Showing posts sorted by relevance for query bread pudding. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query bread pudding. Sort by date Show all posts
I wanted to share a delicious Popover Recipe with you today that I thought you would enjoy. I have shared a Popover Recipe with you before in the past, while I was still living in the UK. That was a good one and you can find it here.
They were light and crisp and golden brown. I baked them in small metal individual steamed pudding tins, which worked perfectly fine.
I recently purchased myself a dedicated Popover tin however and was keen to try it out and see if they were any different from my original ones baked in the pudding tins.
For those of you who are not familiar with Popovers they are a type of quick bread or roll, very similar in taste and texture to Yorkshire Puddings. They are meant to be eaten with butter and preserves, honey, or jam, whereas Yorkshire Puddings form a lovely hole in the center meant to be filled with gravy.
This recipe I am sharing today is one I adapted from a cookery book entitled Lost Recipes by Betty Crocker. I love old recipes and vintage recipes. They are treasures.
A lot of younger people today think that cooking has to be complicated or use fancy ingredients to taste good, and there is value in that, but these older recipes have lots of value as well, and have withstood the test of time in my opinion. If it ain't broke don't fix it!
Simple ingredients done well. That is my favorite thing and this easy recipe uses only four basic simple ingredients. Ingredients I always have in my kitchen. Not only that, they go together lickety split. You can be enjoying them with your family in quick time.
Plus they don't make a lot of popovers. The recipe said six, but I got nine beautiful, light, airy, crispy, golden brown puffs of delicious delight!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY POPOVERS
As I said, simple, uncomplicated every day ingredients. If you don't have a popover tin, you can also bake these in muffin tins or custard cups.
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
I always try to make sure all of my ingredients are at room temperature before baking. Eggs, milk, etc. It is a very easy thing to do. You can warm the milk just slightly in the microwave, 30 seconds usually does it.
You can easily bring refrigerator cold eggs to room temperature quickly and safely if you have forgotten to take them out ahead of time. This article on All Recipes gives very good instructions for that.
Having all of your baking ingredients at room temperature ensures better results and success. I also only ever use whole milk in all of my baking unless otherwise specified. It just makes sense when you live alone to only have one kind of milk in the kitchen and since I use whole milk the most, that is the one I keep.
As you can see my popovers rose beautifully. They were a bit funny looking, but that is the nature of the popover I guess!
They were light and crisp and delicious even eaten without any butter or jam. I took some over to my friend Glenna and her sister and they ate them fresh right out of the bag right there in front of me and declared them delicious. They were still warm and they couldn't wait to try them!
HOW TO MAKE EASY POPOVERS
When I call these easy popovers, I really mean easy! So easy you will want to make them again and again!
Preheat the oven to 450*F/230*C/ gas mark 7. Grease a popover tin really well (generously) with some vegetable shortening. (I used Crisco. In the UK use White Flora or Trex.)
Beat the milk, eggs, flour and salt together with a wire whisk until smooth. Do not overbeat or they won't rise as tall. (I do this in a beaker to make it easier to put into the tin.)
Pop the popover tin into the preheated oven and leave it to heat for about 5 minutes. Once it is nice and hot remove it from the oven. Pour the batter into the pan filling each cup about 1/2 full.
Pop the filled pan back into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3 and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer until deep golden brown.
Remove from the cups immediately and serve hot. These are wonderful with butter and fruit preserves.
As I said, these turned out beautifully. They were light and crisp on the outsides, beautifully golden brown and you can see how light and fluffy they were on the inside.
I loved how simple they were to make. The hardest part was greasing the tins.
If you follow my instructions and hints and tips, there is no reason why you can't also have beautiful popovers like these! These were so tasty I am going to make some more today!
THREE SECRETS TO PERFECT POPOVERS
If you follow these three rules, your popovers will always be perfect!
1. Always heat up your pan until it is hot, hot, hot, be it a popover pan or a muffin tin, before adding the batter. It should start to rise and cook as soon as you pour the batter into the pan.
2. Never fill your pan more than half full.
3. Resist the impulse to open the oven door and peek. (Hard I know!)
These were delicious! So light and airy, fluffy. Crisp and golden brown on the outside and just like little clouds of air.
