Pear Frangipane tartlets

Pear frangipane Tart (serves 6)

Sweet pastry

Ingredients:

225g plain flour

110g butter

160g caster sugar

1 egg

Method:

Soften butter; rub together with flour & sugar

Add the egg and bring together to form a ball

Chill in fridge for 30mins

Roll out to 3mm thick and press into 5” individual tartlet cases

Prick the base and bake in a pre heated oven @ 160*c until golden

Frangipane

Ingredients:

120g Butter

120g icing sugar

4 eggs

120g ground almonds

25g Plain flour

1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:

Cream butter & icing sugar

Add one egg at a time mixing well

Sift flour to mixture then add the almonds

Add vanilla extract

Tinned half pears need to be fanned ready to top tart

Constructing the tart:

Add two large tbsp of the mixture to each tartlet case

Top with the fanned pear half

Bake in a preheated oven @ 180*c for 13-17 minutes

Serving suggestion:

Melt a little rind less marmalade with the pear juice to make a glaze. When the tart come out of the oven brush with the glaze and serve with vanilla pod ice cream

Scallops & black pudding

This dish is just amazing and maybe a little restauranty, but if you want a little treat try it.

Ingredients:

• 3 Large scallops in the shell per person (ask the fish monger to take them out of the shell for you)
• 1 slice of black pudding (preferably stornaway black pudding) cut into small cubes
• 1 Cauliflower (this will give about 4/5 servings)
• 1 ltr Milk
• 12 Mini capers per person
• Micro herbs
• Seasoning malden sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Method:

• Cook cauliflower in the milk until mushy strain and puree with hand blender
• Fry your capers in a little olive oil until crispy (this takes about 30 seconds)
• Cut your black pudding into small cubes and grill until hot
• Season and Cook you scallops in a frying pan with olive oil. 2 minutes on each side on a medium heat
• Now your ready to plate as you can see from the picture the dish is just garnished with the micro herbs. I've used chard as this gives a slight bitter taste to contrast against the sweet scallop flavour. 

   Tips & hints: when the scallops are just about ready squeeze a little lemon and a knob of butter and spoon over each scallop.

Simple flat bread

Lemon thyme, garlic & parmesan flat bread.

Ingredients:

• 250g Self raising flour
• 300g Natural low fat Yoghurt
• 3 sprigs of lemon thyme
• 2 cloves of garlic sliced
• Shaved parmesan
• 25g Butter

Method:

• Pre heat oven 180*C/ Gas mark 4/350*F
• Mix the flour, yoghurt and 2 picked sprigs of thyme together to form a dough
• Turn the dough out onto a flour surface and flatten with your hands (do not use a rolling pin)
• Dimensions 1/2 inch thick by 10 inches wide.
• Top with the chopped garlic, the extra picked thyme, butter and 4 or 5 shavings of parmesan
• Place in frying pan and brown the base. This only takes 2 minutes on a medium heat then place in oven and cook for 12-15 minutes

Tips & hints:

The flat bread recipe of flour and yoghurt is just the base. You can use this and top with any flavours. Suggestion: Rosemary, sunblushed tomato and walnut oil. 

This is great with pasta. I had friends round the other night and I made this for my 'Linguine de palou' (recipe to follow) and a lovely glass of DINO selezione NO5 Italia pinot grigio amazing wine by the way.  

Frosted lemon cake

Olivia loves making this cake! & I love eating it....

Ingredients:

Cake:
100g margarine
175g caster sugar
175g Self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
4 tbs milk
1 lemon zested

Frosted topping:
Juice of 1 lemon
100g caster sugar

Method:

Cake

• Pre heat oven 180*C / Gas mark 4 / 350*F
• Grease a 1lb tin loaf and line bottom and sides with grease proof paper
• Weigh all cake ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth (cheffy tip: I would use an electric whisk other wise it takes ages!)
• Turn into tin loaf & level out
• Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes
• Check if ready my pressing the top of the cake this should spring back or a wooden skewer by poking in the centre of the cake should come out clean

Frosted topping

• Melt the sugar over a medium heat with the lemon juice until the sugar has disolved

To finish the cake simply poor the frosting over the top of the cake once cooked and still in the tin. Allow to cool then turn out. Right, now the best bit!! make yourself a cup of tea and get stuck in :-)

Introduction

I am a single farther of two beautiful children Olivia & Ethan. They are 7&6 respectfully.

Being a chef it is very important for me that they get a healthy balanced diet. I can't control what they eat when there not with me so when they are with me I try to give them the 'Right Stuff'.

I feel that being able to cook is a tremendous life skill that can save money and give people a sense of self satisfaction. I try to involve them in everything I cook. This makes them more interested in what they eat. When we go shopping I try and make it fun! We have games about who can find the vegetable or herb etc. They love it.

Every week when I have the children I will be blogging the recipe. So keep your eyes open and I'm sure you will enjoy cooking with your children.

I will be posting short video clips to accompany these recipes (once I've mastered the tech!)

I am looking for as much feedback and interaction from all! Share your recipes and experiences with us...look forward to the future.

The Masons'