Recipes

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Fish & Chips

Fish & Chips

Ingredients

  • For the Fries

  • 6 large russet potatoes

  • 1 quart peanut oil

  • Salt to taste

  • For the fish

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • ½ tablespoon baking powder

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 6 ounces stout beer cold, or more as needed

  • 4 fillets white fish cod, haddock, tilapia

  • ½ cup cornstarch for dredging

  • vegetable oil for frying

Directions

  • Give the potatoes a good wash and then pat them dry with paper towels. Slice the potatoes into ½-inch sticks. Soak for at least an hour and up to overnight. Rinse twice in cold water and then dry thoroughly.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the beer until the batter is completely smooth and free of any lumps. Place the batter in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill.
  • Heat the fryer or Dutch oven to 300°F. Fry potatoes for 5-6 minutes working in batches. Place the cooked potatoes on a paper towel lined plate.
  • Heat up the oil to 350°F (177°C). Start by lightly dredging the fish in the cornstarch. Then in small batches dip the fish into the beer batter and then immerse it into the hot oil.
  • Once the batter sets, turn the fish over and cook for about 2 minutes or until golden brown. When the fish is done, remove it from the hot oil and place it on a roasting rack to drain.
  • Turn the heat up to 400°F and fry each batch a second time until they are crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes.
  • Then serve the fish and chips with some malt vinegar, tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

Notes

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Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • ½ teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 cup packed brown sugar

  • ½ cup white sugar

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 1 egg

  • 1 egg yolk

  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

  • Pulverized freeze-dried raspberry (7 oz, 2 tbsp sieved)

  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
  • Divide in half. Add raspberry powder to half and cocoa powder to half.
  • Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
  • Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

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Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

Old-Fashioned Beef Stew

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

  • 1 pound beef stewing meat, trimmed and cut into inch cubes

  • 5 teaspoons vegetable oil

  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

  • 1 cup red wine

  • 3½ cups beef broth, homemade or low-sodium canned

  • 2 bay leaves

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of herbs de Provence

  • 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

  • 5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch rounds

  • 2 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • Maybe 1 tbsp WorstChesterSauce?

Directions

  • Season the meat with salt and pepper and 1/2 tablespoon of herbs de Provence. Combine the flour with more salt and pepper in a bowl, add the beef and toss to coat well. Heat 3 teaspoons of the oil in a large pot. Add the beef a few pieces at a time; do not overcrowd. Cook, turning the pieces until beef is browned on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch; add more oil as needed between batches.
  • Add more oil as necessary and saute the onions.
  • Add the vinegar, wine and tomato paste. Cook over medium-high heat, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the beef, beef broth and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.
  • Cover and cook until the beef is tender, about 1½ hours. Add the carrots and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Add broth or water if the stew is dry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

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Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Men

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Men

Ingredients

  • 5 to 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • ¾ teaspoon salt

  • 3 teaspoons ground ginger

  • 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon

  • 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar

  • 1 large egg, at room temperature

  • 1 cup unsulfured molasses

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  • Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium until smooth. Add the molasses and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture 1 cup at a time, blending until smooth. The dough should gather into a semi-firm mass. (If it’s not firm, add another 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour, but not enough to make it crumbly.)
  • Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide in half. Flatten into disks and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.
  • Preheat oven to 350° F. On a floured surface, roll each disk to 1/8 inch thick. Use gingerbread-man cutters to make shapes. Transfer them to a large, parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Decorate, if desired. Bake until firm to the touch, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly before transferring to a rack.