I enjoyed mine with some soft butter for spreading and some Rhubarb jelly that I had picked up at a farm market last week. Delicious!
If you are a fan of things like this you might also enjoy:
MARITIME BISCUITS - Similar to Angel Biscuits, these are not cookies, but a quick bread that uses both yeast and baking powder as a leavening. This is a very traditional Eastern Canada recipe. These are so light and fluffy and go wonderfully with salads, soups, stews, etc. They are fabulous on their own, simply split and buttered. Easy to make and delicious!
MINI SCONE FOCCACCIA BREADS - These are a very simple make. Scone dough, is cut and rolled out flat and brushed with an herb butter, sprinkled with some pine nuts and baked to perfection. Perfect with soups or salads, or even pasta. Quick, easy and delicious!
Yield: 6 - 9 (depending on size of your pan)
Easy Popovers
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
These are beautifully golden brown and crisp on the outside and light and fluffy inside. Delicious served warm with some butter and jam@
Ingredients
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (140g) plain all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450*F/230*C/ gas mark 7. Grease a popover tin really well (generously) with some vegetable shortening. (I used Crisco. In the UK use White Flora or Trex.)
- Beat the milk, eggs, flour and salt together with a wire whisk until smooth. Do not overbeat or they won't rise as tall. (I do this in a beaker to make it easier to put into the tin.)
- Pop the popover tin into the preheated oven and leave it to heat for about 5 minutes. Once it is nice and hot remove it from the oven. Pour the batter into the pan filling each cup about 1/2 full.
- Pop the filled pan back into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3 and continue to bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer until deep golden brown.
- Remove from the cups immediately and serve hot. These are wonderful with butter and fruit perserves.
Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
People are always asking me what it was like to live, cook and work at the Manor. I thought I would do a post today about that experience in my life. To be honest, it was, to a humble girl from a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada, a bit of a dream come true!
When I was a child I used to dream of one day living in a pretty cottage in the English countryside, but I never ever thought that this would be a dream of mine that would come true. When I moved over to the UK in 2000 that dream came a little bit closer to coming true for sure, but it still seemed to be pretty remote to someone like me.
I decided to go to culinary school when I first arrived in the UK. This was something which I had always wanted to do, and the time seemed right. I was an empty nester without any obligations, and so I took the courses I needed to take in order to be able to work in the food industry. I had always been a very good cook, and I had run my own coffee shop at one point in my life, and I had, in fact, worked as a pastry chef (sans training) when I was a very young woman.
After I graduated from Culinary school, I started looking for a job. I did not want to work in a restaurant. At the age of 46, I reallyfelt that was too old for the fast pace of restaurant work. Restaurant work is a young person's game.
There is a magazine in the UK called The Lady. It is one of the primary places that wealthy people advertise to recruit staff. I decided that I would try to find a job working for a private school or a family cooking on a much simpler and easier pace. I began looking at adverts in the magazine and applying for jobs.
I received call backs from several positions but there was one job in particular that appealed to me. and so I went down to Kent for an interview. It was to work as a Chef for an American family living in the U.K. Kent is one of the most beautiful counties in England. It is known as the Garden of England and is host to a lot of beautiful little villages.
I went down by train for the interview from Chester where I was living at the time. This was just about the longest job interviews I have ever had. I was there for the most part of the day. I was given a guided tour of the Estate and of the cottage that would be mine.
By the end of the day I was told that I had the job, which would include a decent wage along with the cottage, which was situated just down the lane from the main house which you see above.
It was a very lovely cottage and would be my home for as long as I worked at the Manor. It was cozy and comfortable and well situated. We had a large eat in kitchen/family room down stairs, a laundry room, and a walk in larder. There was a circular staircase leading upstairs where there was a reception room, two largish bedrooms, a room we called the library/office and two bathrooms.
This was only a small portion of the kitchen downstairs in the cottage. It was quite large, with loads of cupboard and counter space.
My job at the Manor entailed cooking for a family on a daily basis, five days of the week, breakfast, lunch and supper. I got weekends off and bank holidays, unless it was a special occasion and of course I needed to work extra hours when they were entertaining.
As well as cooking, I was responsible for cleaning the kitchen, larder and conservatory.
