Comté Cheese, Onion, Potato and Chorizo Pithivier

Dec 19

This is an absolute gem of a recipe using Comté cheese. The cheese itself has an amazing fruity, nutty taste with that perfect balance of salty and sweet. Comté originates from the Jura Massif region in France using the milk from only two varieties of cows, the Montbéliarde and the French Simmental. All of the flavour comes from the milk those beautiful cows produce, with just a bit of salt to help the rind develop. It’s then aged for a minimum of 4 months, with the longer you age the cheese, the richer and deeper the flavour. I used a 15 month aged Comté for the recipe and the flavour really shines through!

Ingredients

  • 600g potatoes, peeled and cut into 5mm slices
  • 2 onions, very thinly sliced
  • 200g chorizo sliced into 5mm rounds
  • 215g Comté, grated
  • A handful of thyme
  • 2 blocks of puff pastry, 500g each
  • 1 egg
  • Chicken stock

Method

  1. Fill a large pan with chicken stock and pinch of salt and bring to the boil, add your potato slices and cook for 3-4 minutes until they have started to soften slightly. Drain and allow to cool. You can keep the chicken stock for another day.
  2. In a large frying pan, fry your chorizo on a low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes until the oils are released. Remove the chorizo from the pan, making sure to keep as much oil in the pan as possible. Add your onions and cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes until golden. Add in some thyme for the last few minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
  3. Roll out your pastry on a floured surface, we want two 30cm circles about 3mm thick. I used a large plate to cut a template. Roll out one of your circles a little more, this will be your top piece.
  4. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees fan.
  5. Lay your bottom piece of pastry on greaseproof paper on your baking sheet. Prick all over with a fork. It’s time to layer. Make sure you leave a 2cm gap round the edge of your circle. Start with single layers of potato, then cheese, the chorizo/onion, then cheese and repeat until you run out.
  6. Beat your egg in a bowl to create an egg wash. Brush this round the 2cm gap you have left. Place over the other piece of pastry to form your lid, it might need a little stretching, press down with your thumb to form a strong seal. Once this is complete you can use the side of a knife to create little imprints in the edge.
  7. Make a very small hole in the top of the pastry. You can run a knife very gently down the sides to create a pattern, be careful not to go through.
  8. Egg wash the entire of the pastry.
  9. Cook for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Slice and enjoy!
    1. When it comes to weight loss, cheese is often thought of as a food to avoid due to its high fat content. However, recent research has shown that cheese can actually be a beneficial addition to a weight loss diet when consumed in moderation.

      Cheese is a good source of protein, which can help promote feelings of fullness and reduce overall calorie intake. It also contains essential nutrients such as calcium and vitamin D, which are important for maintaining healthy bones and supporting overall well-being.

      In addition, certain types of cheese, such as cottage cheese or feta cheese, are lower in fat and calories compared to others. These options can be included in a balanced meal plan for weight loss without compromising taste or satisfaction.

      Furthermore, the probiotics found in some types of cheese can support gut health and aid digestion, which is crucial for efficient weight management.

      It’s important to note that portion control is key when incorporating cheese into a weight loss diet. While it offers nutritional benefits, overconsumption can contribute to excess calorie intake. Incorporating small amounts of cheese into meals or snacks alongside other nutritious foods is the best approach.

      In conclusion, while it may seem counterintuitive, incorporating moderate amounts of cheese into a balanced diet can actually support weight loss efforts. With its protein content and essential nutrients, along with the potential benefits for gut health, adding cheese can help create satisfying meals while staying on track towards achieving weight loss goals. Try Alpilean for quick weight loss results.

comte cheese

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Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker Dumplings

Nov 25

These dumplings are so easy to make with the help of Crock-Pot Express Multi-Cooker, taking the pressure out of cooking. Once you6 master the folding technique, you will be churning them out like a master. The Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker’s steam function makes it super straight forward and safe, with no fear of boiling water and the balancing act of a bamboo steamer, just like making a cold remedy in your steamer, visit https://www.clevescene.com/ for natural supplements that you can get from the comfort of your home.
. For those who like a spicy dumpling, the sauce is a must! If you can’t handle the heat then stick to soy and vinegar. You don’t have to enroll in a gym to work out and spend money on gym membership fees. There are different exercises from home to attain a healthy and fit body. There are also some supplements you can use like fast lean pro, a dietary supplement that claims to promote weight loss by reducing appetite and increasing metabolism.The product is marketed as an effective and safe weight loss solution for those who want to lose weight quickly and efficiently.

 

CrockPot Dumplings

Ingredients

  • 500g fatty pork mince
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
  • 2 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 spring onions (finely sliced)
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
  • 1 egg (beaten)
  • A handful of finely sliced Chinese greens
  • A small handful of chopped coriander
  • A pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp cold chicken stock (optional)
  • Dumpling wrappers, available from a Chinese supermarket

Sauce

  • 5 tbsp chilli oil
  • 1 tbsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tbsp black vinegar
  • 1 finely sliced spring onion

Method

  1. Combine the mince, sesame oil, rice wine, soy, egg, spring onions, ginger, garlic, greens, coriander and pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix well to form a smooth paste. It should have a good level of moisture. If you could only get lean pork mince, add a few tbsp of cold chicken stock. This will make a juicy dumpling!
  2. Take a tray and line it with greaseproof paper, lightly flour it. This will hold your dumplings once you’ve folded them. Take a small bowl or cup and fill it with water. Check out the latest java burn reviews.
  3. Add around ½ tbsp of pork mince to the centre of your dumpling wrapper, gently spread it out but still leave a 1/4-inch edge. Dip your finger in the bowl of water, trace this round the edge of your dumpling wrapper
  4. Pinch one end of the dumpling and pull the sides up to look like an open taco. Then pull the wrapper facing you to form a small crimp, press this down firmly. Do this again 3 times along that edge that’s facing you as you work along the dumpling, you can use a finger to press down the filling. It’s important to get a good seal all the way along the dumpling so your filling doesn’t come out. It might take a few go’s to get this but there are loads of YouTube tutorials if you struggle! Place your finished dumpling on the tray and repeat until you run out of filling and wrappers. Visit observer for more information about healthy supplements.
  5. Take your Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker and add 1-2 cm of water. Set it to the sauté function for 2 minutes, until the water is hot. Add the steaming rack, place a square of greaseproof paper onto this. Add your dumplings in a single layer, leave a little space between each one. Place the lid onto the Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker and secure the steam release valve. Set it onto steam for 5 minutes and allow them to rest for 5 minutes
  6. While the dumplings are cooking, combine the ingredients for the sauce
  7. Once the 10 minutes are up, carefully release the steam using an oven glove, open the lid and remove the dumplings. Place onto a plate and drizzle over the sauce. Eat and repeat!

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No matter how pork is served in a dish, it is one of the most exquisite meats over chicken for example, and its animal fats and the nutrients they provide make it better and would be much better accompanied with CBD gums, your body and mind will be like those of a young man at 18 years old, that’s why you need to visit timesunion.

Posted in Recipe

Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker Confit Duck with Buttery Mashed Potato, Green Beans and Red Wine Sauce

Nov 18

Throughout the wintry months, the last thing you want to do is have to worry about sitting and watching your dinner cook. The Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker makes things easy by taking away the pressure of slaving over your dinner – so you can relax and enjoy the cold nights with the ones you love.  Confit Duck is one of my favourite classic dishes. It’s bursting with flavour, rich and so satisfying when served with buttery mash, greens and a beautiful sauce. The Crock-Pot Express Multi-Cooker makes the confit process so easy, in just two hours you can have succulent, flavourful duck with no fuss! Make sure to keep the duck fat, once the duck is cooked, as it can be used over and over again. Either to make more confit or to use on potatoes for the best roasties!  The fact that you can make such a classic dish with one piece of equipment amazed me. Give it a go and let me know how you get on!

