Food Academy- Fish and Chips.

Actually crumbed fish and oven fries. This is healthier than deep frying everything.
I have used Warehou as the fish in this recipe but any firm white fish will do.
Microwaving the potatoes before cooking them in the oven speeds up the process.

Homemade Crumbed Fish and Oven Fries

Equipment

·      Chopping board and sharp knife

·      Peeler

·      Oven trays

·      Plates/bowls for crumbing

·      Small frypan

·      Whisk

·      Glass bowl for microwaving

·      Tongs or fish slice

·      Measuring cups/spoons

Ingredients

·      1 Whole fish, to produce 2 fillets, skinned and boned

·      2-3 Potatoes, cleaned and cut into wedges

·      Egg, 1 whisked

·      Breadcrumbs, ½ cup

·      Flour, ½ cup

·      Seasoning (salt, pepper, herbs)

·      Oil for frying

·      Lemon slices

·      Ramekin of Tartare sauce

Method

1.    Ovens on to 175⁰C.

2.    Wash and wedge the potatoes.

3.    Microwave for 5-8 minutes depending on how many potatoes you have.

4.    Place into oven dish then oil and season.

5.    Bake for 30-40 minutes

6.    Fillet the fish. Wash the fillets and dry on paper towels.

7.    Set up the crumbing bowls (flour, egg and then seasoned breadcrumbs).

8.    Crumb the fillets by dusting in the flour first, then dunk in the egg and finally roll in the breadcrumbs. Place on a separate plate when finished.

9.    Heat up the fry pan (medium heat) and add some oil. Place the crumbed fillets in the pan and fry until golden brown on either side. Take the fish out of the pan and finish in the oven on a separate tray. When the fish is white all the way through, then serve.

10. Serve the wedges and crumbed fish on a plate. Garnish with lemon slices and a dollop of tartare sauce.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake.

There are two types of cheesecake, one baked and one set. This is a set one using gelatine.
The cheesecake is pretty rich (lots of fat) due to the amount of dairy products used (butter, cream cheese and cream) so don't eat too much!
This recipe makes a small cheesecake so double it if you want a bigger one.
Try to let it set for at least an hour in the fridge.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (set method)

Equipment

·      Small round tin

·      Baking paper (to fit in the bottom of tin)

·      Measuring cups/spoons

·      Small mixing bowl

·      Rolling pin

·      Chopping board

·      Whisk/ egg beater

Ingredients

·      Biscuit crumbs (from 6 biscuits)

·      Butter, 50g, melted

·      Cream cheese, 2 Tbsp

·      Icing sugar, 1 heaped Tbsp

·      Cocoa powder, 1 tsp

·      Lemon juice, 1/2 tsp

·      Vanilla essence, ¼ tsp

·      Gelatin, 1 tsp

·      Hot water, 4 tsp

·      Cream, ¼ cup, whipped

·      Chocolate chips, 1 ramekin.

Method

1.    Crush up the biscuit with the rolling pin on the chopping board.

2.    Melt the butter in a measuring cup in the microwave and then mix it with the biscuit crumbs.

3.    Line the bottom of the tin with the baking paper.

4.    Pack the buttery biscuit crumb into the bottom of the tin.

5.    Place into the fridge.

6.    Beat the cream cheese, cocoa and icing sugar until they are soft.

7.    Mix the lemon juice, vanilla essence and hot water together.

8.    Dissolve the gelatin in the lemon juice mixture. Heat in microwave if necessary.

9.    Stir the gelatin mixture in with the cream cheese mixture.

10. Fold in the whipped cream.

11. Add the chocolate chips to this mix and pour into the chilled base from the fridge.

12.  Return to the fridge to set for 20-30 minutes.

13. Carefully remove from the tin, cut up and serve.

Fish cakes.

This is not fish in a cake!
They are like Hash browns with Tuna.
Make sure your potato mash is dry as possible and drain the tuna too. Too much water in either makes the balls fall apart.

Fish cakes

Equipment

·      Pot and lid

·      Chopping board

·      Sharp knife

·      Peeler

·      Potato masher

·      Mixing bowls

·      Measuring spoons/cups

·      Small frying pan and fish slice

·      Bowls for crumbing

Ingredient

·      Potato, 2-3 peeled, boiled and mashed

·      Tinned fish, 2 Tbsp

·      Onion, 1/8 , finely diced

·      Mixed herbs, ¼ tsp

·      Salt, good pinch

·      Parsley, a sprig, finely diced

·      Egg, 1, beaten with a little water

·      Breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup

·      Oil for frying

·      Flour, ¼ cup, for moulding fish cakes.

Method

1.    Wash, peel and wash the potato’s before cutting them up and boiling them. 

2.    Drain the potatoes when they are soft. Mash when they have dried out a bit.

3.    Mix the fish, onion, parsley, herbs and salt in a bowl. Add the mashed potato and mix well.

4.    Set up the 3 crumbing bowls (flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs)

5.    Divide the mix into 6-8 even portions. Shape into rounds.

6.    Carefully dip each fish cake into the flour, then the beaten egg and finally coat with breadcrumbs. Place on a plate.

7.    Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the fish cakes until golden brown on both sides.

8.    Drain on a paper towel.

9.    Serve with Tartare sauce.

Food Academy- Ultimate Chocolate cake.

Ultimate Chocolate Cake- Annabel Langbein.

Prep time: 5 min,/ Cook time : 30-45 minutes/ Makes 1 medium cake

·       1 1/2 cups self-raising flour (or 1 1/2 cups flour with 1 1/2 tsp baking powder)

·       1 cup sugar

·       3/4 tsp vanilla extract

·       1/3 cup cocoa powder

·       1 tsp baking soda, sifted

·       100g butter, softened

·       1/2 cup milk or unsweetened yoghurt

·       2 eggs

·       1/2 cup boiling hot coffee

To ice:

·       1 recipe Chocolate Ganache (a ramekin of chocolate chips melted in ¼ cup cream)

·       Mandarins to garnish

Heat oven to 160°C.

Grease the sides and line the base of a 30cm round cake tin or 2 x 20cm round cake tins with baking paper.

Place all ingredients, except Chocolate Ganache, in a bowl and mix until the ingredients are combined and the butter is fully incorporated.

Pour mixture into prepared tin or tins and smooth top.

Bake for 30-45 min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin. When cool, carefully remove from the tin.

When you are ready to ice the cake, slather chilled Chocolate Ganache over the top. Arrange segmented mandarins on the top.