef or smoked pork, for the court bouillon for fish or in curry dishes and in many rice dishes like pilau or pilaf (See Rice). It is also used in pickling, in the cooking of many dried pea, bean and lentil dishes, and pears and apples poached with a piece of cinnamon are delicious.

Ground cinnamon is widely used in baking and in flavouring fruits and desserts, also rice custard, custard and eggnog. In Middle Eastern, Oriental and South American cooking, ground cinnamon is used in meat, seafood and sauce cookery.

CINNAMON STICKS

Apple sauce and whipped cream are good to serve with cinnamon sticks, and they are also good with coffee.

4 very thick slices fresh white bread, crusts removed
45 g (1½ oz) butter, softened
4 tablespoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cut each slice of bread into 3 sticks, spread with butter and roll in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Place on greased baking tray and bake in preheated hot oven (200°C/400°F) for about 8 minutes. Makes 12.

CINNAMON TOAST

4 thick slices fresh white bread
30g (1 oz) butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Toast bread under a preheated hot grill. Butter each slice, then sprinkle with mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Return to grill until topping bubbles. Remove crusts and cut into fingers or triangles. Serves 2–4.

CINNAMON TEA CAKE

1 egg, separated
½ cup sugar
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
30 g (1 oz) butter, melted
butter for brushing
½ teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar for topping

Beat egg white until stiff. Add egg yolk, and gradually beat in sugar, beating well between additions. Mix milk and vanilla, and add a little at a time. Gently stir in flour and melted butter. Pour into a greased 18 cm (7 in) sandwich tin. Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (190°C/375°F) for 20–25 minutes. While still hot, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Serve warm or cold with butter.

CINNAMON-RICOTTA MOUSSE

A lovely dessert, like a beautiful cheesecake in a glass – can be mixed in 5 minutes.

250 g (8 oz) ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 egg yolks
¼ cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons dark rum
½ cup grated chocolate
strawberries or grated chocolate to decorate

Beat ricotta and lemon rind until very smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks until light, then add sugar, cinnamon and rum and beat for 2 minutes. Combine the 2 mixtures and fold in chocolate. Spoon into 4 glass bowls or tall glasses, and chill for 1 hour. Top with fresh strawberries or grated chocolate to serve. Serves 4.

CLAM

There are many different kinds of saltwater bivalves called clams, the word being an American term for a shell that closes tightly. North America is the place to appreciate clams. But there are similar and equally fine varieties of clam to be found elsewhere in the world. In France, you may be offered clovisses, palourdes or praires; in Italy, vongole or tartufi di mare; in Spain, almejas or margaritas; while in Australia cockles and pipis are to be found on the seashores and in fish markets.

Clams are available fresh all the year round; they can also be bought canned or bottled in a liquid brine. The giant Pacific clam, with its tough flesh, is usually minced and canned or frozen for use in soups etc., mainly for consumption on the Asian market.

Fresh clams are best eaten raw with just a squeeze of lemon juice, like oysters. The Italians use tiny clams as a sauce with pasta; the Japanese eat them raw and in soups; and American Clam Chowder is an international dish. They are a good addition to risotto and fritters, or they can be stewed in their own juices in a thick tomato sauce for serving with pasta.

Clams are opened much like mussels or oysters – a flat knife is inserted between the 2 shells in front of the muscle that holds them together; then they are dipped in water to remove sand. They may also be steamed open.

CLOVE

One of the best known and loved of all spices. The little brown clove buds shaped like nails vary in size, depending on their age and where they come from. Cloves should be bought whole, not ground. If a little is needed in powder form, the central ‘bobble’ can easily be crushed.

Cloves are often stuck in an onion and put in the stock pot, into ham, or used to flavour milk for white or cream sauces and bread sauces. They are also used with stewed apple and in mincemeat, and a single clove will do wonders for a beef stew. In the East cloves go into many types of curry and they are also used in pickles.

KOURAMBIEDES

These little morsels pierced with a clove and coated with icing sugar are sometimes known as Greek shortbreads.

250 g (8 oz) butter, softened
cup caster sugar
1 egg yolk
3 cups flour, sifted
½ cup finely chopped almonds
whole cloves
sifted icing sugar

Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and beat well. Stir in flour alternately with almonds. Knead mixture lightly and form into a ball. Roll small pieces of dough into balls the size of hazelnuts, and press a whole clove into centre of each. Place on greased baking trays and bake in a preheated slow oven (150°C/350°F) for 25–30 minutes. While still warm, toss biscuits in icing sugar and place on wire racks to cool. Serve in tiny paper patty cases, if you wish. Makes about 70.

COCK-A-LEEKIE

Nourishing soups are a great tradition of Scottish cooking. You can serve cock-a-leekie with the chicken in it, or serve the broth first and the chicken as the main course. Some recipes include a little chopped bacon and a few prunes in the ingredients.

