Chocolate Salami

This Italian-inspired chocolate salami is certainly different, although the rich chocolate, amaretti and nuts combined with the sweet bursts of cranberry mean it is undoubtedly Christmassy. This makes a sophisticated alternative to a chocolate yule log or a currant/raisin-free Christmas cake replacement. As quite an eye-catching and unique dish, it would also make a good centre-piece for any party held over the festive period. This recipe is an adaptation of Nigella Lawson's 'Chocolate Salame', but feel free to personalise it with your own preferred combination of fruit and nuts. Delicious served with a cup of tea or glass of something stronger, chocolate salami is a Christmas indulgence with a difference. Ensure you make it the day before to make sure it is nicely firmed up.

For 20 generous slices you will need...

250g dark chocolate

250g crunchy amaretti biscuits

100g soft butter

150g caster sugar

3 large eggs

2 tbsp amaretto liqueur

2 tbsp cocoa powder

75g whole blanched almonds (roughly chopped)

75g dried cranberries (roughly chopped)

50g whole shelled pistachio nuts (roughly chopped)

Icing sugar to decorate

You Will Need To...

- Melt the chocolate in a bowl over simmering water then set aside to cool. Place the biscuits into a bag and bash them with a rolling pin until they resemble rubble.

- Cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and soft, then beat in the eggs one by one. Stir in the amaretto liqueur. 

- Sift the cocoa powder into the cooled melted chocolate, stir until combined then add this mixture to the egg mixture. When you have a smooth chocolatey mixture fold in the crushed biscuits, chopped nuts and cranberries.

- Put this mixture in the fridge to firm up for about half an hour. 

 - Place 2 large, overlapping pieces of clingfilm on your work surface, and tip the chilled mixture onto this. Mould it into a long log about 30cm long - this can be quite messy - you have been warned!

 - Cover the log with the clingfilm and roll it until it is a smooth round cylinder. Twist the ends by holding both ends and rolling the log towards you.

- Place the log in the fridge to chill overnight - this will ensure it is firm and slices well.

- Once it is set, sprinkle icing sugar onto a large piece of greaseproof paper and roll the log into it. This makes it look like an authentic salami. To add more authenticity, use some string to tie it up (see pics).

- Serve cold in generous slices.

Enjoy! C x

Spiced Chestnut Ice Cream

Apologies for a consecutive ice-cream recipe, but consider this the 'Christmas edition'. I am not the greatest chestnut fan, but in this festive ice cream the subtle chestnutty taste is delicious - paired with a touch of cinnamon and booze it really is Christmas in a mouthful. The recipe is outrageously quick and easy, so you may find the most difficult part is actually sourcing the chestnut puree. I brought mine back from France this summer, and although less common, it can also be found in some UK supermarkets. This is a fantastically simple dessert on its own, or makes a decadent accompaniment to mince pies, Christmas pud, or whatever else you fancy at this time of year.

For roughly 1.5 litres of ice cream you will need...

450g sweetened chestnut puree (from jar or can)

4 tbsp dark rum

1 tsp ground cinnamon

600ml double cream

100g icing sugar

You will need to...

- Mix together the chestnut puree and rum. 

- In a large bowl whip the cream to soft peaks, then sprinkle over the icing sugar and cinnamon. Stir well to combine.

- Pour the chestnut and rum mixture onto the cream and mix until all is smooth and combined.

- Spoon into ice cream tubs or tupperwares and cover with an airtight lid. Freeze for a minimum of 6 hours or ideally overnight, and serve on its own, or alongside a festive treat of your choice.

Enjoy! C x 

Accidental Ice Cream with Berry Compote

As the title suggests, this recipe evolved completely by accident. I was attempting to make cake icing out of some left-over mascarpone, but after adding too much milk the mixture was far too runny to do anything with...or so I thought. After putting it in the freezer in an attempt to thicken the mixture, I totally forgot about it and found it a few of hours later when it was completely solid, however after trying it, my housemate and I realised that this series of disasters had actually resulted in some delicious and ridiculously easy-to-make ice cream. It seems every cloud does has a silver lining! The only problem with an accidental recipe is that I obviously wasn't measuring anything as I went along, so I have had to so some guesswork - you get the general idea though. 

You Will Need...

250g mascarpone cheese

Roughly 200ml whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3-5 tbsp icing sugar

A small punnet each of raspberries & blueberries

You Will Need To...

- Put the raspberries and blueberries in a saucepan with a dash of water and leave to simmer for 10-15 minutes, until they have burst and resemble a jammy compote. To make this ultra smooth pass through a sieve. Leave to cool.

- Whisk the mascarpone until smooth. Gradually add the milk to thin the mixture, and whisk until the lumps have disappeared. 

- Stir in the vanilla and sugar to taste. Put in the freezer for half an hour or so, until semi-set.

- Once the ice cream is partially set, fold through half of the compote to achieve a rippled effect - be very gentle to avoid the whole thing turning into an ugly pink mess.

- Place the ice-cream back in the freezer for a couple of hours or until completely frozen.