There was a huge larder just off the kitchen which had slate shelves. It was lovely and cool in there. Stored in there were a variety of specialized dishes/platters/etc. which would be required for specific occasions.
There was a small wine/alcohol section, an area with tinned/packaged goods, and an ice machine. There was also another refrigerator which came in very handy to store things when a dinner party was planned.
The kitchen was huge. I had access to a large sink with a garbage disposal a professional sized electric/gas stove, a gas burning AGA and every electrical appliance you can imagine. On the other side of the cooking area was also a dining area which was never actually used for eating for the whole time I worked there, but served as an area to provide welcome drinks when guests were arriving for a luncheon or brunch.
There were a multitude of cabinets, some of them glass fronted, which held a variety of silver and china, crystal, etc. I was also responsible for the maintenance of these. The ceiling was oak beamed. The walls were lined with copper utensils. I was also responsible for polishing all of the silver and copper. There was not only silver in the kitchen, but a huge cupboard across from the laundry room that was filled with it from the floor to the ceiling.
Working there cured me from ever wanting to have any copper, silver, or crystal for myself. It was a lot of work keeping these things up to par, and during those years I did enough of it to last me a lifetime.
Everything was beautiful however and I have to say it was a wonderful opportunity for me to get to work in a beautiful environment with some of the finest equipment and ingredients.
Every day meals were quite ordinary. Much the same as anyone would eat. In the mornings I would make breakfast for the Mr. who usually had toast and jam, coffee, juice. The Mrs. would have 3 mini bran muffins, a glass of my homemade fruit smoothie and 2 prunes. The recipe I used for the bran muffins was this Refrigerator Bran Muffin recipe. I kept a big jug of that in the refrigerator at all times.
It was only ever very occasionally that they would want anything else for breakfast. Occasionally he would like some scrambled eggs and toast, and if they had guests I would cook full breakfasts to order. Bacon, eggs, sausage, etc.
Lunches were also very simple affairs. He might ask me to make him a sandwich, or sometimes I would make a pizza and have it in the refrigerator that he could eat whenever he wanted. A tray of Deviled Eggs was kept in the refrigerator at all times and I would often make a homemade soup for him to enjoy with his sandwich. He also liked to munch on cold chicken and there was also always a tray of crisp vegetables with homemade dip in there for snacking.
Every day suppers were also very simple. Usually just some sort of protein with some vegetables on the side. They did not eat carbs such as rice, pasta or potatoes on a regular basis. Dinner would be simply some beef, pork, chicken, duck, or fish (usually salmon), and 3 or 4 simply cooked vegetables as well as a salad. Dessert was also not an every day thing, although the Mr. did like me to cook my Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fudge Walnut Brownies on a regular basis.
On Chocolate Chip Cookie days, all the staff made a visit to the kitchen. They all adored my cookies, and would pop into the kitchen, one at a time for a freshly baked cookie.
The Ladies' Luncheons were a different matter. These were much more involved and required a lot of work in preparation. The Mrs. would entertain ladies for luncheons several times a month. They would consist of drinks served in the kitchen upon arrival, usually Elderflower cordial as well as an assortment of finger foods. Not too many, only one or two because the ladies were always watching their weight. Small nibbles only.
There would usually be a soup course to begin, with perhaps some cracker breads or tiny muffins on the side. It would only be a simple soup like Potage Crecy.
The soup was often served in these vegetable shaped ceramic soup dishes which each had their own lids to keep them warm. They were all different shapes and very pretty.
The main course would usually be a salad of some sort, sometimes grilled chicken with a few vegetables, or salmon. All very dainty, and of course, beautifully presented.
There would be a dessert to finish. A favorite of the ladies was the Frozen Lemon Souffle which would have been prepared by myself as small individual souffles and served with some berries or a coulis.
There would be iced water and a variety of wines to serve with each course and chocolates and coffee to finish.
I loved doing the luncheons. Sometimes they would be held outside on the patio, but more often than not they were held in the conservatory, which was just off the kitchen. (See photo above.)
I did all of the planning, shopping, prepping, cooking and serving. I was also responsible for setting and dressing the table, an example of which you can see above. Plus all of the clean-up afterwards. I tried to pick dishes that I could do in advance for the most part for the first and dessert courses. That way I had only to really concentrate on the main course on the day.
