Little and large

TV Masterchef Matei Baran presents recipes from his new book Big Chef Mini Chef, created with the help of his son Armin in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust

Pictures: Stephen Beecroft

ELLA’S TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH LINGUINE CARBONARA

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 white onions

6 garlic cloves

500g minced turkey

1 tsp turmeric

salt and pepper

small bunch fresh dill

1 egg, lightly beaten

500g linguine pasta

olive oil

100g diced pancetta

400ml double cream

100g parmesan, grated or shaved

METHOD

For the turkey balls, pre-heat the oven to 160C/Gas 3. Finely dice 1 onion and 4 cloves garlic. Place in a bowl with the turkey mince. Add turmeric, salt and pepper, and mix really well. Add chopped dill and the egg, and mix again. Form mixture into small balls and place on a greased oven tray. Bake in the oven for 25 mins.

For the pasta, bring a deep saucepan of water to the boil. Add salt and a splash of oil, add the pasta, cook until soft with a little bite, stirring from time to time so it doesn’t stick together. Drain the pasta and stir through a drizzle of olive oil.

For the carbonara sauce, finely dice the remaining onion and garlic. Put a little olive oil in a frying pan, place over a moderate heat, add the pancetta, onions and garlic and fry until crisp and golden. Remove excess fat, pour the cream over and reduce by half. Add the pasta to the carbonara sauce, mix and divide into 4 bowls. Place 3-4 turkey balls on top of each and sprinkle over grated or shaved parmesan.

BAKED RED PEPPER WITH PILAU RICE, TOMATO SAUCE AND SOUR CREAM

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 onions

4 cloves garlic

2 celery sticks

olive oil

250g basmati rice, rinsed and drained

1 tbsp turmeric

1 cinnamon stick

1 litre vegetable

stock salt and pepper

4 large red peppers

1 carrot

500g fresh tomatoes, chopped

250ml tomato juice

150g sour cream

fresh dill tips to garnish

METHOD

Finely dice 1 onion, 1 clove garlic and 1 celery stick. Gently cook in a pan with a little olive oil until softened. Add rice, turmeric and cinnamon and cook for 2 mins. Add 600ml of the vegetable stock, cover and cook over a low heat for 20 mins. Season well. Remove from heat and set aside

Preheat oven to 160C/Gas 3. Cut the top off the red peppers and set aside. Remove the seeds and pith, scraping out gently with a knife. Stand peppers in a deep baking tin, fill each with the rice mixture and replace the top on each. Pour the rest of vegetable stock into the tin and bake in the oven for 30 mins.

For the tomato sauce, peel and dice the carrot, the remaining celery stick and onion, put in a pan with a little olive oil and cook over a medium heat until golden brown. Add chopped tomatoes and tomato juice, cover and cook over a low heat 30–40 mins. If too thick, add a cup of water. Season well. Put the mixture into a blender and whiz until smooth, then pass through a sieve.

Place a couple of small ladles of tomato sauce into each bowl. Put a pepper on top of the tomato sauce and serve with a dollop of sour cream, a sprig of fresh dill and the top of the pepper.

CAJUN KING PRAWNS WITH CHICORY SALAD, CROUTONS AND LIME DRESSING

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 slices white or brown bread

olive oil

salt and pepper

2 large heads chicory

100g tinned mixed beans, drained

100g tinned sweetcorn, drained

juice of 1 lime

16 king prawns, de-veined and peeled

2 tsp cajun spice mix 50g butter

1 small bunch coriander, chopped

METHOD

For the croutons, preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4, cut the bread into small cubes, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 10 mins until crisp and golden.

For the salad, wash the chicory leaves and place in a mixing bowl with the drained salad beans and sweetcorn. Squeeze over ¾ of the juice from 1 lime and a dash of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, mix and add the croutons.

