All Bran Loaf

From time to time I get an urge to bake. I'm not a great baker but there are a few baked treats that I do amazingly well, even if I do say so myself!

This recipe for All Bran loaf is great, there are just five ingredients, i don't use weighing scales just grab a tea cup or mug out the cupboard, mix everything up and pop it in the oven and it turns out great every time.


INGREDIENTS
1 cup/mug All Bran
1 cup/mug Milk
1 cup/mug Self raising flour
½ cup/mug Sugar
1 cup/mug Dried mixed fruit (you could even mix in some of your favourite nuts)

METHOD
1) Pre-heat the oven to 325°F / 170°C.

2) In a bowl put in the All Bran and milk, let this soak for a few minutes.
Once soaked add the self raising flour, dried fruit of your choice and sugar and mix until well combined.

3) Pour the mixture into a well greased baking tin and place in the oven for about one and a half hours. If you check it by placing a skewer in it, when it comes out clean its ready. Take it out of the tin and allow to cool on a wire cooling rack.

4) Serve with a cup of tea and butter.

Giddy Kippers

A friend a while back introduced me to a little sandwich shop in Calverley called Giddy Kippers. I always try and call in if I'm in that part of Leeds around lunchtime.

The shop is for take away mainly but does have three stools along the back wall for those wanting to eat in. The standing area in front of the counter feels a little tight if there are more than four of you waiting.

They serve a selection of hot and cold sandwiches, salads, jacket potatoes and cakes all made fresh on the premises. The sandwich selection is a lot more adventurous than most shops featuring the Italian Club - chorizo, salami, dolcelatte cheese, sweet pickled pepper, green leaves and mayo or the Smoked salmon, cream cheese, black pepper, lemon juice and cucumber.
The sandwiches come on a traditional breadcake or you can choose to have a baguette or ciabatta for an extra 20p. They are all made to order and wrapped individually in grease paper. The sandwiches are top notch but you have to pay top notch prices for them, they start at £2.20 for an egg mayo with most around the £3 mark.

They offer a range of homemade salads from Ginger and chilli noodle salad to coleslaw. I've found the portion sizes for the salads vary massively. Not good when your super hungry and you open your carton thinking it must have come open and some fell out. The cakes on the other hand are portioned generously and the bakewell tart is a must for any frangipane lover.

Great sandwich shop shame they are city centre prices.


Giddy Kippers
62 Carr Road
Calverley
Leeds
LS28 5RH
0113 255 6444
Website



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Red Chilli

Red Chilli say they are a restaurant with a mission to enchance your experience in Chinese food, they certainly manage that with the varied menu, they have the standard Chinese dishes but for the more adventurous why not try the Sea Cucumber and Assorted Meat Caserole or the Dry Braised Frog's Legs with Onion, Mangetout, Red Pepper in Big Grandma's Chilli Sauce Stew.
Amongst there accolades they won the Tsingtao Legacy of Taste award for the best Chinese Restaurant in the North of England 2008.

We had visited Red Chilli on Great George Street before and was impressed with the food so thought we would try the lunch menu. They do a Standard 3 course set lunch (£9.00) or Executive Choices (King Prawn, Duck, Fillet Steak or Sliced Cod Fillet) 3 course set lunch (£12.00)

The set lunch consists of Soup, Dim Sum and Main Course. I opted for the Beijing Hot and Sour Soup which was as the name suggests if a little watery. For the Dim Sum course I had Spring Rolls that were lovely and crisp served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. The main course is the choice of Beef, Chicken, Pork, Mutton, Mixed Vegetables, Beancurd or the Executive choices cooked in one of eleven sauces served with boiled or egg fried rice. I had beef cooked in satay sauce with egg fried rice all cooked perfectly. I also ordered a check bottle of Tiger beer (£3.50) to wash it all down.
The portion sizes were just right for a lunch time, I went away feeling full but not stuffed as you sometimes can. Defiantly the best Chinese restaurant in Leeds City Centre.


Red Chilli
6 Great George Street
Leeds City Centre
LS1 3DW

0113 242 9688

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AA Rosette Winning Restaurants in Leeds

Everyone loves going out for a meal but there is nothing worse than spending your had earned cash on a meal and coming away feeling disappointed.

Be sure of getting a great meal at these six restaurants who have been awarded AA rosettes. AA rosettes are awarded annually on a rising scale of one to five based on an inspector visit. Award is based solely on the quality of the food.

AA say "About 10% of restaurants nationwide are of a standard that is worthy of One Rosette and above".


Casa Mia Grande - Awards | 1 AA Rosette
33-37 Harrogate Road
Chapel Allerton
LS7 3PD

0113 239 2555

Website


Malmaison Brasserie - Awards | 1 AA Rosette
1 Swinegate
Leeds City Centre
LS1 4AG

0113 398 1000

Website

Check out my review here.