They involved long hours of preparation, and many hours spent on my feet on the day, but I loved the challenge of being able to pull it all together and I can tell you, they were always very happy with what I had prepared. I was right in my element, and, as tired as I would be at the end of it all, I always felt a great sense of accomplishment when it was done, and really enjoyed all of it. They were considered to be quite casual affairs.
As fun to plan and prepare as the luncheons were, the dinner parties were what I loved doing most of all! I planned, cooked and served dinner parties for as few as 6 or 8 people and as many as 25. Usually six courses, including the coffee's and chocolates afterwards.
Dinner parties were always quite a bit more elaborate and involved a lot more in terms of preparation and effort. They were silver service and consisted of appetizers and drinks upon arrival, usually served in the main reception room. I would usually prepare 3 to 4 different appetizers. Some favorites were this delicious Smoked Salmon Spread with crisp breads, boiled Quails Eggs, Toasted Cheese Rounds, Smoked salmon on little rounds of brown bread with lemon, etc.
Another favorite were these Stilton and Walnut Shortbreads which were served spread with cream cheese and topped with a dollop of Mango Chutney and a toasted walnut half. Real party fare.
Following the appetizers and drinks there would be a first course. (This photo above is of the dining room, but dressed for a luncheon rather than a dinner party. Dinner parties were always silver service.) The first course was usually a soup dish or a fish dish. She was very fond of stacked salads. I had special rings to stack things up in. You would set the salads up in the rings, on plates, and then once they were set remove the rings for service. Things like this Layered Cobb Salad would be a prime example.
Following the first course (starter) there would be a main course. This could be any number of things. Lamb, Beef, chicken, fish, etc. Accompanied with a variety of vegetables and of course the special dinner rolls that I would have baked earlier in the day. This recipe on Cooking Classy is very similar to the party rolls I used to make for the dinner parties.
I plated everything very judiciously. Small dabs of each thing, artfully placed, so as not to overwhelm appetites. It took some getting used to. I was used to family service prior to working at the manor and had to really learn to restrain myself when I was plating up. With five or six courses being served they didn't want overly large helpings of anything.
They really were very elegant affairs.
Following the main course there would be a dessert course. Typically I would prepare two to three different desserts. Usually a chocolate one, a light one and then a cake of some sort. I tried always to pick desserts that I could make well ahead of time that I wouldn't have to do for when it came to the actual day. These Baby Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes were very popular.
Lemon Possets were another favorite.
After dessert there would be a cheese course. Prior to cooking at the manor I had a very timid cheese palate. I soon learned that in order to put together a delicious cheese tray I needed to know what I was doing and so I learned to love cheese.
I would prepare a large silver tray holding a variety of cheeses and fruits with special silver scissors meant to be used to clip off little sprigs of grapes. Normally there would be a hard cheese, some semi hard cheese, a soft cheese, a conversational cheese and a variety of fruits. Perhaps some wedges of apple, grapes, ripe figs, etc.
A silver biscuit barrel would also be passed at the table for the guests to enjoy a variety of crackers and biscuits with their cheeses. Small bread and butter plates with special silver knives would have been laid for them to spread their biscuits, cheese and fruits on.
As they were enjoying their cheese course I would be preparing the coffee course.
We always used a large wooden antique tray for this with handles. A hand crocheted antique lace cloth would be places over top and then the coffee things would be placed on top of the cloth. Small demi-tasse cups with silver spoons, and a silver basket covered with a doily and filled with a variety of quality chocolates.
By that time my work would have been almost done for the day. I would be busy clearing, cleaning and washing up. Leftovers, if any, would have been covered and refrigerated. The silver and crystal hand washed and put away and the dish washer would be humming.
Normally I would clean up the coffee things the next morning. That way they were free to socialize as they wanted and I could go home and get a well deserved good night's sleep before work the next day.
All did not always run smoothly. I remember the first Thanksgiving dinner I cooked, the turkey burned. It was a really large turkey and I had it in the electric oven. I went back to our cottage for a wee break and when I returned it was to discover that the bottom of the turkey was burning. It was so large that it was too close to the bottom element . We quickly ran to the shops, picked up two smaller ones and the first one was used as a show piece (elaborately garnished with plenty of parsley) and the guests were served meat from the other two. We did have a great laugh over that one.
