SPICY – Chili Con Carne

Ingredients 

455g/1lb chuck steak, minced or best minced beef
2 medium onions
1 clove of garlic
olive oil
2 level tsp chilli powder
1 heaped tsp ground cumin (or crushed cumin seeds)
200g/7oz sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 x 400g/14oz tins chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g/14oz tins of red kidney beans, drained
½ stick cinnamon
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method 

1. If you are using the oven method t e preheat the oven to 150C/ 300F/Gas 2.

2. Chop up the onions and garlic in the food processor and fry in some olive oil until softened. Add the chilli powder, cumin and a little seasoning.

3. Chop up the meat in the processor and add to the pan, cooking until slightly browned.4. Place the sun dried tomatoes and chillies n the processor with the oil and blend to form a paste. Add these to the beef ith the tomatoes, cinnamo stick and a wineglass of water. Season a little more if need be.

5. Bring to the boil, cover with greaseproof paper and the lid, then either turn the hea down to simmer and cook for 1½ hours or transfer the pan to the oven for about 1½ hours.

6.  Add the red kidney beans 30 min te before the end of cooking time.

Jamie Oliver – Cheeky Chappie and School Kids Hero

Jamie Oliver was born in May 1975, and grew up in Clavering, Essex, where his parents owned a pub-restaurant, The Cricketers. From an early age, Oliver helped in the pub kitchen; by the time he was 11, he was adept at vegetable prep and could chop “like a demon”. In 1989, Oliver formed the band Scarlet Division with best friend Leigh Haggerwood, and dreamed of pop stardom. However, by age 16, Oliver knew he wanted to be a chef, so he attended Westminster Catering College and then studied in France, learning as much as he could, before returning to London to work as head pastry chef for Antonio Carluccio at The Neal Street Restaurant. After The Neal Street Restaurant, Oliver worked for Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers at the River Café for three and a half years; Oliver credits Gray and Rogers with teaching him to create the fresh, simple, delicious food which would become his signature.

It was at the River Café that Oliver debuted in front of a TV camera. A television documentary about the restaurant was being filmed; Oliver’s personality caught the attention of editors and he was featured prominently in the finished product. The day after the programme aired, Oliver was contacted by multiple production companies wanting to discuss a possible show of his own.

The result was “The Naked Chef”, a cooking programme. Two highly successful seasons of “The Naked Chef” were filmed in 1998 and 1999. The popular series brought Oliver worldwide fame, and more television programmes and book deals followed. As of 2006, Oliver had six additional television series and eight books under his belt.

HEALTHY – Low-fat creme brulee

Ingredients

400g/14¼oz raspberries (strawberries can be used)
300g/10½oz low-fat plain yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla essence

6 tsp brown sugar

Method

1. Take four ramekin dishes and divide the fruit into the bottom of each.

2. Mix together the vanilla essence and yoghurt and divide on top of the fruit in each ramekin dish.

3. Sprinkle on top 1½ tbsp of brown sugar on each and try to cover the surface.

4. Heat your grill and place under the grill on a high shelf for 2-3 minutes until the sugar caramelises. Keep a close eye, as you do not want these to burn.

5. Take out and cool before serving.