The Friendly Chef - AUTUMN MENUS

Below this post I have created some menus to inspire us to eat well, and cook of course.

Please feel free to call me if you would like to learn to make any of these recipes or anything else, like fry an egg.... ;)

The Friendly Chef aka Melisa Clayton

073 77 53 141

Autumn Menu

Timbale of Aubergines with Parmesan and Tomato

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Braised Oxtail with Polenta

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Julie´s moist, dark Chocolate Cake with Single Cream

Autumn Menu

Salt Herring with Creme fraiche, Apples and Onion

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Hand made Tagliatelle with Lamb

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Yogurt cake with Pistachios and Honey

Autumn Menu

Fish Soup with Brandy

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Ricotta Gnocchi with Porcini Mushroom Sauce

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Dumplings with Plums and Cinnamon

Julie´s Chocolate Cake

This recipe is written in swiggly red neat Frenchie handwriting. Julie Briands handwriting. I am almost certain that it was given to her by her sainted mother - Nicole.
Nicole ( apart from my very own mother) is my hero. She is a wonderful person and an excellent cook. The Briand family eat like kings. They think it's pretty normal, because a lot of normal people in France, who have their own professions, are excellent cooks. Men, women and children. You know how it is, it's their thing.

This cake is easy as hell to make. It's a warm cake with a mushy centre and it tastes of chocolate. You can make it after you´ve delegated someone to clear the Main Course. That easy.

200g Dark chocolate ( min 60% cocoa)
200g Butter
180g Castor sugar
4 Eggs
2 tablespoons Plain flour
Serves about 8

Heat oven to 200C with a fan, or 210C if you dont have one.

Grease (with butter) or line (with baking paper) a cake tin, or baking tray.

Cut the butter up and break the chocolate up in a glass bowl, or bain marie ( double boiler).
Melt over gently simmering water, not too fast..once melted stir so it's nice and glossy and take it off the heat.

While its melting, whisk 4 eggs in a big bowl and slowly add the sugar and then flour, it should be nice and frothy and well whisked, or as Julie says in her version: ¨mix very strong¨.

Slowly add the chocolate to the egg mix, use a spatula or spoon and make a round folding motion ( dont kill the bubbles in the egg too much you know). Once all incorporated and the mixture has an even light brown colour, pour gently into your cake tin and slide it into the oven.

It takes about 15 - 20 minutes to bake but you SHOULD check it, it is the only way of getting it right. Use a cake tester or a butter knife, stick it in the middle of the cake, the bottom half of the knife should still have liquid on it.Take it out and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.

Serve with medium stiff plain cream ( or vanilla ice cream, or whatever you like, or eat as is...)