For the prawns, heat a frying pan with a little olive oil, add the prawns, cajun spice and butter and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 mins, finishing with the remainder of the lime juice. To serve, put salad onto a plate, top with prawns and drizzle over some of the cooking juice. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

PARMO CHICKEN BURGER

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken breast

100g natural yoghurt

salt and pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp dried thyme

100g breadcrumbs

100ml olive oil

béchamel sauce (recipe below)

6 slices pepperoni

50g mozzarella (hard or soft type)

50g parmesan

2 brioche buns

posh coleslaw (recipe below)

4 baby gem lettuce leaves, washed

1 large tomato, sliced

METHOD

Butterfly the chicken breast and cut into 2 equal portions. Mix the yoghurt with a pinch of salt, crushed garlic and dried thyme. Put the mixture on top of the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Remove the chicken from the fridge and coat with breadcrumbs. Heat some olive oil in a pan over a moderate heat and fry the chicken for 2 mins each side. Remove from the pan and place on a baking tray, top with 1 tbsp béchamel sauce, sliced pepperoni, sliced soft mozzarella or some grated hard mozzarella, and parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 10 mins. Cut the brioche buns in half and toast gently in a frying pan.

On the bottom half of each brioche, spread over some coleslaw, followed by baby gem leaves, the chicken burger and sliced tomoato and top with the other half of the bun. Serve with fries and barbecue sauce.

BÉCHAMEL SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

500ml whole milk

1 bay leaf

2 onions, halved

2 cloves

50g butter

50g plain flour

METHOD

Gently bring milk to a boil in a pan with a bay leaf and the onion halves, each studded with a clove. Remove from heat, leave to infuse for 20 mins. Melt butter in a pan and add flour. Stir continuously until a paste forms. Continue cooking for 2 mins. Remove onion and bay leaf from the milk and discard. Add infused milk to the paste gradually, stirring until you have a smooth sauce. Cook over a low heat for 5-10 mins, stirring continuously until thickened. Season to taste.

POSH COLESLAW

INGREDIENTS

1 small red cabbage

1 onion

1 carrot

100ml white wine vinegar

sea salt

200g mayonnaise

METHOD

Shred the cabbage and place in a mixing bowl. Finely dice the onion and grate the carrot. Mix with white wine vinegar and season with sea salt. Cover with foil and refrigerate for a couple of hours. Remove from the fridge, strain the vinegar and mix with mayonnaise.

FRUIT TART WITH CUSTARD AND CRUMBLE

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 sheet ready-made puff pastry

600ml full fat milk

1 vanilla pod

3 egg yolks

25g caster sugar

2 tsp cornflour

1 punnet mixed berries

50g flour

50g chilled butter, diced

50g oats

50g brown sugar

edible flowers to garnish (optional)

fruit coulis to garnish (optional)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160C/Gas 3. Cut the puff pastry in half. Butter individual metal cookery rings and gently fold enough pastry into each to line it, forming little pastry cups. Place rings on a baking tray, prick pastry with a fork and bake in the oven for 15 mins. Set aside to cool then remove pastry from the rings, trimming any excess.

For the custard, gently heat the milk with the vanilla pod until just boiling. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour into a smooth paste. Add the milk and stir well. Strain the mixture into a clean saucepan and, stirring constantly, cook gently over a low heat until the custard thickens. Set aside to cool and refrigerate - overnight if possible or until set.

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. In a bowl, mix the flour, butter, brown sugar and oats with your fingertips until you have a crumble. Place on a tray and bake in the oven for 8 mins.

To assemble, ¾ fill each pastry case with the custard, arrange berries on top and sprinkle over some crumble mix. Garnish with edible flowers if available and garnish the plate with a little fruit coulis if you have it.

HOPEWOOD ACADEMY FRUIT SCONES

Makes 6

Hope Wood Academy in Easington Colliery, Co Durham meets the needs of students aged 2-19 years with a range of special needs. In December 2018, the Big Chef Mini Chef team worked alongside students there to create a festive afternoon tea. Matei says: “It was one of the most inspirational cooking workshops I’ve ever been involved in, the amazing young people at the school demonstrating that all anyone needs to do is try, and your life can always be filled with magic and joy.”

INGREDIENTS

350g self-raising flour

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

85g butter from the fridge, cubed

3 tbsp caster sugar

175ml milk, warmed

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g raisins

3 eggs + beaten egg for glazing

jam and clotted cream for serving

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl, add the butter and rub in with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, warm milk, vanilla extract and raisins and mix. Put on a floured surface and knead gently until it comes together. Roll out the dough to 4cm thick and using a round cutter dipped in flour cut into rounds. Brush with beaten egg and put on a baking tray. Bake for 12-15 mins until golden. Serve with jam and clotted cream.