very

Two Raw Sisters: Easter chocolate bowls

dark chocolate

water balloons

Scoop ice cream of

Add your chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt over a double boiler. Once it is melted, leave too cool until it is at room temperature.

While the chocolate is cooling, blow up the water balloons to the size you want your bowls to be and tie them off.

Line a flat baking tray with baking paper.

Once your chocolate has reached room temperature, hold a balloon at the top and begin to dip the bottom in chocolate. Swirling it around so it has a good layer of chocolate and the chocolate comes a third to halfway up the balloon (depending on how big you blew them up).

Gently move the balloon to the lined baking paper, holding it there until the chocolate slightly drips to create a base for the bowl.

Repeat until you have used all of your balloons.

You should have a little leftover chocolate and scattered space on your baking tray. With this, make little bunny faces and ears placing puffed quinoa as the eyes of the face.

Place the baking tray into the freezer for 20-30mins.

Once set, remove balloons from freezer. Press around the sides gently, breaking the seal between the balloon and the chocolate. Then lightly pierce the balloon with a knife and slowly release the air from the balloon, removing any excess balloon.

Fill balloons with ice cream and top with the little bunny faces. Serve immediately. (Leftover bowls will store in your freezer in an airtight container for up to 5 months.)

Nicer to the cows, nicer to your body, and not bad on the taste buds either! This nice cream is as simple as it is delicious, making it a likely contender for a regular spot on your family's dessert menu. 

Very Berry Nice Cream

bananas

blue berries

coconut

rice malt syrup,

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor and blitz until completely smooth.

Serve immediately for a “soft serve” ice cream, or pour into a large freezer-safe container and freeze for 3-5 hours for a firmer ice cream.

Serve as is, or top with toasted flaked coconut, fresh berries or chopped nuts.

Chicken pie topped with potato & thyme crust

butter

Tbsp flavourless oil

leeks,

carrot, finely chopped

celery stalks, finely chopped

garlic cloves, crushed

leaves

skinless chicken thighs,

Tbsp plain flour (gluten-free if necessary)

white wine

chicken stock

bay leaf

tsp wholegrain mustard

Dijon mustard

Tbsp double cream

nutmeg

To taste sea salt

1kg small desirée potatoes, thinly sliced

butter, melted

thyme, leaves picked

To taste sea salt and black pepper

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-based pan, add the leeks, carrot, celery, garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes until starting to soften.

Add the chicken and cook gently without colouring for up to 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the wine and stir continuously, making sure that the wine reduces and the sauce thickens. Pour in the chicken stock one-third at a time, stirring continuously and making sure the sauce is thick and smooth before adding the next batch.

Add the bay leaf, cover the pan and cook gently for 1 hour.

Stir in the mustards, cream and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Add salt if needed.

Preheat the oven to 180 ̊C (350 ̊F) Gas 4.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the thinly sliced potatoes and boil for 12 minutes, take off the heat and drain well. Spread them out in a layer to allow the excess water to evaporate off.

Place the chicken mixture into a pie dish 24cm in diameter and carefully lay the potatoes on top of the filling, overlapping them slightly, like a pie top.

Brush the potatoes with a little melted butter, season with salt and pepper and top with the thyme. Cook in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes. The pie is ready once the potatoes are cooked and golden brown.

Aubergine and chickpea curry

Aubergines,

100 ml Olive oil

Onion, finely chopped

Garlic cloves, chopped

Curry powder

Green chilli, seeds removed and chopped

tsp Garam masala

tsp Coriander

tsp Turmeric

400 ml Coconut milk

Brown sugar

g Cherry tomatoes

Chickpeas

Spinach

Coriander

Put aubergine in a colander and sprinkle with salt. After 20 minutes rinse and pat dry.

Heat the oil in a large pot to a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic.

Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until starting to soften. Add the curry, chilli, garam masala, coriander and turmeric. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add the aubergine and stir until well coated in spice and continue to cook until starting to soften.

Add the coconut milk and sugar. Cover and cook on a low heat for 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chickpeas.

Cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes until all soft and delicious.

Before serving, season with salt and pepper and fold through the spinach and coriander.

Almond bread or biscotti

Caster sugar

Eggs, whites (Main)

Plain flour

Almonds,

pistachios

Ginger, preserved, chopped

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add sugar gradually and beat until dissolved.

Fold in flour, nuts and ginger gently until no dry ingredients are visible.

Put into a 20 x 10cm greased loaf tin lined with a strip of baking paper for easy removal.

Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave in the tin to cool.

Turn out and slice wafer-thin with a very sharp knife.

Place slices on an oven tray and bake in a slow oven, about 20 minutes, until brittle.

Follow the almond bread recipe to end of step 3.

Divide mix in half and form into 2 fairly sloppy sausage shapes, wrapped in baking paper.

Cook in a pan of your choice for 20 minutes at 160C fan bake.

Cut into 2cm-thick slices and lay at on tray. Cook for 20 minutes more "so they dry out and look better with a little colour".

Serve with sherry or a cup of tea or coffee.

Slow-cooked pulled chipotle beef

kg Beef, lean brisket (Main)

330 ml Beer, dark

Beef stock, good quality

Chipotle sauce

Tbsp Soy sauce

Tbsp Brown sugar

Onion,

Cinnamon stick

chilli,

Cut brisket into large 5cm pieces. Place in a heavy-based casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid and add beer, beef stock, chipotle sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, onion, cinnamon stick and dried chilli (if using). There should be just enough liquid to cover the meat.