The Mrs. said that it wouldn't be Thanksgiving if nothing happened to the turkey!
All in all I really enjoyed my years working at the Manor. I got to work in a beautiful environment with the finest equipment and ingredients. I got to stretch and expand my culinary skills more than I had ever thought myself capable, and I left there with a really good reputation intact.
So much so that a few years ago, they contacted me from their home in the Bahamas asking me could I come to work for them again. They said I had been the best Chef that they had ever had working for them. The offer included a cottage on the beach, etc. I had to turn it down though. I was very content now to just do what I am doing and to be near my family. I do admit I was very flattered to have been asked to return, however, and I was really chuffed that they thought so highly of me.
It really was a great experience and one that this simple girl from rural Nova Scotia had never thought that she would ever get to live. Living and working in a beautiful spot in the Garden of Kent. If I had my life to live over again, this experience would always be a part of it. Through it I learned a great deal about fine cooking and dining, proper service, and entertaining on a grand scale. This I will always be grateful for.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
One of the things I really like doing as a food blogger is being afforded the opportunity to enjoy food in new places and venues. Restaurant Reviews don't happen really often, but when they do, I am always really happy to do try something new!
I was recently contacted and asked if I would like to enjoy a meal at the new Comptoir Libanais which had recently opened up in Cheshire Oaks, which is a huge shopping complex not too far from where I live. I was offered a meal for two on the house. The Comptoir Libanais dining experience promises to bring the delicious flavours of Lebanon and the
Middle East to the the British customer. With a myriad of bright colours
and flavours the food reflects the stunning interiors of all the
restaurants.
Founded by Tony, Kitous, there are a number of Comptoir Libanais restaurants now open in the UK, each one offering a fabulous Lebanese dining experience. It has always been Tony's desire “to create a place for everyone to eat and drink in humble
and friendly surroundings that is affordable for all”, so to see the Comptoir family expand in
England's North West brings much joy to Tony and the team. Comptoir has a strong
presence in the North with restaurants in Leeds and Manchester and Cheshire was the
natural next location.
I brought my friend Tina along with me to enjoy the experience and from the moment we entered the restaurant we were struck by the authentic feel of it, the bright colours, the delicious smells and fabulous atmosphere. It felt just as if we had stumbled onto a wonderful Souk somewhere in the Middle East, with a vibrancy in colour and a truly down home feeling. The colours were a treat for the eyes and everyone was quite friendly and helpful. At first there was some confusion as they weren't expecting us, and didn't appear to know anything about it, but that was quickly sorted by the very capable and friendly staff which showed us to a nice window side table where we could view the whole restaurant from. I loved the colour and feel of the furnishings. Brightly coloured and patterned vinyl seating, and red painted wooden chairs, mixed with a red striped bench seats vie for your attention along with beautiful mosaic tile patterned floors and fabulous pendulum lighting. I found myself wanting some of those light fixtures for my own home. The walls were lined with pictures of famous people wearing colourful Fez's and beautiful handbags which were for sale, silver tea pots, also for sale.
It felt so authentic and real. We both knew instantly that we were in for a real treat. I think about the only thing that was missing was some music. I think a bit of Middle Eastern music playing in the background would be nice, but this is such a busy and happening place and filled with a mosaic of people's, speaking different languages etc. We felt comfortable and at home. Tina remarked that she felt as if she had been dropped into the middle of a lovely Eastern Bazaar. I felt the same.
The menu is made of recipes which Middle Eastern and Lebanese mothers use at home including Tony’s mother. Comptoir is a place that serves food all day from breakfast until dinner. It is a restaurant where everyone can eat casually and the food is served with warm and friendly hospitality, just like back home in the Middle-East and North Africa. Breakfast is an important meal in the Arab culture, the menu includes dishes such as Shakshuka - a classic dish made up of slow cooked tomatoes, red onions and peppers mixed with parsley, coriander and garlic. Topped with a fried egg and crumbled feta and served with pita. Alternatively , Man’ousha flat bread or full Lebanese breakfast.
