Forever Nigella #4 and the Royal Wedding

I thought I wasn't really gonna be into this wedding event, but the fact that I've been watching (and enjoying) the TV coverage from the morning till now means that I'm actually kinda into it. I thought the ceremony was good and very British. All the hats the women were wearing are fascinating. I couldn't help but thinking, what would lady gaga wear if she was invited to the wedding...

Watching from the news I saw many places all around the country, hosting their own street party and I suppose the royal wedding is such a great excuse for people to get together for some food, drinks, royal romance and getting to know your neighbours.

I had my own party at home with some friends, and yes, I am well aware that having 10 people over at 10 am on a day I plan on doing absolutely nothing sounds completely outrageous. I don't do this all the time, but it's nice every now and then. Perhaps, next will be the Queen's diamond jubilee next year. That's what I call planning ahead.

Fitting nicely with this month's Forever Nigella challenge hosted by Sarah at Maison Cupcakes we had few selections of finger food all by none other, the one and only, the domestic goddess... Nigella Lawson. The great thing about all of the following recipes, they can be done ahead of time, meaning quite a lot to prep the night before, but nothing difficult and very little to do in the morning which is ideal.

Chips and dip are a must-have for me, especially for in front of the telly event. I have made this peanut butter hummus a couple of times and it's so delicious. It's like a thicker and creamier version of Thai or Indonesian peanut sauce. The peanut butter gives a slight sweetness, and works beautifully with the flavours of garlic and cumin. The hummus can be made the night before and then store in the fridge in an airtight container.

Chicken wings are a favourite amongst my friends. Nigella's salt and pepper wings are so delicious, they're gone within minutes out of the oven. The wings are marinated in a salty, lemony, garlicky paste with crushed pink peppercorns for overnight in the fridge. In the morning, roast for 40 minutes in a hot oven and they are done!

Pigs in blankets with mustard dipping sauce were also on offer. I assembled these little pigs the night before and in the morning glaze them with an egg, and for slight crunch, I sprinkled some with sesame seeds and some with nigella seeds.

As well as nibbles, I think it's rather nice to have something a little more substantial but still light, like turkey meatballs in tomato sauce. These meatballs can be cooked the night before, store in the fridge and then reheat the next day. Serve with chunks of crusty bread to soak up the sweet tomato sauce. I'm afraid the pictures of these meatballs are pretty horrific, sorry...

Last but not least, for something sweet to complete the afternoon of Britishness... lemon cupcakes baked appropriately in union jack cupcake cases and mini flags! I adapted Nigella's mini lemon bundt recipe from How to Be a Domestic Goddess and alter the icing slightly to make it creamier by adding butter, lemon zest for flavour and a drop of yellow food colouring for aesthetic purpose.

Overall it's been an enjoyable day and I wish the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge many happiness for years and years to come. So how's your Royal day?

Easy Chocolate Tart with Pistachio

There are times I believe when only chocolate will do. I don't think that I am a chocoholic. I always have a chunk or two (or three) every now and then. Well, maybe I am soon to become one, but I'm still in the preparation phase of this wonderful addiction. No denying, that's the key I think.

Anyway, today I'm hanging out at my friend, Maranda's blog at Jolts & Jollies. Maranda has just recently moved from Missouri to Texas and I'm sure is pretty busy unpacking at the moment. So in the meantime, I am filling in for her which is really cool and very nice of her to ask me. So, thank you.

What I really like from reading Maranda's blog is there's this sense of familiarity and homeyness through her writing and recipes that are very comforting. Just like this easy chocolate tart with pistachio... It's my no-bake version of the good old chocolate tart. I do hope you pop over to read the rest of the post.

Have a great weekend! Yes, it's still Thursday, but if you're in the UK, we're, well at least I am off work tomorrow because of the Royal Wedding.  

Spicy Chinese Five-Spice-Rubbed Chicken Wings with Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce

The rule for this month's Random Recipes Challenge cleverly created by Dom at Belleau Kitchen is to use your first ever cook book and select a recipe at random.

Growing up, one of my favourite cookbooks was my mom's French cookbook, a gift from her cousin, which title is completely out of my head now. The pictures in the book were beautiful and I still remember reading the book on the bed, drooling to sleep. One day, with my mom's supervision, I cooked the cream of broccoli soup from that book which involved white chocolate as one of the ingredients. Who knew cooking a pot of soup could take hours. The end result was delicious though. At nine years old, I had to give myself some credit...

When I was in high school, I purchased my first cook book: Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis. Unfortunately I left the book at my parents'. I am going to visit my parents in few weeks time and I'm taking the book back with me. In the meantime, what I have with me is my second ever cookbook. It's still in the Food Network territory, appropriately named Food Network Favorites: Recipes from Our All-Star Chefs. The all-star chefs include Emeril Lagasse, Tyler Florence, Michael Chiarello, Mario Batali, Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, Dave Lieberman, Giada de Laurentiis, Rachael Ray, Alton Brown and Paula Deen. I am somewhat shocked Ina Garten from Barefoot Contessa did not appear in this book.

