I got a load of basil really cheap yesterday so have made some pesto and put it in the fridge.

Does anyone know how long it is likely to last - OH is away and it would be good to have some when he gets back.  If it doesn't keep long, I'll freeze it

Thanks

Name of Recipe:  KISEL
Number of People:  4

My mother was Russian and used to prepare kisel regularly and I loved it.  I've just worked out how to make it in the TMX

Ingredients:

250 g mix of raspberries and redcurrants (weight of prepared fruit)
225 ml water
120g sugar (maybe more if you have a very sweet tooth!)
3 tsp potato flour (or more if you want a firmer dessert)
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 drops almond essence (optional but better with them!)

Preparation:
 
- Pummel fruit with a wooden pestle (or similar) to break it up and release the juices.  (I don't use the TMX to do this as it might break up some of the seeds which you don't want to do)

- Add fruit to TMX bowl with water and cook at 70, speed 2 for 15 minutes

- Push contents of bowl through a sieve (don't use the TMX to break it up as it will make the fruit go cloudy)

- Rinse TMX bowl and return fruit juices to it

- Stir the potato flour into the lemon juice and add it to bowl together with the sugar.

-  Cook at 70, speed 2 for 3 minutes

-  Add the drops of almond essence (if using) and stir thoroughly (you can use Thermie to do this at speed 2 for a few seconds)

-  Pour into a glass bowl (not strictly necessary but it looks nice!) and leave to cool.   When cool, put in fridge to chill.

-  Serve with pouring cream gently stirred through it.

Photos:



Tips/Hints:

You can use any fruit for it - if using strawberries you would probably need more fruit and maybe less sugar.  If using cranberries you may need more sugar.

The texture is meant to be quite runny but if you want you can add more potato flour.   Potato flour is good because the fruit doesn't get cloudy.  If you can't get hold of potato flour, you can use arrowroot... but it's best not to use cornflour if at all possible.

(Sorry about the poor photo - I need to take lessons from JulieO )

Name of Recipe: Romesco Sauce

Number of People:   4
Ingredients:

4 medium ripe tomatoes
1 red pepper (preferably romano but bell would do)
3 garlic cloves skinned (you can use less or more depending on how you feel about garlic)
15 shelled hazlenuts
10 blanched almonds
2 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 slice day old white bread (ciabatta is good but any is ok)
8 tbsps EVO
Salt


Preparation:

Heat oven to 200 C

Deseed the pepper and cut it into largish chunks.   Cut the tomatoes into quarters.  Place tomatoes and pepper onto a baking tray and drizzle with about 1 tbsp olive oil.    Put the baking tray into the top of the oven and cook for 10 minutes.   Add the garlic, hazlenuts and almonds to the baking tray and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until everything looks well roasted (but not burnt!)

Meanwhile fry the bread in 1 tbsp olive oil for a few minutes on either side until golden.

Add the pepper, nuts, tomatoes and garlic to the TMX bowl, together with the bread and salt.  Puree for 20 seconds on speed 8, scraping down the side of the bowl half way through and at the end.   

Process at speed 5 for 1 minute, adding the rest of the oil by pouring it onto the lid.

Add the vinegar and process at speed 4 for a few seconds to incorporate it.   Add salt to taste

The sauce should be thick and creamy and should still have a coarse texture.  If it seems too thick, you can thin it by adding a tablespoon or 2 of red wine.  If too thin, add some more bread.

Tips/Hints:

This is delicious served with fish or chicken or steak.   It keeps for up to a week in the fridge.

Name of Recipe: Pea, Pear & Mint Soup

I found this recipe in "A Celebration of Soup" by Lindsey Bareham.   It sounds weird but tastes really good and, as it uses store cupboard ingredients, is very easy and quick to make

Number of People:  6
Ingredients:

450 g Frozen Peas
2 x 400 cans unsweetened pears
5 g mint leaves or  2 tbsp mint jelly
1 tbsp cider vinegar (see note)




Preparation:

If using mint leaves, finely chop them using turbo for a few times

Cook the peas in salted water for a few minutes and drain.  (This could be done in the Thermomix but I didn't)

Drain the liquid from the pear cans into a measuring jug and make the liquid up to 900 ml with water.

Add the peas, liquid and pears to TMX bowl and liquidise at speed 8 for 30 seconds.

Add the mint and cook at 100/Speed 2/10 minutes.

Taste and add the vinegar if you want to cut through the sweetness a bit.


Photos:

Tips/Hints:

The original recipe didn't use the vinegar but I found it improved the flavour.

It can be served hot or cold.  

I also think it might make a good sorbet if processed in an ice-cream maker but haven't tried it (yet!)

UK Thermomix have announced on their Facebook page that they've got a special offer on at the moment for people wanting to upgrade and to get in touch with the office if you are interested.   I don't know any details but thought it worth posting in case anyone on here would be interested.

Name of Recipe: Carrot and Cumin soup

Number of People: 4

Ingredients:

1 large onion  - peeled and quartered
300 g carrots (weight doesn't have to be exact) washed and chopped into chunks
20 g olive oil
2 tsp cumin seeds
water (approx 600 g)
1 tbsp veg. stock concentrate


Preparation:

Chop the onions and oil at speed 5 for 5 secs

Add the cumin seeds and cook for 3 mins at Varoma speed 2


Add the carrots and chop at speed 5 for 5 secs
Add water to the 1 litre mark and stock concentrate

Cook at 100 for 12 minutes speed 2

Add 100 ml cold water and puree at speed 9 for 1 minute

I have also made this using half beetroot and half carrot.   I had to cook it for a bit longer to make sure the beetroot was cooked.  It tasted really good and the colour was wonderful.


tips/hints from members Everyone thought it was delicious.

CC - My soup didn't cook in the initial 12 minutes, probably my carrots were a little too chunky. Just added 3 more minutes and it was fine. The cumin adds a real warmth to the soup and it's not sweet like carrot and coriander soup.

DJ - Just put 100 ml milk instead of water before pureeing.

Amy - I had a bit of zucchini that needed using so I chucked that in too.

 


 

Cooked this last week and it was very tasty.    However, the chicken seemed overcooked after only 6 minutes and was a bit devoid of flavour and texture so I would give it 4/5 done as directed in the book.

 I cooked it again this week (purely  in the spirit of experimentation of course) and, instead of cooking the chicken in the Thermomix, I fried the pieces in a little olive oil, with the result that they caramalised - I then poured the sauce over the top and let it reduce.

OH and I both felt that the second batch was a lot more tasty so it is now 5/5

I served it with cous-cous and sprouts stir-fried with garlic, ginger and cumin seeds.   Sorry I didn't manage a photo 

I'm so excited - Madalene from The British Larder blog (http://www.britishlarder.co.uk/) has opened a restaurant and it's not too far from where we are going on holiday next week so I've booked for us to go to dinner there.   Can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to it