The all day menu includes a huge variety of different dishes from a large selection of hot and cold mezze which are ideal for a quick snack or to share with friends and family. All the usual dips, salads and dishes are also available, from Baba Ghanuj to Marinated Jawaneh - Chargrilled marinated chicken wings with garlic, lemon & pomegranate molasses. Warm Lebanese wraps (served with a Comptoir salad and pickles) are especially popular, as are the Marinated Grills and Tagines.
No Lebanese meal is complete without something sweet there is a selection of Baklawa and Lebanese desserts, which are delicate, fragrant and delicious, such as Dark Chocolate Orange and Cardamom Cake. Refreshing homemade lemonades such as Romana - orange blossom water and pomegranate lemonade and Rosa - rose, lemon and lime lemonade, as well as Fresh Rose Mint Tea , served in a silver teapot are the perfect accompaniments to the meal as well as freshly squeezed juices, cocktails and a selection of Lebanese wines and beers, specially imported from the Bekaa Valley.
We were really spoilt for choice. They offer a variety of drinks for their customers. Hot drinks such as teas, coffees, chocolates (both European and Middle Eastern choices) along with a variety of wines, beers, spirits, cocktails and cold drinks. We don't drink alcohol, tea or coffee, but were keen to try some authentic Home-made Lebanese Lemonades.
Tina chose for herself a Toufaha, which is an Apple, Mint and Ginger lemonade. (regular £2.95)
For myself I ordered a Roza, which was Lemon and Lime, with Rose Syrup. (Regular £2.95) Oh boy, but both drinks were amazing! We tasted each other's (of course!) and I loved both flavours. The Toufaha was spicier than the Roza, but both were deliciously pleasant and served with plenty of ice and a lovely paper straw! (Yay!)
There is a huge selection of Mezze, both hot and cold, available, along with a variety of Dips, Soups, and Salads. The people next to us were having a Mezze platter for two and it looked fantastic. You can also get a Mezze Platter for one. We knew we wouldn't have room for that, along with a main and dessert.
We didn't want to overly fill up before our main course, so we ordered two separate Mezze to share. All were moderately priced, ranging from £2.95 for a selection of pickles to £6.25 for the Lamb Kibbeh.
Lamb Kibbeh (3 pieces) (£6.25) - Minced lamb cracker wheat parcels, filled with lamb, pine nuts and onion, served with a mint yogurt sauce.
Cheese Samboussek (£5.50) - Pastry parcels filled with Halloumi & Feta cheese, topped with sesame seeds, served with mint yogurt sauce.
I think our favourite of the two was the Cheese Samboussek, but both were delicious. The Lamb was nicely spiced, and not greasy in the least, with a crisp crust and flavourful filling. I love Kibbeh, and this was very good, not too spicy, but well flavoured.
The Cheese Samboussek, had lots of filling and we both fell in love with it. Tina wanted to show you the insides. Both dishes came with a delicious creamy dip and pickles. I wasn't sure what the pickles were, but we both enjoyed them. There was a type of hot pepper, and a crisp green stick with we think was cucumber, but my favourite were the pink ones, which you can't see here because I had already eaten it. It was so good. I saw jars of them for sale, so when we go back (and we will because we want to bring our husbands with us) I am going to buy some for here at home. Seriously tasty! Both Mezze were a nice size and not overly filling, which was a plus for me as I don't want to already be full before my main course arrives. A good Mezze should whet the appetite for what is to come and these did just that!
They are a variety of warm Wraps on the menu ( Falafel Lamb Kofta, Chicken Taouk, Halloumi & Olive) all served with a Comptoir salad and pickles. You can also get a Wrap platter. There are four different kinds of Large Salads, with vegetarian and vegan options. There are also Grill options and Fattets, several favourites, and Tagines along with a variety of sides available.
For our main, we again chose two different options which we planned on sharing. They didn't bat an eyelid when we asked for two separate plates. Let me tell you, it was really difficult to choose only two things. I could easily have eaten everything on the menu. It all sounded very appealing!
One choice was the Chicken Moussakhan (£11.95) - Roasted marinated half baby chicken in pomegranate molasses, walnuts, and sumac onion confit, served with Comptoir salad & Vermicelli Basmati Rice.
THIS WAS GORGEOUS!