The recipe I selected at random is this spicy Chinese five-spiced-rubbed chicken wings with creamy cilantro dipping sauce by the young & hungry, Dave Lieberman. Where is Dave these days? I don't know. I think he left the Food Network and I tried to open his web page, but it's no longer in use. Strange. I used to watch his TV show, Good Deal with Dave Lieberman and also his online show Dave Does. I made few recipes from both of his books and I really enjoy his honest approach to cooking. Many of his recipes are simple, but packed with flavours, just like these wings. The wings are spicy even though I used less cayenne pepper than instructed, but the creamy cilantro (coriander) dipping sauce cools them down nicely.

Apart from these wings, I've also tried few other recipes from this book, like Alton's pineapple upside-down cornmeal cake which I used to make a lot when I was a student, Giada's stuffed shells with arrabbiata sauce, Rachael's chili dog nachos, Tyler's fried crab wontons and Paula's is it really better than sex? cake... and if you really want to know, my verdict is still the same: I have had better... Sorry, Paula.


Spicy Chinese Five-Spice-Rubbed Chicken Wings with Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce
Recipe by Dave Lieberman

40 chicken wings pieces or 20 whole chicken wings
2 tablespoons Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoons cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dipping sauce
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup plain yoghurt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 260 C. If you have whole chicken wings, cut off wing tips and cut the wings in half at the joint. Discard wing tips or freeze to make stock. Place the wings in a large bowl. Sprinkle five-spice powder and cayenne on the wings; and generous pinches of salt, and about 15 grinds of black pepper. Rub the mixture into all the wings until no more loose rub remains.

Line the wing pieces up on a baking sheet so the side of the wing that has the most skin is facing up. Roast until cooked through, browned, and crispy, about 25 minutes. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.

To make the dipping sauce, simply combine all sauce ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Easter Egg Nest Cake

This Easter egg nest cake has been Nigella's Easter stalwart for years and after making and eating the cake, I immediately feel like this is going to be a new tradition. This chocolate cake is a  flourless one which makes it light, fluffy, absolutely divine and sinfully rich. But not to worry, all is forgiven today.

Happy Easter everyone... Have a blessed day.

Easter Egg Nest Cake
Recipe by Nigella Lawson
Serves perhaps 8 in theory, but 4 in reality

For the cake
250 g best-quality dark chocolate, chopped
125g unsalted softened butter
6 eggs: 2 whole; 4 separated
175 g caster sugar: 75 g for the yolk mixture; 100g for the whites
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

For the topping
125 g best-quality dark chocolate, chopped
250 ml double cream
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
little Easter eggs, 1-2 packets as wished

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line the bottom of a 23 cm springform cake tin with baking parchment, but do not grease the sides of the tin.

Melt the 250 g chocolate with the butter in either a double-boiler or microwave and then set aside to cool slightly.

Whisk the egg whites until firm, then gradually add the 100 g  of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape and peak gleamingly - but not stiff.

In another bowl, whisk the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 75 g of sugar and vanilla extract and then gently fold in the chocolate mixture. Lighten the mixture with some the egg whites and the fold in the rest.

Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly on the surface. Coll the cake in its tin on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools and the sides splinter. You want this to look like a cake with a crater in it, so do not panic with the vision of imperfection in front of you.

To finish the cake, carefully remove it from the tin and place it on a plate or cake stand. Melt the chocolate for the topping and let it cool a little. Whip the cream until it is firming up and aerated but still soft, and then add the vanilla and fold in the melted chocolate. Fill the crater of the cake with the chocolatey cream and then arrange the little Easter eggs on top.

Devil's Food Cake

After watching Scre4m last night I suddenly had this urge to bake. Don't ask. I cannot tell you why even if I wanted to. Apparently watching a film about serial killer brings out the 'domestic god' in me. Maybe if I force myself to watch Saw, I'll be tempted to bake more breads; or perhaps, even macaroons... but that's probably more of Paranormal Activity material.

Anyway, I got home, flicked through Nigella's Kitchen for an easy cake recipe and I found this devil's food cake. Within minutes later I was measuring ingredients, greasing and lining cake tins, creaming butter and sugar... as if I was possessed.

By the time I finished frosting the cake, it was passed midnight and cake eating time is over for me. I could have a tiny sliver, but I know I shouldn't. I went to bed and waited patiently. In the morning I brought the cake to the office to celebrate my friend, Mark's birthday and cakes are always welcome at the office.

The cake is dangerously easy to make and despite of its name, it is heavenly to eat. Just a quick note, the batter is thin and watery, but don't be alarmed, it'll be fine and it will result in such moist and tender cake. Have faith. Also, the luscious rich dark chocolate frosting needs time to set, so if you want, you can start by making the frosting.

Devil's Food Cake
Recipe by Nigella Lawson
For list of ingredients and instructions, click here.
If you want to watch the video, click here.