Notes

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Cut-Out Sugar Cookies (3x recipe for lots of cookies)

Cut-Out Sugar Cookies (3x recipe for lots of cookies)

Ingredients

  • 3 cup unsalted butter chilled and cubed

  • 3 cup granulated sugar

  • 3 egg

  • 6 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 4.5 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1.5 teaspoon salt

  • 9 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking pans with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the egg, vanilla, baking powder, and salt, and mix until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, only mixing until the dough just comes together. Give it a final mix with a rubber spatula, folding and pressing it together, to ensure all of the flour is mixed in.
  • Separate the dough in half and work with one piece at a time, roll the dough ¼-inch thick. Cut out shapes as desired and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 1 inch of space between cookies.
  • Bake until the cookies look set and are slightly firm to the touch but still pale, about 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

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Jelly Bowl Cookies

Jelly Bowl Cookies

Ingredients

  • 4 sticks (1 pound) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon salt

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 4 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

  • Jelly of some type: strawberry, raspberry or apricot, or a combination

Directions

  • In bowl of a stand mixer. Beat together the butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy. Beat in yolks, one at a time, until combined, then add vanilla and beat until smooth. Beat in flour gradually until just combined.
  • Measure out 16 grams per cookie into balls and arrange about one inch apart on baking sheets. Make an indentation with a half teaspoon in the center of each ball of dough and fill with about as much jelly.
  • Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until edges are pale golden, about 12 minutes. Store between layers of wax paper in airtight containers up to six weeks.

Notes

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Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped pecans

  • 2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1/3 cup powdered sugar

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350. Position rack in the upper third of the oven, place parchment on cookie sheets.
  • Toast then cool pecans, about 6 minutes on 350.
  • Beat butter, salt, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed until very fluffy and well blended. Add the pecans and the flour and mix until combined.
  • Portion cookies out into 14g balls. Space about 1 1/4 inches on cookie sheets. Bake until golden at the edges, about 12-15 minutes. Rotate sheet halfway through baking for even browning. Let them stand until cool enough to handle and firm. Toss them in a bag with remaining powdered sugar. Save sugar and toss them again once fully cool.
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Earl Grey Tea Cookies

Earl Grey Tea Cookies

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

  • 4 tablespoons Earl Grey tea leaves, from approximately 12 tea bags

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Directions

  • Heat oven to 375° F. Pulse together all the dry ingredients in a food processor until the tea leaves are pulverized.
  • Add the vanilla, 1 teaspoon water, and the butter. Pulse together until a dough is formed. Divide the dough in half. Place each half on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a 12-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter.
  • Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
  • Slice each log into disks, 1/3 inch thick. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are just brown, about 12 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

Notes

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Cranberry Orange Biscotti

Cranberry Orange Biscotti

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 2 1/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 6 teaspoons orange zest

  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 3 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 6 teaspoons baking powder

  • 6 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 6 cups all purpose flour

  • 3 cups sweetened or unsweetened dried cranberries

  • Milk or cream of your choice for tops

  • Raw sugar for sprinkling

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
  • In a small bowl combine the sugar with the orange zest and mix together with your fingers, massing the zest into the sugar so the flavor really incorporates. Add the sugar to the body of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed with the butter, salt, and vanilla until mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs. Lower the mixer speed, and add the flour and baking powder, mix just until smooth. The dough will be very soft and sticky, but should be able to hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Stir in the cranberries.
  • Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet, and shape it into a rough log about 16 inches long. It will be about 2 1/2 inches wide and about 1 inch thick.
  • Bake the dough at 350 for 25 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let cool on the pan for 25 minutes.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F. Cut the biscotti into 3/4-inch slices. Place the biscotti upright on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for another 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Notes

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Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Flourless Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Ingredients

  • 3 cups powdered sugar

  • 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 2 to 3 large egg whites

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • Cooking spray

  • Flaky salt (optional)

Directions

  • Place 3 cups powdered sugar, 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add 2 large egg whites and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Stir with a rubber spatula until no lumps of cocoa or powdered sugar remain, and you have a loose, shiny dough similar to a very thick brownie batter. At first the mixture will seem too dry to combine, but will eventually come together. If after 3 minutes of mixing the dough is still too dry, stir in the remaining egg white.
  • Stir in 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
  • Divide the dough into 12 portions (about 2 heaping tablespoons each). Using your hands, roll each portion into a ball. Arrange them evenly on the prepared baking sheets, 6 per sheet. Sprinkle with flaky salt if desired.
  • Bake for 7 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the tops of the cookies are cracked, shiny, and no longer look wet, 5 to 7 minutes more. Let cool completely on the baking sheets, at least 1 hour. (The cookies will stick to the parchment paper when warm but will release when cooled.)

Notes