Coffee and Walnut Layer Cake

Though they're not favourite, walnuts seem to keep re-appearing in my cupboard. Is my cupboard now start producing walnuts? Or could I possibly, subconsciously actually like walnuts? Or have I been reading too much Freud? Who knows.

Anyway, the important thing is, this coffee and walnut layer cake is delicious; and the beauty of this cake, everything is done in a food processor. The coffee and walnut sponge is soft and moist, and I love the coffee infused buttercream. The recipe calls for instant espresso powder, but if you don't have any, simply replace it with instant coffee granules dissolved in boiling water.

I'm gonna be away in Manchester for a work conference, so I shall catch up with your delicious posts sometime in the weekend. Enjoy the rest of your week. Have a great one.

Coffee and Walnut Layer Cake
Recipe by Nigella Lawson
For list of ingredients and instructions, click here.

Baked Cherry Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla Cream and Fresh Cherries

It's been a busy few days, but I am still enjoying it. I'm in the middle of finalising an essay on 'advertising the new men' for next week; and last night I found myself typing away the delicious beginning of my dissertation which is rather exciting I must say...

A couple of nights ago, I prepared a small, laid-back farewell dinner for my dear friend Kelly who is moving to Australia in less than a week time. I invited along two other close friends, Michelle and Mark.

One of Kelly's request that evening was herbes de Provence and lemon chicken wings. I don't very often do requests, but this is a special circumstance and these wings are so delicious, I know everyone will love them and I was right. They were gone in minutes. Even though these wings is intended as an appetiser, I have previously use the same flavourings for larger pieces of chicken, like bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs will be perfect.

Michelle also made a request (what is going on here? have I gone soft?)... caramelised onion hummus which she described as the best hummus she ever tasted... Well, what can I say? I love compliments. Along with caramelised onions, the hummus is also flavoured with garlic, cumin, lemon, yoghurt and sprinkled with smoked paprika when serving.

We then had lemon roast chicken served with garlicky truffle mash. I think simple dishes, like roast chicken is the universal 'taste of home', but yet it's also elegant and nothing beats a golden bird with crispy skin and tender, juicy flesh. I smothered the chicken with seasoned lemon butter and then roasted on a bed on sliced onions, garlic, thyme and lemon wedges which then became the dressing for the green beans side dish. I also jazzed up a simple creamy mash potatoes with roasted garlic and white truffle oil for instant luxury.

And for dessert, the indulgent baked cherry chocolate mousse with vanilla cream and fresh cherries. Though I make this quite often (with different variations of flavours), I am still amazed by how delicious this mousse is. The sourness of the dried cherries inside the mousse works perfectly with the rich dark chocolate. The baked mousse has this cake-like exterior, and inside is the light as a feather chocolate filling. To make it extra special, the mousse is topped with vanilla cream with real vanilla seeds and sweet red cherries.

Another one of Kelly's request to complete the evening was espresso zabaglione... my favourite. My best description of this zabaglione is like eating clouds, because it's so light and soft with espresso infused in it.

We had a great night with plenty to eat and drink. Kelly, it's been a pleasure feeding you and your company is certainly going to be missed. Have fun and good luck in Australia.

Enjoy your weekend everyone.

Baked Cherry Chocolate Mousse with Vanilla Cream and Fresh Cherries
Recipe by Me

300 g cherry dark chocolate, minimum 60% cocoa (I use Green & Black's)
150 g unsalted butter
6 eggs, separated
50 g caster sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
200 ml double cream
1 vanilla pod, or 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste
fresh cherries

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line the base and sides of a 23-cm spring-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper. Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass/metal bowl over simmering water.

Whisk the egg yolks with sugar and stir in the melted chocolate, stirring well to combine.  In another bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining of the sugar until stiff peak. Fold the egg whites gently to the chocolate mixture, and pour the mixture to the cake tine.

Bake for 20 minutes until just firm to the touch. Let cool on a rack to room temperature. When completely cool, remove from the tin, but keeping the base, and put on a platter. Whip the double cream with vanilla seeds or paste for the topping, and scatter with fresh cherries.

Forever Nigella #5: Griddled Aubergine Salad

The theme for this month's Forever Nigella challenge created by Sarah at Maison Cupcake and hosted by Dom at Belleau Kitchen, is all about salad days. Yes, people including myself, might not associate Nigella with salads, but there are actually some very delicious salad recipes in her collections and one of my favourites is this griddled aubergine salad.

There is a temptation to eat this salad straight-away after griddling, but the taste actually gets better as it cools to room temperature, so be patient. The original recipe which can be found below calls for snipped chives, but I couldn't find any chives today at the market or supermarket, so I used fresh coriander instead which is lovely as well.

This salad makes a great accompaniment for Sunday lunch or dinner with roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and peas. But for now, I'm very happy to enjoy this salad with thick slices of olive bread and a tub of green olives... my lazy Sunday meal...

Griddled Aubergine Salad
Recipe by Nigella Lawson
From Nigella Bites series

2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil, plus more
1 aubergine
1 tablespoon snipped chives
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 a lemon, juiced

Place the garlic oil into a shallow dish. Slice the aubergine into long, thin slices and then place into the garlic oil, turning to coat.