The portion was very generous, the chicken was well flavoured and tender. Delicious with a crisp skin. I normally take the skin off my chicken, but I ate the skin, I couldn't help myself. The salad was nice and well prepared with a lovely dressing. (I have had some pretty manky salads in restaurants over here) This salad passed my salad test. I also really enjoyed the rice. I love Vermicelli rice. This had a faint flavour of chicken stock. All told, we were both very pleased with this option.
For our other option we ordered the Lamb & Prune Tagine (£12.50) - Tender pieces of lamb with prunes, butternut squash, roasted almonds and sesame seeds. We chose couscous as the go with.
This was also delicious, with plenty of prunes, lamb, squash and a nice thick gravy. It was nicely spiced with a really fruity flavour, which went very well with the sweetness of the lamb. The lamb was so tender it fell apart.
A variety of sides are also available on the menu . . . rice, couscous, olives, quinoa, Batata Harra (Lebanese spiced fries), Hommos, and a selection of pickles.
There are plenty of options for dessert and the sweet tooth! Dark Chocolate & Red Rose Berries Cake sounded good. So did the Orange and Almond Cake, the Mango and Vanilla Cheese Cake and the Chocolate Brownie. There are also Baklawa and ice cream or frozen yogurt. We wanted something really authentic and light so we chose the Orange Blossom Mouhalabia and a selection of Baklawa.
Orange Blossom Mouhalabia £5.45 - a traditional Lebanese milk pudding with date, fig, apricot, prune and sultana compote.
Can you say TO DIE FOR! This is what we wrote down . . . Smooth, silky, light and satisfying . . . this was a clear favourite. We had no problem polishing it off and the compote went beautifully with it. It almost tasted faintly like Turkish delight. We are so in love with this, that I am now looking for a recipe to make it at home. We want it for our Christmas lunch dessert!
The Baklawa (£4.95) was amazing also. I love, LOVE Baklawa. It is like one of my favourite things on earth. There was a very generous serving of six pieces. It was all delicious. You can also buy the Baklawa in the "Souk" along with a multitude of other goodies.
With an ample Breakfast Menu, a Children's Menu, as well as a Takeaway Menu, there something here for everyone, and every occasion.
We were very happy with our meal. It was well prepared, delicious and the servings quite ample. The service was excellent. The atmosphere was excellent. All-told this was a very positive experience for both of us. Lunch for two, with drinks, excluding tip, came to about £50.00. All in all we gave this dining experience a perfect 10 out of 10! It is a very family friendly restaurant as well. The couples sitting next to us had small children with them. I loved the colour and the vibe of the place. There is also an upstairs. Washrooms are available, both regular on the upper floor, and a Handicapped accessible on the main floor. Very clean.
We will return for sure.
Many thanks to Comptoir Libanais, Cheshire Oaks for this really enjoyable dining experience!
Special notes -
Tony started his entrepreneurial flair from a young age selling lemonades and sandwiches outside his home on the street in Algeria. This drive inspired him to come to London with very little and grow the restaurant business that he has today. The authentic journey of flavours from the regions where Tony spent his childhood and where he still regularly travels now, continuing to source ingredients and decorations that will enhance the intoxicating eating experience of the Middle East.
The food is available to eat in the restaurant or to take home back to the office or to your home. Takeaway food is part and parcel of Middle Eastern culture and so Comptoir Libanais s proud to offer this service to guests at the Cheshire Oaks restaurant. Not only this, but the team will soon be launching an exclusive delivery service with Deliveroo . Comptoir Libanais will, therefore, provide the perfect option for eating at home or for picking up on the way back from work.
The restaurant also offers a large dedicated children’s menu with an activity pack and colouring in section to keep the little ones entertained. Priced at £5.95 it includes a main course, drink and dessert and includes favourites such as Halloumi Halloumi platter with falafel and hommos and Chicken wings with hommos and Lebanese fries.
About Comptoir Libanais
There are 23 restaurants across London and around the country, including Manchester, Bath, Leeds, Reading, Birmingham, Oxford and Exeter. Comptoir Libanais also has a branch in Holland and is in the process of expanding further internationally, with restaurants in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
Founded in 2008 by Tony Kitous, the name means Lebanese Counter, as it is a place where everyone can eat casually and enjoy Middle Eastern food, served with warm and friendly hospitality, just like back home.
www.comptoirlibanais.co.uk
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