Recipes in English

In this section we are giving you the opportunity to improve your English while you cook cakes, biscuits and other dishes regularly eaten by English speaking people all over the world.

To make it easier for you to use this section we have created a glossary of cooking terms. Click on any highlighted word to find the French translation and improve your English culinary vocabulary!

Steak and Kidney Pie

Ingredients:
750g beef steak (as for bourguignon)
200g ox kidney (you can use lamb kidney)
2 – 3 tablespoons flour
2 tbspns oil
1 small onion, chopped
beef stock to cover
salt and pepper
250g rough puff pastry (pâte feuilletée)
100g mushrooms (optional)  

Method:
Cut the beef into 3cm cubes, removing excess fat. Cut the kidney into smaller pieces and take out the fatty centre.
Put the flour and salt and pepper on a plate and coat the meat with a thin layer of flour.
Fry the onion in the oil until transparent.
Add the steak and kidney and fry until browned all over.
Cover with stock and check seasoning.
Bring to a simmer and cook very gently on the hob or in the oven until the meat is tender, about 1.5 to 2 hours.
Allow to cool.

Place the cool meat in a pie dish (1 – 1.5 litres about 5 cm deep)
If using mushrooms, slice them and place them on top of the meat filling.
Roll out the pastry to 5mm. Cut a strip of pastry the same width as the edge of the pie dish. Use a little water to dampen the edge of the dish and press the pastry strip firmly on. Press the ends together using a little water.
Dampen the pastry strip in the same way.
Place the circle of pastry on the pie dish  (using a rolling pin to lift it). Press the pastry down and trim off any excess.
Work around the dish, pinching the pastry between left finger and thumb and pressing the pastry towards the dish with the right thumb to create a fluted edge.
With a knife, make two cuts about 1cm long in the centre of the pastry top to allow steam to escape.
Brush the top of the pie with beaten egg.
Optional: Use the pastry trimmings to cut leaf shapes to decorate the pie top. Place them in a design on the top of the pie and brush them with beaten egg.
Place in a hot oven (220°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 175°C and cook for another 20 – 30 minutes.

Barbecued flambéed fruit

A delicious summer dessert you can cook easily on the barbecue

For 6 people

Ingredients:
200g large strawberries
3 ripe peaches or nectarines
50 ml brandy (cognac) + extra for flambéeing
2 tablespoons icing sugar
200g crème fraîche or Greek yoghurt
maple syrup

Method:
Prepare the strawberries by cutting off the leaves. Cut the peaches in half, take out the stones and cut them into thick slices.
Put all the fruit into a large bowl and add the brandy. Mix well. Leave for 30 - 40 minutes.
Heat the barbecue and put a fine-meshed rack on it if your rack is too wide-spaced for the fruit.
Put the fruit on the barbecue and cook for 2 minutes.
Sprinkle the fruit with half the icing sugar and turn it over. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the rest of the sugar, turn and cook for another 2 - 3 minutes.
Taking care to stand away from the barbecue, sprinkle a teaspoon of brandy over the fruit. When the flames die down you can add another spoonful. Repeat this another twice or three times until all the fruit has been flambéed.
Quickly serve the fruit in individual bowls with crème fraîche or yoghurt.
Add a little maple syrup, if liked.

You can use the same method for cooking pineapple on the barbecue. Use one large pineapple, cut it into thick slices, cut it into quarters and cut out the core, then proceed as for the peaches.

Pavlova

a delicate summer dessert of meringue, fresh fruit and whipped cream

Ingredients

For the meringue:
3 egg whites
110g caster sugar
1 tspn lemon juice
1 tspn cornflour (Maïzena)

For the filling:
1 carton cream
2 tspns caster sugar
2 nectarines or peaches
1 punnet (barquette) strawberries
1 punnet raspberries (or cherries)

Note: you can use any fruit that is in season - strawberries and kiwi also make a good combination. About 400- 500g in total.

Method:
Heat the oven to 140°C.
Whisk the eggs whites until stiff and dry. Add half the sugar and whisk until thick and shiny. Mix the cornflour with the remaining sugar. Delicately fold this into the meringue mixture with the lemon juice.
On a baking tray covered with baking parchment draw a circle approximately 25cm in diameter. Spread three quarters of the  meringue mixture over this circle. Use the remaining quarter to build up a border around the circle to form a shallow bowl.
Place the meringue in the oven. Reduce the temperature to 120°C. Leave for 1hour and 20 minutes. At the end of the cooking time turn the oven off but do not open the door or take out the meringue. Allow it to cool in the oven.
Chop the fruit into bite size pieces, reserving some for decoration. Place in a bowl.
Whip the cream using an electric whisk and a tall narrow recipient. Add the sugar and stir in delicately. (Note: make sure the cream and the recipient are cold as this will help the cream to whip firmly.)
When the meringue is cold remove it from the oven and carefully peel off the paper (it is better to turn the meringue over and peel off the paper. If you try to lift the meringue off it may break.
Place the meringue on a plate.
Just before serving, mix the fruit and cream together and place in the meringue bowl. You can decorate the dessert with some sliced or whole fresh fruit.

Apple Crumble

For 6 people

Ingredients:
5 cooking apples (not too sweet)
250g flour
125g butter
100g caster sugar
Juice of half a lemon
Cinnamon and ground nutmeg (if liked)  


Method:
Peel and cut the apples into slices. Place them into the bottom of a buttered dish. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Sprinkle with the lemon juice. Sprinkle a teaspoon of cinnamon and half a teaspoon of nutmeg over the apple  slices. (optional) Put the flour into a bowl.Add the butter cut into little pieces. Rub the butter into the flour with the tips of your fingers to obtain a breadcrumb consistency. (You can do this in a food processor by mixing for 15 seconds) Add the sugar and mix briefly. For a crunchier topping add 2 tablespoons of cold water and mix briefly.Spread the crumble mix over the apples. Bake in the oven at 180°C for 30 - 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the apples are cooked.

Hot Cross Buns

1 C milk
2 T yeast
1/2 C sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/3 C butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
4 eggs
5 C flour
1 1/3 C currants or raisins
1 egg white

Glaze:
1 1/3 C confectioner's sugar
1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1- 2 T milk

C: cup  T: tablespoon  tsp: teaspoon

Recipe:
In a small saucepan, heat milk to very warm, but not hot (45°C if using a candy thermometer). Fit an electric mixer with a dough hook. Pour warm milk in the bowl of mixer and sprinkle yeast over. Mix to dissolve and let sit for 5 minutes.

With mixer running at low speed, add sugar, salt, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and eggs. Gradually add flour, dough will be wet and sticky, and continue kneading with dough hook until smooth, about 5 minutes. Detach bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let the dough "rest" for 30-45 minutes.

Return bowl to mixer and knead until smooth and elastic, for about 3 more minutes. Add currants or raisins and knead until well mixed. At this point, dough will still be fairly wet and sticky. Shape dough in a ball, place in a buttered dish, cover with plastic wrap and let rise overnight in the refrigerator. Excess moisture will be absorbed by the morning.

Let dough sit at room temperature for about a half-hour. Line a large baking pan (or pans) with parchment paper (you could also lightly grease a baking pan, but parchment works better). Divide dough into 24 equal pieces (in half, half again, etc., etc.). Shape each portion into a ball and place on baking sheet, about 1/2 inch apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

In the meantime, pre-heat oven to 200° C.

When buns have risen, take a sharp or serrated knife and carefully slash buns with a cross. Brush them with egg white and place in oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 175° C, then bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack. Whisk together glaze ingredients, and spoon over buns in a cross pattern. Serve warm, if possible (Hot Cross Buns).