Cover with a lid and cook in oven for 3-4 hours or until the meat is soft and shreds easily. Note: if your lid does not fit tightly, cover dish with tinfoil before placing the lid on top – this will help to create a seal.

Check on the meat after about 2 hours — if it is looking a little dry, top it up with a little more stock and beer.

Once cooked, remove beef from the dish and place on a chopping board. Pour the liquid into a saucepan and boil for about 5 minutes to reduce a little.

Meanwhile, use two forks to shred the meat, pulling the long fibres away from each other. Mix shredded meat with the reduced liquid — the meat will soak up the sauce.

Serve with simple mashed potatoes and greens.

Easy vegetable curry

Tbsp Oil

Onion, diced

tsp Garlic, grated

Tbsp Fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Tbsp Curry paste, or use curry powder

Vegetable stock

Coconut milk (Main)

Kumara, diced

Potato, diced

Rice

Quinoa

Cauliflower, florets only (Main)

Broccoli florets (Main)

½ Red capsicums, keep the other half for a salad

Green

Heat oil in a large saucepan and fry onion gently, without colouring, for 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and curry paste and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Add stock, coconut milk, kumara and potatoes and bring to the boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes.

Place rice and quinoa in a pot and cover with warm water. Rinse and drain three times. (This removes the bitter taste from the quinoa.) Add five cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt then bring to the boil. Turn heat down to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 13-15 minutes until rice has puffed up.

Add cauliflower, broccoli and capsicum to the curry sauce, simmer for 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are just tender.

Ginger cured salmon gravlax

Salt

g Fresh ginger, grated

Sugar

side Salmon, skin on, bones out

Tbsp Olive oil

Cucumbers,

Chives,

Edible flowers

Mix ginger, salt and sugar together in a bowl. On a large tray lay down a long piece of foil, sprinkle half the mix on and place the salmon on top with the skin side facing down.

Sprinkle remaining mix over salmon and fold foil over to seal. Place in fridge for 24 hours.

Gently wash off cure under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.

Using a long-bladed knife, cut thin slices of salmon and arrange on a presentation platter.

Cover with plastic food wrap and refrigerate.

To serve, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle over cucumber, chives and edible flowers.

Cucumber relish

Cucumbers, large, peeled and roughly chopped (Main)

Green capsicum, deseeded and chopped

Red capsicum, deseeded and chopped

Carrot, grated

Malt vinegar

Mustard powder

Cayenne pepper

Cloves,

tsp Allspice berries

Tbsp Cornflour

Put chopped cucumber, apple, onion and capsicums in a blender, about 1 cup at a time, and blend a few seconds until chopped to fairly small pieces. Add grated carrot. Put all veges in a large bowl, add salt, cover and stand overnight.

Next day put veges and their liquid in large saucepan, simmer uncovered over low heat until tender, about 15 minutes.

Add 2½ cups of the vinegar and the sugar. Put dry mustard, cayenne, 2 teaspoons of the curry powder, cloves and allspice in small muslin or cheesecloth bag and add to the saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat, bring to boil uncovered, and stir occasionally for 20 minutes. Remove muslin bag.

Mix cornflour to a smooth paste with remaining ½ cup vinegar, add to mixture with the remaining 1 teaspoon curry powder. Stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens slightly. Reduce heat, simmer gently uncovered 25 minutes or until thick.

Vermicelli noodle salad with tofu and peanuts

Cornflour,

g Dried vermicelli noodles (Main)

300 g Firm tofu, sliced 1cm thick

Tbsp Vegetable oil

Purple cabbage, shredded

Carrots, shredded

Spring onions, shredded

Green mango, flesh shredded

Bean sprouts

Mint leaves, torn

Coriander, chopped

Red chilli, chopped,

Roasted peanuts, chopped

Garlic,

Shallot, finely chopped

tsp Fish sauce

Sesame oil

Tbsp Rice vinegar

Tbsp Sweet chilli sauce

Tbsp Vegetable oil, or olive oil

Limes, juiced

Place vermicelli noodles in a large bowl or medium sized pot.

Pour over boiling water, cover and stand for 5 minutes until noodles are soft.

Drain and, using scissors, snip in a few places (to shorten the length of the noodle strands).

Season cornflour with a little salt and black pepper. Dust both sides of tofu slices in seasoned cornflour.

Cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden.

Arrange noodles, vegetables, herbs and tofu on plates and scatter over peanuts.

Combine all dressing ingredients and spoon over just before serving.

Toss everything together with your chopsticks before eating.

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Two Raw Sisters: Easter chocolate b...

Very Berry Nice Cream

Chicken pie topped with potato & th...

Aubergine and chickpea curry

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Slow-cooked pulled chipotle beef

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Ginger cured salmon gravlax

Cucumber relish

Vermicelli noodle salad with tofu a...

Top 10 very recipes from across the web

The most viewed very recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Two Raw Sisters: Easter chocolate b...

Very Berry Nice Cream

Chicken pie topped with potato & th...

Aubergine and chickpea curry

Almond bread or biscotti

Slow-cooked pulled chipotle beef

Easy vegetable curry

Ginger cured salmon gravlax

Cucumber relish

Vermicelli noodle salad with tofu a...

The most viewed very recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine