Showing posts sorted by date for query bread pudding. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query bread pudding. Sort by relevance Show all posts
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
The recipe I am sharing with you today is one I adapted from a recipe I found on a site called From the Larder. It is called Bramley Apple & Mincemeat Pudding.
It is perfect for this time of year, and in fact would make a lovely holiday dessert for Christmas or Boxing day.
At its base is a layer of Bramley cooking apples which are chopped and mixed with some lemon juice, zest and brown sugar . . . .
I think in North America you could use any good cooking apple in the place of Bramley.
Bramley Apples are fabulous cooking apples. Large, flattish round apples with a green skin and red blush these are fabulously tart apples.
They have a beautiful white flesh that cooks down into a frothy pulp which makes them ideal for cooking with. They make beautiful applesauce and crumbles.
They are incredibly tart however . . . I cannot see anyone ever being able to eat one raw without any sugar.
I remember making an apple pie with them when I first moved over here and it was soooooo sour!
They make really great Baked Apples also because they hold up well when baking, but the insides bcome lovely and frothy.
A good North American substitute for them would be a Granny Smith or a Gravenstein.
In any case a layer of these apples, chopped, gets spread out in a baking dish and topped with a sweet cake batter . . .
Its a pretty basic vanilla sponge, with equal parts fat, sugar and flour, with some leavening agents added and spoonsful of prepared mincemeat.
Over here you can get many different varieties of mincemeat this time of year . . . the store shelves are bulging with choice.
I would choose a good basic mincemeat, unless you have made your own.
Homemade is always the better choice and generally speaking I make my own each year. My recipe makes about a pound of mincemeat which is about enough to make 3 dozen mince pies/tarts.
Yield: 1 pound
*Homemade Mincemeat*
A delicious blend of dried fruit, nuts, spices, brown sugar and brandy. (I use apple juice)
ingredients:
150g of currants(1 cup)
125g of raisins (3/4 cup packed)
25g of blanched almonds, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
1 knob of preserved stem ginger, finely chopped
1 eating apple, peeled and grated
50g of shredded beef or vegetable suet (1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
the finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
2 TBS brandy
1 TBS dark muscovado sugar
125g of raisins (3/4 cup packed)
25g of blanched almonds, finely chopped (1/3 cup)
1 knob of preserved stem ginger, finely chopped
1 eating apple, peeled and grated
50g of shredded beef or vegetable suet (1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch of ground cloves
the finely grated zest and juice of one lemon
2 TBS brandy
1 TBS dark muscovado sugar
instructions:
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside for at least 12 hours to macerate. Transfer to glass jars, seal and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. This will keep a good long while.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Failing the desire to make your own, just use a good store brand. Six TBS of this gets stirred into the cake batter which is then spread over the chopped apple in the baking dish.
You pop it into the oven where it bakes until the apples are succulent and soft and the cake batter is all risen and golden brown.
Ready to be spooned out warm into bowls and topped with your favourite go-withs . . . warm custard (Todd's preference), pouring cream or scoops of a good Vanilla bean ice cream.
This is so very delicious. Pudding here is a name which is used to describe a dessert . . . and they come in many shapes and sizes and types from crumbles and bakes to cakes and stodgy steamed concoctions (Think Plum Pudding here) and everything in between.
Bread and Butter pudding is a real favourite here in this house as well as Sticky Toffee Pudding, and after today this pudding has become another favourite that I know I will be making often for my husband.
Its nothing short of delicious with that jammy apple on the bottom, that sweet spicy sponge on top and of course with the custard/cream or ice cream on top. Altogether, quite, quite delicious! You won't want to miss this!
Yield: Serves 6
Apple & Mincemeat Pudding
prep time: 15 minscook time: 45 minstotal time: 60 mins
If you are like me you have an abundance of mincemeat in your larder during the holidays. This is a very delicious way of using some of it. A light and fluffy spiced cake, studded with currants and raisins, baked atop sweetened chopped apple. Serve warm with custard, cream or ice cream.
ingredients:
2 large cooking apples, peeled and diced
the finely grated zest and juice from 1/2 lemon
2 TBS soft light brown sugar
150g butter, softened (2/3 cup)
150g caster sugar (fine granulated sugar, 3/4 cup)
3 large free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 TBS prepared mincemeat
150g plain flour (1 cup all purpose + 1 heaped TBS)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS whole milk
You will also need:
1 tsp caster sugar for sprinkling
warm custard, single cream or ice cream to serveinstructions:
Preheat the oven to 170*C/325*F/ gas mark 3. Butter a shallow baking dish. Set aside.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Mix together the apple, lemon zest and juice and brown sugar. Pour into the prepped baking dish.
Cream
together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs
one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and mincemeat. Stir in the flour
mixture just to combine. Stir in the milk. Pour the batter over the
apples in the dish. Spread out evenly.
together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs
one at a time. Stir in the vanilla and mincemeat. Stir in the flour
mixture just to combine. Stir in the milk. Pour the batter over the
apples in the dish. Spread out evenly.
Bake
for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the
centre comes out clean. Sprinkle the caster sugar over top just prior
to serving. Serve spooned out into bowls with your desired
accompaniment.
for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the
centre comes out clean. Sprinkle the caster sugar over top just prior
to serving. Serve spooned out into bowls with your desired
accompaniment.
Created using The Recipes Generator
I will include my recipe for custard as well so you don't have to go hunting for it.
Yield: about 3 cups
Proper Custard
This is also known as creme anglaise. Be sure not to let the mixture boil once the eggs are added, or you will end up with a curdled mess. You only need to heat it up enough to cook the eggs. The custard is ready when it coats the back of a wooden spoon.
ingredients:
8 egg yolks
75g caster sugar (a generous 1/3 cup)
300ml whole milk (1 1/4 cup)
300ml double cream (1 1/4 cup)
1 vanilla pod, split
75g caster sugar (a generous 1/3 cup)
300ml whole milk (1 1/4 cup)
300ml double cream (1 1/4 cup)
1 vanilla pod, split
instructions:
Beat
the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until well blended. Place
the milk and cream in a saucepan with the vanilla. Scrape the insides
of the vanilla pod into the mixture before you add it. Bring the
mixture just to the boil.
Pour a little of this mixture into the
eggs to temper them, and beat it together well. Pour this back into the
pan and whisk together. Return to the heat and using a whisk, lightly
stir until it begins to thicken. DO NOT BOIL.
As the egg yolks
warm, the cream will get thicker and create a custard. Keep stirring
until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and
pass through a fine sieve. Leave to cool a bit before using. Serve warm
or allow to cool completely,stirring occasionally.
the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until well blended. Place
the milk and cream in a saucepan with the vanilla. Scrape the insides
of the vanilla pod into the mixture before you add it. Bring the
mixture just to the boil.
Pour a little of this mixture into the
eggs to temper them, and beat it together well. Pour this back into the
pan and whisk together. Return to the heat and using a whisk, lightly
stir until it begins to thicken. DO NOT BOIL.
As the egg yolks
warm, the cream will get thicker and create a custard. Keep stirring
until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and
pass through a fine sieve. Leave to cool a bit before using. Serve warm
or allow to cool completely,stirring occasionally.
Created using The Recipes Generator
I think this is a dessert for the holidays that your family is really going to love. It is not complicated in the least and is sumptuously delicious. Delicious enough to serve as a light alternative to a heavy Christmas Pudding on Christmas Day!
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!
A while back I had bought a Lemon Panettone at Costco. I adore Panettone and I absolutely adore lemon . . . it had to be good! How could I resist!
Fluffy and sweet, riddled with lemon cream and studded with bits of candied peel, it had to be good right? Wrong. Well, I wasn't exactly fond of it anyways, which says a lot as I am a true blue lover of all things lemon. It was fluffy and sweet, and there was lemon cream throughout it . . . but the lemon peel. I did not like the lemon peel. The texture and taste jarred with my taste buds.
I knew Todd wouldn't go for it either. He is not fond of lemon anything at all, and if I didn't like it he was highly unlikely to either. He does, however, adore a good bread and butter pudding. Of all the desserts I think it is one of his favourites.
I have made bread and butter puddings with the leftover Panettone at Christmas, many times . . . so it was not much of a stretch to make one with this panettone. I just followed the same recipe as I always use.
With fresh butter, free range eggs and whole milk and rich cream . . .
I added vanilla and orange extracts . . . and a tiny bit of sugar.
Slices of the panettone were buttered and cut up and layered in a dish . . . .
I poured the custard over and then I baked the pudding in the oven in a bain marie, which is a fancy way of saying that you put the dish into a roasting pan and add hot water to come partway up the sides of your pudding dish . . . ie. a hot water bath. Make sure your roasting tin is easy to put into and take out of the oven. I have made that mistake before, and transferring it can be a tiny bit awkward. I now use a roasting tin with handles whenever I use this method.
This is the best method for cooking delicate dishes such as this, without breaking or curdling them. Its a simple thing, but very effective. Your pudding will be done when it is golden brown, and mostly set with just a slight wobble in the centre.
Once it was baked, I let it cool a bit and then dusted it with icing sugar to serve. It was sooooo pretty all done up in this winter-like coat . . .
Its like putting on a bit of lippy . . . it just lifts the appearance and the mood.
Served warm and wobbly, spooned into bowls with dollops of softly whipped double cream on top . . .
This was absolutely flippingly delicious!
So delicious that now I am going to have to go and buy another Lemon Panettone before Christmas so that we can have this again.
And that's the truth. The leftovers are awfully tasty served cold with a spoon right out of the refrigerator. Just saying . . .
Yield: 4
Lemon Panettone Pudding
prep time: 15 minscook time: 35 minstotal time: 50 mins
We were not exactly fond of the Lemon Panettone as a Panettone, but it sure made a wonderful bread pudding! Rich and delicious.
ingredients:
50g butter softened (3 1/2 TBS)
5 thick slices of Lemon Panettone
2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
142ml double cream (5 fluid ounces, whipping cream)
225ml whole milk (scant cup)
1/2 tsp orange extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS fine granulated sugar
icing sugar to dust
Lightly whipped cream to serve (optional)
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/gas mark 2. Butter a shallow baking dish and set aside. (Should hold 1 1/2 pints or 3 cups)
Butter your slices of Panettone on one side, and then cut into chunks. Place into the buttered baking dish, butter side up.
Whisk together the cream, eggs, milk, extracts and sugar. Pour over the bread in the baking dish.
Have
ready a large shallow roasting tin. Place the dish of Panettone into
it and fill the roast tin to half way up the sides of the pudding dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pudding is
golden brown and just set. It should still be yellow inside and a tiny
bit jiggly.
ready a large shallow roasting tin. Place the dish of Panettone into
it and fill the roast tin to half way up the sides of the pudding dish.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the pudding is
golden brown and just set. It should still be yellow inside and a tiny
bit jiggly.
Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with dollops of lightly whipped cream if desired.
Created using The Recipes Generator
You can also very easily cut this recipe in half. I did with great results. I do that with most everything I cook these days. With there only being two of us in the house, it only makes sense. Bon Appetit!
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