- Serve with the rest of the compote spooned on top.

Enjoy! C x

Slow Roast Pork with Seasonal Apple Sauce & Roast Veg

 As the nights are drawing in and the weather is getting colder, a hearty plate of roast pork with all the trimmings and a sharp apple sauce sounds very appetising. The apple sauce is a brilliant way of using the surplus of apples at this time of year, and if you are lucky enough to have vegetables in your garden they can be used up too.

This recipe is one I have used a few times now, and it is always a winner. I have adapted it from Jamie Oliver's 6 Hour Slow Roast Pork. The key to this recipe is using a roasting tin with a lid like this one:

Alternatively, you can cover the pork in tin foil but I found that this lets too much moisture out, and the meat is much dryer than if using a covered roasting tin. I have also experimented using a shoulder of pork with the bone and a rolled gigot of pork with no bone. Without the bone I cooked the meat for a little longer as there is no bone to conduct the heat. This way of cooking means no carving is required so it is quick and easy to serve.

To serve 4-6 people you will need... 

2kg shoulder of pork bone in skin on

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 red onions, halved

2 carrots, peeled and halved lengthways

2 sticks celery, halved

1 bulb garlic, skin on, broken into cloves

6-8 bay leaves

You will need to...

-Preheat your oven to 220°C, place the meat skin side up in the roasting tin, if it is tied with string leave the sting tied. Lightly score the skin making sure you don't cut through to the meat, then rub salt into all the scores. Season the underside with salt and pepper too.

Next place the pork in the oven for half an hour with the lid off so the skin puffs up and turns in to crackling. After half an hour, or when the crackling looks golden and crispy put the lid on the roasting tin and turn the oven down to 170°C cook for 4 and a half hours basting occasionally. For the last hour of cooking add all to veg- this makes delicious gravy. Remove from the oven and allow the meat to rest. Pour all the juices and vegetables into a sauce pan, and add 200ml of chicken stock, a dash of red wine, a splash of apple juice, and plenty of salt and pepper. Sieve into a jug and pour over the meat as gravy.

For the apple sauce you will need...

2 cooking apples

3 shallots

200ml of chicken stock

Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

You will need to..

Peel and core the apples then chop into 2cm chunks, then finely chop the shallots. Add the shallots and apples to a saucepan gently heat for about 4 minutes. Next add chicken stock Dijon mustard and seasoning - the apple should be soft but the sauce should not be too runny.

For the roast veg you will need...

2 beetroots

1 parsnips

1 carrot

1/2 a butternut squash

1 courgette

Alternatively you can use whatever veg you have in supply

You will need to...

Peel the carrots parsnips, beet root and butternut squash. Chop carrots parsnips and squash into carrot stick sizes. Chop beetroot into thin circles - it is important these are not too thick as beetroot takes longer than the other vegetables to roast. Place all veg into a roasting tin season with salt and pepper drizzle with honey and roast for about 1 hour at 200°C.

The pork is delicious served with mashed or roast potatoes but my favourite is with dauphinoise. 

Enjoy! Z x

When In Rome...

Last weekend I was lucky enough to escape the miserable weather in Leeds, and swap it for some Italian sunshine in Rome. Although the purpose of my trip was to see some art exhibitions, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to explore one of Rome's most famous food markets - Campo dei Fiori, which, as well as being one of the most busy and bustling markets in Rome, it is also one of the oldest, dating back to 1869. I spent a leisurely couple of hours browsing the many stalls which offered a huge selection of seasonal local vegetables, pastas and oils - all absolutely elements essential in simple, fresh Italian cooking. 

 For lunch we headed out of the tourist-laden main square and into the Jewish quarter, where, led by our Italian friend, we ate at an authentic, understated restaurant. To start we shared a selection of artichoke hearts (which we were told had been cooked under a brick), deep-fried courgette flowers and a platter of roasted aubergines - as we has seen in the market, fresh seasonal veg was the star of the show! We followed the vegetables with simple yet delicious pasta dishes - somehow the Italians manage to master the art of making simple ingredients such as pasta and pesto utterly delicious! 

I came back from the weekend a couple of pounds heavier and with a new-found enthusiasm for Italian food - it is safe to say that I will definitely be back before long!

Z & C x

We Have Been Interviewed!

The lovely people at the recipe-sharing website Gourmandize UK have named Not Just A Pretty Plate as their 'Blogger of the Day' today, and our interview with them is available to read HERE - have a look if you fancy finding out a little bit more about us. 

A big thank you to Gourmandize - we are extremely flattered and excited to be featured on your homepage today - we really appreciate the support! 

Catie & Zoe x

Coffee & Walnut Cake

Although supposedly the day of rest, Sundays always seem to be anything but. If you are as much of a procrastinator as I am, you will have left all your work or chores until Sunday, meaning the day is usually spent rushing around doing things you should have done earlier in the week. With work or uni starting tomorrow morning, and the prospect of an agonising five days until next weekend, this recipe is the ultimate remedy to beat the Sunday blues. As well as being super quick and easy (leaving you plenty of time to catch up on a weeks' worth of ignored tasks) this cake is deliciously comforting, and is thus ideal for the cold winter months ahead. 