COCK-A-LEEKIE

1 large chicken (size 18) with its giblets
10 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
6 leeks, shredded
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons rice
good pinch freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Truss chicken and put it into a large saucepan with water, salt and giblets. Bring slowly to the boil and skim well. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Add leeks, onion and rice and continue to simmer until chicken is tender. Remove chicken and giblets, and skim off any excess fat from top of soup. Remove meat from bones and cut it into chunks. Cut giblets into pieces and return with chicken meat to the pot. Add pepper, parsley and more salt if required, and reheat soup. Serves 6–8.

COCOA

A product of the cacao bean which, when fermented, roasted, hulled and ground, produces a rich, reddish-brown liquid which contains about 50% of the fat called cocoa butter. It is at this stage that cocoa and chocolate undergo their separate processes. To make cocoa a proportion of the cocoa butter is removed; the remaining liquid sets rock hard and is then pulverised. This needs to be sweetened before it becomes palatable. Unlike cocoa, chocolate retains all the natural cocoa butter found in the liquid extracted from the beans, so is a richer product than cocoa.

When using cocoa to make a hot drink, it should be mixed to a paste with a little cold milk or water before being added to the hot milk; otherwise, it will be lumpy. To improve the flavour of drinking cocoa, let it simmer for a minute or two, then whisk it to a froth before serving.

Instant cocoa, known as drinking chocolate, is pre-cooked cocoa to which sugar and flavourings have been added. It mixes into hot milk easily and does not require cooking. Cocoa powder is used in flavouring cakes, biscuits and desserts; indeed, some people prefer cocoa to chocolate for a chocolate cake or sauce.

See also Chocolate.

COCONUT

The fruit of the coconut palm, which is one of the most important trees of the tropics. The hard, brown hairy shell, with 3 basal pores commonly known as ‘eyes’, protects a layer of white, sweet, edible flesh and the coconut juice, which can be extracted by puncturing 2 of the eyes. Chilled, it makes a refreshing drink or it can be used to make coconut milk (see below).The flesh of the coconut can be grated or shredded and eaten as is or used for cooking. Or it may be dried to make desiccated and shredded coconut, which may be dry or semi-moist.

Basic preparation: Pierce eyes with a screwdriver or ice pick. Drain juice and reserve for drinking or cooking. Tap all over shell with a hammer, then break open. To grate white flesh, use grater or work pieces in a blender.

Coconut milk: It may be made with fresh or desiccated coconut. For 1 cup coconut milk, combine in a saucepan 1½ cups flaked, grated or desiccated coconut and 1½ cups milk. Simmer over low heat, stirring once or twice, for about 2 minutes. Strain, pressing mixture well to extract milk. Use in a curry sauce or other recipes that call for coconut milk, or chill and serve as a drink.

Coconut cream: This is made by chilling coconut milk (above). The ‘cream’ that rises to the top of the coconut milk is skimmed off and used in curry sauces or desserts.

To toast coconut: Spread desiccated or shredded coconut on a baking tray. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for about 15 minutes or until light brown, stirring frequently, or toast under a hot grill.

To tint coconut: Mix a few drops of food colouring into desiccated or shredded coconut and toss lightly until evenly coloured. Tinted coconut is used for decorating cakes, biscuits, etc.

RASPBERRY SLICES

125 g (4 oz) butter
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1½ cups self-raising flour, sifted
pinch salt
raspberry jam
1 cup desiccated coconut

Cream butter with ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg. Mix in flour and salt. Spread in a well-greased or lined 35 × 25 × 2 cm (14 × 10 × ¾ in) tin. Spread with raspberry jam. Beat remaining egg and sugar together, add coconut, and spread mixture over jam. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for about 20 minutes. When cold, cut into thin slices. Makes 24.

COCONUT PYRAMIDS

pinch salt
2 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1½ cups desiccated coconut

Add the salt to the egg whites and whisk until stiff. Fold in the sugar, vanilla and coconut using a metal spoon. Pile in small pyramids on a baking tray lined with buttered foil or rice paper and press into neat shapes. Bake in a preheated cool oven (140°C/275°F) for 45 minutes or until a pale fawn colour. Cool on trays. Makes about 14.

COCONUT CONES

2 × 400 g can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups desiccated coconut

Put condensed milk, vanilla and coconut in a bowl and mix well. Scoop out in small portions, about the size of a walnut, and shape into cones. Place on greased baking trays (lined with rice paper, if liked). Bake in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for about 10 minutes or until lightly tinted. Cool on trays. Makes about 18.

COCONUT TARTS

1 quantity Biscuit Pastry
12 teaspoons jam
1 cup desiccated coconut
½ cup sugar
1 egg, beaten

Roll out dough and use to line 12 small tart tins, about 8 cm (3 in) in diameter. Place 1 teaspoon jam in bottom of each pastry case. Combine coconut and sugar and beat in egg. Place spoonfuls in cases on top of jam. Bake the tarts in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F) for about 20 minutes or until golden-brown. Stand in tins for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes 12.

COCONUT ICE

One of the easiest sweets to make, coconut ice is a long-time favourite. It has a soft yet firm texture, keeps well without refrigeration and the combination of white and the palest of pale pinks makes it irresistible.

500 g (1 lb) icing sugar
250 g (8 oz) desiccated coconut
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
125 g (4 oz) solid white vegetable shortening, melted and cooled
pink food colouring