Tried and tested family recipes of MasterChef winner Sophie Thompson
EX-EASTENDERS star and Celebrity MasterChef winner Sophie Thompson puts her tried and tested family recipes into the spotlight.
Celebrity MasterChef winner Sophie Thompson shares her tested family recipes
Seedy super paella
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp chilli oil
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 skinless chicken breast fillets (about 175g/6oz each), chopped into bite-sized pieces
1-2 tsps sweet smoked paprika
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
150g (5¼oz) chorizo, peeled and chopped
1 small red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 small yellow pepper, deseeded and sliced
300g (10½oz) paella or risotto rice
300ml (10½fl oz) dry white wine
500ml (17½fl oz) hot chicken stock
A large pinch of saffron
100g (3½oz) fresh or frozen peas, defrosted if frozen
225g (8oz) raw peeled jumbo prawns, defrosted if frozen
A few stalks of thyme or rosemary
300g (10½oz) mussels (optional), cleaned and de-bearded
Salt and pepper
Heat the oils in a large, wide sauté or paella pan (if you don’t have any chilli oil, use a little more vegetable oil). Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes over a medium heat until golden.
Toss the chicken in the paprika and add to the pan. Sizzle and stir for a few minutes until it is browned. Add the chopped garlic, chorizo and peppers then stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
Add the rice and stir to coat well. Add the wine, stock and saffron, give it all a good stir, then leave to simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Don’t be tempted to stir it again – in Spain, a slightly crispy layer of rice on the bottom of the pan is known as socarrat and is completely authentic.
Scatter over the peas then push the prawns, thyme or rosemary stalks and mussels, if using, into the rice. Discard any mussels that do not close when tapped sharply. Season to taste.
Cover the pan with a lid or foil (to allow the mussels to steam) and cook for a further 7-8 minutes. Take a peek to make sure everything looks cooked – you may need to add a little more stock. Remove any mussels that haven’t opened then turn off the heat and leave to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Treat the family to tasty Thai fish cakelets
Thai fish cakelets
Serves: 4-6 (makes about 16)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
1 stick of lemongrass, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
A handful of fresh coriander
The zest and juice of 1 lime
1 small red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 small green chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 heaped tbsp desiccated coconut
½ red pepper, deseeded and chopped
3 kaffir lime leaves, fresh or dried
Salt and pepper
400g (14oz) skinless and boneless white fish fillet such as cod or haddock, roughly chopped
2 tsps vegetable oil
2 tsps toasted sesame oil
Sweet chilli sauce and lime wedges, to serve
Put the lemongrass, garlic, ginger, coriander, lime zest, half the lime juice, chillies, coconut, red pepper, kaffir lime leaves and some seasoning in a food processor then blitz until chopped really fine. You may need to stop halfway through and scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure it is well combined.
Add the fish and pulse gently until it is all mixed together (don’t overdo it, as you want the cakelets to have a good texture). Transfer to a bowl.
Rub the remaining lime juice over your hands to stop the mixture sticking and start shaping it into little fishcakes – you should get about 14-16. Place them on a tray in a single layer and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to firm up.
You’ll need to fry these in 2 batches, so when you are ready to cook, heat half of each oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the fishcakes for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden on the outside and cooked through in the middle. Try to avoid fiddling with them too much while they are in the pan, as they are quite fragile.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve on a wooden board with the sweet chilli dipping sauce and lime wedges, Chopped spring onions and cucumber are also a fragrant addition.
Sweet, sticky and nutty chicken packs a tasty crunch
Sweet, sticky and nutty chicken
Serves: 4-6
Prepararation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
900g (2lbs) boneless and skinless chicken (breast and thigh), cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsps soy sauce
1 heaped tsp ground ginger
1 heaped tsp garlic paste
2 tsps soft brown sugar
125g (4½oz) unsalted peanuts
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
8 spring onions, trimmed and cut into 4cm (1½in) lengths
1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tsps cornflour
2 tbsps mirin (Japanese cooking wine) or dry sherry
2 tbsps rice vinegar
200ml (7fl oz) chicken stock
The juice of ½ lime
The juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp chilli flakes
100g (3½oz) bean sprouts
Place the chicken in a large, non-metallic bowl then add the soy sauce, ground ginger, garlic and sugar. Mix well, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, but 8 hours is ideal.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4.
Put the peanuts into a small roasting tin and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes, giving the tin a shake a couple of times. Allow to cool then place in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin until they are lightly crushed. Set aside.
Heat a wok until hot then add the oils. Add the spring onions and chilli then stir-fry for a minute. Toss the chicken in the cornflour then add to the wok with the marinade. Stir-fry for about 7-8 minutes until browned all over.
Meanwhile, mix together the mirin, rice vinegar, stock, lime juice, lemon juice and chilli flakes then add to the wok. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 25-30 minutes, stirring regularly. As the liquid reduces down, the sauce will get sticky and start coating the chicken.
Stir through the bean sprouts, scatter the bashed peanuts over the top and serve.
Tam’s coconut and lentil dhal is a superb side or marvellous main
Tam’s coconut and lentil dhal
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
A generous knob of butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
250g (8¾oz) dried red lentils
1x400ml (14oz) can of coconut milk
300-450ml (10½-14oz) chicken or vegetable stock
The juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper
A handful of coriander leaves
Heat the butter and oil in a big pan over a low heat. Add the chopped onions then cook for about 15 minutes, until softened. Stir in the turmeric, add the garlic, ginger and chilli then cook for 2 minutes, stirring.
Add the lentils, coconut milk and 300ml (10½oz) of the stock. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook gently, partially covered, for about 30 minutes. The dhal will thicken as it cooks, so if you like a slightly looser dhal, add more stock. (At this point you could turn the dhal into a soup by adding more stock and whizzing to a smooth consistency.)
Squeeze over the lime juice then taste and adjust the seasoning.
Serve scattered with coriander leaves, with some plain boiled rice or as a heavenly side for any curry.
Coffee mallow mousses are a decadent dessert
Coffee mallow mousses
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes plus chilling
Cooking time: 5 minutes
2 gelatine leaves
400ml (14fl oz) freshly made strong coffee
300g (10½oz) marshmallows (about 40 large)
300ml (10½fl oz) double cream
2 chocolate Flakes
Place the gelatine leaves in a small bowl of cold water and set aside for about 5 minutes to soften.
Pour the coffee into a large pan and add the marshmallows. Place over a medium heat and stir continuously – the mixture will bubble up, so beware. When all the marshmallows have melted, remove from the heat and set aside.
Squeeze the soaked gelatine leaves gently and add to the coffee and marshmallow mixture. Mix well until the gelatine has dissolved and set aside to cool.
Whip the double cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Pour the cooled coffee mixture into the cream and gently fold until combined. Pour into 6 individual ramekins and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Just before serving, cut the Flakes lengthways into chocolate shards and use them to decorate.
All recipes are taken from Sophie’s book My Family Kitchen (Faber & Faber, £22), which is out now. To order a copy, see Express Bookshop; expressbookshop.co.uk.