Preheat the griddle or stove top grill pan and then place each aubergine slice onto the grill. Cook about 2 - 3 minutes per side. Remove the grilled aubergine slices to a platter and drizzle with more garlic oil. Season with coarse salt, black pepper, lemon juice and snipped chives. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Spatchcocked Poussin with Soba Noodles, Edamame and Chilli

The plan this evening was to chill at home and for some reasons I really fancy a bottle of rosé. I went to the shop, chose a bottle of nice wine and then I was stopped at the check-out for ID. I haven't been asked for ID in quite a while, so it was rather flattering... until I realised I didn't have any ID with me. I showed the lady my rail card which has my date of birth on it, but it's not acceptable as a form of ID (I knew that, but worth a try I thought). I told her I left my driving license at home and I am clearly over 18, but she's not convinced (I am blaming this anti-ageing cream my friend gave me). She told me that I could be working for the police to test their system. I didn't know what to say after that.

So, no rosé today... oh well... I got home and started cooking this lovely springtime spatchcocked poussin with soba noodles, edamame and chilli. I promised Stephen aka the obsessive chef to brine a chicken after Easter and I did. The poussin or Cornish hen was brined in a fragrant liquid made by mixing water with soy sauce, peppercorns, coriander seeds, garlic, onion and sugar for about a day or so, keeping it in the fridge the whole time. The (strange) thing about brining I found is you don't suddenly get an overly flavoured meat, but brining somehow gives a roundness of flavours and prevents the meat from drying out.

I got the baby chicken out of its bath, gave it a rinse, pat it dry and it's ready to be spatchcocked: opening the chicken through its back and flattening it out so it cooks quickly. I seasoned the chicken with salt, pepper, lemon zest and olive oil before grilling on a griddle pan to get a nice charred colour and then finish cooking the poussin in the oven.

With the grilled and roasted poussin, I want something light and though soba noodles may not be the first thing that came to mind and obvious pairing, it was utterly delicious. I quite like the contrast of the hot chicken with cold noodles. The Asian-inspired dressing for the noodles is made from soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity, chopped fresh coriander leaves and finely chopped red chilli for some heat. I also added some cooked edamame beans for crunch, sweetness and colour. This is so good, I plan to make this again for lunch tomorrow.

Anyway, with the meal I thought I crack open a bottle of white, then I found an unopened case of wine I received sometime ago from naked wines. I opened the box, and guess what I found... 3 bottles of red, 2 of white and 1 (drum roll please...) rosé. Amazing! It's a Castillo de Tafalla Rosado 2010 by the Spanish winemaker Benoit Dreyer. I'm not a connoisseur but this wine is sweet and fruity with a slight fizz... and it bounces like a fluffy spring lamb on bright green grass (words I found on the website and I like it)...

Back to the rest of the wine.

Have a great weekend!

Chicken with Greek Herb Sauce & Rocket and Lemon Couscous

It's gonna be a busy time few weeks ahead, mostly in my academic life. I am working on another essay which is due sometime this month (I really need to find out the date. Sometimes I am appalled by my own so-called organisation skill). My new 10-week-class started yesterday which can only be described as... I don't even know where to start... let's just say the topic is not my area of interest in the slightest and leave it there. I have lots of reading to do. I also really need to start writing my dissertation. 

My dissertation revolves around the sociology of food and its meaning. Don't worry, you'll be reading more about this (the dissertation and my possible tantrum) in the coming months, I must warn you. I might be asking your opinions too. In the meantime, all the cooking, eating and blogging, I'll count it as part of the research...

Dinner tonight consisted of chicken with Greek herb sauce. I use chicken thighs here rather than breasts and you know why... half the price, twice the flavour. The thighs are marinated quickly in lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper before cooked in the oven. The refreshing Greek herb sauce is made of yoghurt, spring onions, green chilli, garlic, cucumber, fresh coriander and mint leaves. Accompanying the chicken perfectly, is this delicious rocket and lemon couscous. I like the word couscous... funny word isn't it? I'm easily amused. Anyway, this is so good, I'd be happy to eat it just as it is, but absolutely lovely with grilled chicken or lamb and perhaps, tomato-based stews... 

Rocket and Lemon Couscous
Recipe by Nigella Lawson
Serves 4 - 6

800 ml chicken or vegetable stock (made from concentrate, cube or granules), preferably organic
3 x 15 ml tablespoons garlic oil
500 g couscous
zest and juice 1 lemon
4 spring onions, finely sliced
100 g rocket leaves
salt and pepper, to taste

Make up the stock with boiling water. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan that comes with a lid, then add the couscous and fry, stirring at all time, for 2 - 3 minutes.

Pour in the hot stock, still stirring, and keep stirring over a very gentle heat until the stock is absorbed into the couscous, about 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat, leaving the pan where it is, with a tight-fitting lid, for another 10 minutes.

Fork through the couscous, turning it out into a big bowl. Keep working the couscous with the fork to make it lump free. Sprinkle in the lemon zest and juice, sliced spring onions and salt and pepper, to taste, before adding the rocket leaves, and tossing together carefully to mix.