You Will Need...

175g self-raising flour

175g butter

175g caster sugar

1 tsp baking powder

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

 1 tbsp instant coffee

And For The Icing..

125g softened butter

225g icing sugar

1 tbsp instant coffee

2 handfuls of walnuts, roughly chopped

1 handful coffee beans

You Will Need To...

- Make cake batter by combining flour, butter, baking powder, sugar and eggs using electric beaters or a wooden spoon - I find this all in-in-one method the easiest way. Dissolve the coffee granules in a little boiling water and add to the mixture with the vanilla extract.

- Divide the mixture into two round, lined and greased cake tins. Bake at 180C for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

- Make the icing by beating together the softened butter and icing sugar. Dissolve the coffee granules in a little boiling water and combine thoroughly until smooth.

- Once cooled, spread half the icing on top of one of the cakes and sprinkle over half the walnuts and coffee beans. Place the second sponge cake on top, and top with the rest of the icing and remaining nuts and coffee beans. 

- Serve in generous slices with a pot of freshly brewed tea. 

Enjoy!

C x

DIY Chai

We can kid ourselves no longer - summer is over and autumn is upon us, with days shortening and temperatures plummeting more every day. Chai lattes are one of my favourite winter warmers, the delicious hot, sweet spiciness of them never fails to comfort and thaw on even the coldest days. The only downside is the price, which at about three pounds a go is not especially student friendly, especially when the attempts of the huge, commercial coffee chains are usually disappointing anyway. I have found the best chai lattes at Froth & Fodder, a small but popular coffee shop opposite uni in Leeds, (if you ever find yourself in Leeds be sure to pay a visit - they also do the most delicious homemade soups) but this Valentine Warner recipe makes the next best thing. Although you have to forgo the frothyness that only a coffee machine can provide, the intense flavour of this chai certainly makes up for it.

For 1 Large or 2 Small Mugs-Worth You Will Need...

- Milk - enough to fill your mugs

- 1 tablespoon vanilla-infused caster sugar

- 4 green cardamom pods, smashed

- 2 thin slices unpeeled root ginger

- Half a cinnamon stick

- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, bashed

- 1 clove

- 1 black peppercorn

- 1 bayleaf, bashed to release flavour

- 1 teabag or 1 tsp loose tea of your choice e.g Earl Grey, Assam, Darjeeling 

You Will Need To...

- Tie up all the spices, the bay leaf and the tea in a small square of muslin cloth to make a spice bag. If you don't have any muslin then just put all the spice bag ingredients straight into the milk with the sugar, and strain through a sieve before drinking.

- Simmer the milk and sugar in a small sauce pan with the spice bag until bubbling gently.

- Turn off the heat and leave to brew to desired strength - between 5-10 minutes. When ready to drink, squeeze the bag with a spoon to extract any remaining flavour and remove.

Enjoy! C x

Two Types Of Biscotti

This recipe for biscotti, a twice-baked Italian biscuit, is incredibly versatile, and once you have the basic dough (I use a Paul Hollywood recipe for this) you can tailor the additional flavours to suit your preferences by altering the type of nuts, dried fruits or citrus that you choose to include. These two recipes are my personal favourite combinations - I couldn't choose between the fresh lemon and the rich chocolate versions so had to include both! Despite looking both authentic and impressive, biscotti is really simple and easy to make. Although the Tuscans traditionally serve them at the end of a meal with a glass of Vin Santo, in our slightly less sun-drenched autumnal England I think they are best enjoyed as a tea-time treat, or a tasty accompaniment to a mid-morning coffee.

Chocolate, Almond and Cherry

Lemon, Pistachio and Cranberry

 For About 30 Biscuits You Will Need...

Basic Dough

250 g plain flour (280g if making the chocolate biscotti)
1/2 tsp baking powder
250g caster sugar
3 free-range eggs, beaten

Lemon, Pistachio & Cranberry Flavour

Zest of 1 lemon
100g whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped
120g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
125g dried cranberries, roughly chopped

OR

Chocolate, Almond & Cherry Flavour

50g dark chocolate, melted and cooled
50g chocolate chips
50g dried sour cherries, chopped
100g blanched almonds, roughly chopped

You Will Need To...

- Preheat oven to 160C/325F.

- Make the biscotti base by combining the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then gradually add the eggs and stir until it forms a dough. You probably won't need to use all the beaten egg so add it slowly - you don't want the dough to be sticky.

- Once you have a basic dough add in your additional flavours by stirring then kneading gently by hand until combined. If making the chocolate biscotti, add the melted chocolate along with the eggs and stir until the dough is evenly brown.

- Knead the mixture gently on a floured surface then cut in half and roll into two logs, each about 4 cm in diameter. Place on a lined tray about 5cm apart as the mixture will spread, and bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes.

- Remove from oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes, then cut into slices and lay flat back on the tray. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, until dry throughout, turning over halfway through.

- Put the kettle on and enjoy!

C x