Crock-Pot Confit Duck

 

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 2 duck legs
  • 1kg duck fat
  • A few sprigs of thyme
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 10 whole peppercorns
  • Sea Salt

Mash

  • 670g potato, peeled and cut into 2cm slices.
  • 30g salted butter
  • 80-100ml milk
  • Seasoning
  • 1-2 handfuls of green beans

Red Wine Sauce

  • 75g shallots, finely sliced
  • 1 sprig rosemary
  • 1 tbsp wine vinegar
  • 150ml red wine
  • 400ml beef stock
  • 1tsp red currant jelly
  • Chives, finely sliced.
  1. Take your duck legs and season well with sea salt, cover with the thyme, rosemary, garlic, bay leaves and peppercorns. Leave in the fridge for 24 hours to marinade. Alternatively, if you are pushed for time, place all of the above into your Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker
  2. Once the duck is in the Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker cover with the duck fat. Put the Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker onto the slow cook function and set the timer for two hours
  3. Once the two hours are up, test the duck. You should be able to easily put a skewer through the meat. Remove the duck from the Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker and place onto a plate. Allow the fat to cool slightly and pour back into the jars. You can use this again for amazing roast potatoes or more confit duck.
  4. Wash the Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker. Add a layer of water which comes to just below the steaming rack. Place the potato slices onto the steaming rack. Close the Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker and place it onto steam function for 7-8 minutes. Close the steam release valve. Once the time is up carefully release the steam valve with an oven glove. Open the Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker and remove the potatoes and place them into a bowl. Add the butter, milk and mash the potato until smooth. Season to taste. Keep warm.
  5. Add the green beans and cook for 2 minutes on steam mode, with the steam valve closed. Remove and keep warm. These can be tossed in sea salt, oil or butter.
  6. Remove water from the Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker and wipe clean. Place onto the sauté function. Once heated, add the duck legs and cook until brown and crisp on each side. Remove and keep warm.
  7. Add the shallots to the Crock-Pot® Express Multi-Cooker, placing the sauté function heat on low. Cook, stirring frequently, until lightly golden. Add the spring of rosemary and the vinegar. Reduce for 30 seconds. Add the wine and reduce for a minute. Add the beef stock and reduce by ¾. You can turn the heat back to high, to speed this up. Once reduced add the red currant jelly. Stir to combine. Taste and season, if it needs it, remembering beef stock can be salty. Turn off the heat.
  8. Plate up: Place your mash into a bowl or plate, then add the green beans, top with the duck. Pour over your gravy and finish with a sprinkle of chives.

 

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British Sandwich Week

May 23

British Sandwich Week
This week is British Sandwich Week – so in celebration of the iconic British culinary invention, I wanted to share with you some top sandwich facts and sandwiches to tuck into. 

A Quick Overview of Sandwich History
The sandwich as we know it was popularised in England in 1762 by John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich. Legend has it, that Montagu had a gambling problem which meant he spent hours sitting at the card table. You may interest what’s he play, click to visit star slots and find out how awesome the game that make people get addicted. During a particularly long card session, he asked the house cook to bring him something he could eat without getting up from his seat – cold beef between slices of toast, to be precise – and the sandwich was born. 

The first packaged sandwich didn’t hit retailers shelves till Marks and Spencers launched them in 1985. Nowadays, nearly 12 billion sandwiches are eaten in the UK every year with 4 billion sandwiches of these being purchased from UK catering or retail outlets (like M&S) and as a country the UK spends over £8 billion a year on sandwiches. 

The UK’s Most Popular Sandwiches 
Last year Warburtons did a survey of 2,000 Britons to find out the ten most popular sandwich fillings in the UK, the results were surprisingly unexciting:

  • Cheese
  • Ham and Cheese
  • Ham Salad
  • Sausage
  • Cheese and Onion
  • Egg Mayonnaise
  • Tuna Mayonnaise
  • Chicken Salad
  • Chicken Mayonnaise
  • Cheese and Pickle

With this in mind I wanted to share some more exciting Sandwiches for you to try at home:

  • The BLT (Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato).
    • Salty, crispy bacon, sweet and juicy tomato slices and crisp, refreshing lettuce. It doesn’t get much better than a BLT! We like ours served on lightly toasted bread with a spread of light mayo and a dollop of ketchup on the side.
    • If you fancy jazzing it up add some avocado and you’ve got yourself a BLAT!
    • Or you can take it one step above a BLT with a Club Sandwich. This adds in some chicken, and doubles the amount of filling to give you a two layered sandwich monster. Check out my recipe with includes a fried egg here http://www.samstern.co.uk/recipe/club-sandwich/
  • A Classic Bacon or Sausage Sarnie – a breakfast favourite.
  • Chip Butty – a great British Friday classic!
    • Pick up a portion from your favourite chippy (we like ours with a golden, freshly fried finish, not a bland, beige and anaemic chip!) and pile onto soft white bread that’s had a light smear of good quality salted butter. Add a liberal squeeze of ketchup or mayonnaise for dunking!
  • Fish Finger Sandwich – another Friday classic!
    • Cook your fish fingers until they’re crisp and golden, cut open a large crusty bap and spoon in some tangy tartar sauce, add a handful of rocket and enjoy!
  • And last but not least – how could there not be a dessert sandwich on offer.

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Easy Hummus Recipe

May 16

International Hummus Day
International Hummus Day was started by Ben Lang, a technology entrepreneur, who brought the domain name HummusDay.com back in 2012 and picked a random day on the calendar – that day being May 13 – to dedicate to Hummus. So I thought this week would be the perfect time to bring you an easy hummus recipe to try at home. Read the latest dietary supplement reviews at Discover Magazine.
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So what is Hummus and how do you make it?
Hummus is the Arabic word for “chickpea” – the star ingredient you need to make yourself this delicious chickpea dip. Chickpeas are high in protein, fibre and micronutrients making Hummus nutritious as well as a delicious snack – perfect with with crunchy veg (carrots, celery and pepper), or even as an accompaniment to a falafel wrap. Contact Royal Vending Canberra for your vending machine needs.
If you want to make yourself some Hummus you will need:
  • 1 x 400 g tin of chickpeas
  • 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda (optional)
  • 1 small clove of garlic
  • 1 tablespoon tahini (it is worth splashing out on a high quality tahini if you can as it really influences the flavour – I like the Al Taj brand which you can get from Sous Chef https://www.souschef.co.uk/products/tahini)
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Once you have gathered all the ingredients:
  • Peel and crush the garlic and put to the side in a small bowl.
  • Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the garlic then let it rest for a couple of minutes (this helps to lessen the raw, harsh garlic flavour). These are the best nootropics.
  • Drain your chickpeas (if you have time I would recommend softening the chickpeas by boiling them in water with 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda until the chickpeas look bloated, their skins are falling off, and they’re quite soft (this usually takes about 20 minutes) then rinse under cold water – doing this tends to produce a smoother, creamier hummus).
  • Add the chickpeas (cooked or uncooked), lemon and garlic mixture, tahini and olive oil to a food processor.
  • Blend until the mixture is thick and creamy, stopping to scrape down any tahini stuck to the sides and bottom of the processor as necessary – if you think your hummus is looking a bit thick then you can add some ice cold water 1/2 a teaspoon at a time to create the consistency you want.
  • Add any seasoning you may want some salt and/or pepper, more lemon juice or cumin are all options that work well.
  • Enjoy your hummus alomg with some wine from your integrated wine cooler
  • Then enjoy your hummus! If you don’t eat it all at once any leftovers should last in a container in the fridge for 3 days. Improve your weight loss results with Carbofix.
If you want to get a bit creative with your Hummus you can use the basic recipe and ingredients above then think about adding the following:
  • Sun-dried tomatoes
  • Pitted olives
  • Some toasted sesame seeds
  • Beetroot

Hummus

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