Anthonys - Awards | 1 AA Rosette
19 Boar Lane
Leeds City Centre
LS1 6EA

0113 2455922

Website


Calverley Grill - De Vere Oulton Hall Hotel - Awards | 1 AA Rosette
Rothwell Lane
Oulton
Rothwell
LS26 8HN

0113 282 1000

Website


City Cafe - Mint Hotel Leeds - Awards | 1 AA Rosette
Granary Wharf
Dark Neville St
Leeds City Centre
LS1 4BR

0113 241 1039

Website


The Restaurant - Awards | 1 AA Rosette
Thorpe Park Hotel and Spa
Century Way
Thorpe Park
Cross Gates
LS15 8ZB

0113 264 1000

Website




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Apple Crumble

We had some apples to use up so rather than leaving them another half week and then having to throw them out I made an apple crumble.

I'm not a big fan of cooking with apples, yet there is something about that yummy crumble topping that I love no mater what fruit I have it with. The best has to be plums or rhubarb when they are in season.

INGREDIENTS
For the crumble
300g plain flour
180g brown sugar
200g salted butter
Knob of butter for greasing

For the filling
450g apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp of ground cinnamon

METHOD
1) Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2) Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking the butter rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3) Put the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour, cinnamon and mix well.

4) Butter a 24cm/9in ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.

5) Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.

Serve with ice cream, custard or my favourite thick cream.

Baan Thai

Unless you live in Morley you probably won't have heard of Baan Thai. After several different recommendations we thought we would give it a go and boy we weren't disappointed.

The restaurant is tucked away around the back of Commercial Street with only a small sign directing you to its compact car park, keep your eyes peeled as you could easily drive past and miss it.

The converted mill building has high wooden ceilings, bamboo blinds, original hand carved artefacts and the staff, who can't do enough to make sure your dinning experience is special, wear traditional dresses.

On arrival we were shown to our table and offered a drink, they stock imported Thai beers and wines as well as an extensive selection of European wines and beers.

The menu it's set out in a similar format to most eastern restaurants with main courses categorised into the dish type with about 90 dishes to choose from as well as 3 set menus for those of you who are indecisive.

As there were a group of us we thought we would go for a selection of dishes and share. For  starters we ordered Baan Thai mixed starters for two (£6.50 per person) containing chicken in batter, prawn toast, spare ribs and chicken satay. Deep fried spare ribs (£5.25) and deep fried stuffed chicken wings served with sweet chilli sauce (£5.25). There is nothing healthy about the starters but certainly some of the best around.

For the main dishes we choose stir fried pork with seasoned garlic and white pepper (£8.40), beef massaman curry (£9.10) a traditional dish from southern Thailand served in a medium spicy sauce with potatoes and onions. Chicken green curry with coconut milk, courgettes and sweet basil (£9.00). The green curry is by far the best I've had, a lovely green sauce and moist chicken. To accompany them we had egg fried rice (£2.75) and Thai style fried noodles with mixed vegetables. (£4.15).

If you have room, the desert menu is a bit of a let down with the choice of either ice cream or banana fritters, but if like me the banana fritters bring back a bit of nostalgia and kerb you sweet cravings.

Baan Thai is a hidden gem, if you enjoy Thai cuisine forget the rest in Leeds and give them a try. All the food tastes super fresh and is very flavoursome. If you intend to go on a Saturday make sure you book as it does get busy but it's no surprise why.

They have an Early Bird menu (£11.99) Available from 6-7pm Tuesday - Thursday
& Sundays. Choose a starter and main course (excluding seafood dishes) with either steamed or egg fried rice accompanied with tea or coffee.



Baan Thai Restaurant
51d Commercial Street
Morley
Leeds
LS27 8AG

Telephone 0113 253 5328

Website



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James Martin Announces New Leeds Resturant

If like me you are an avid viewer of Saturday Kitchen you will be thrilled with the announcement earlier this month of celebrity chef James Martin opening a restaurant in Leeds.

The ground floor of Alea casino at Clarence Dock, which was previously called the Fig, will be the location of the aptly named Leeds Kitchen. It's his first UK restaurant to open in 10 years. He currently operates two restaurants aboard Ocean Village cruise liners and is a partner in Cadogan & James delicatessens in Winchester.

The Leeds Kitchen is due to open end of March, the menu is to feature “best of British” cuisine using as much local produce as possible in a "contemporary, fine-dining establishment".

There aren't any details on Alea's website yet but don't think it will be long as it will be a big draw for the casino.

Looking forward to seeing the menu and getting down there to try the food!


Alea Leeds
4 The Boulevard
Clarence Dock,
Leeds,
LS10 1PZ

Telephone: 0113 341 3200

Website

Malmaison Brasserie

With it being valentines day I thought I would treat my fiancée to a bouquet of flowers and a nice meal out. I had heard that the brasserie at Malmaison was putting on special valentines pixe fixe including a cocktail from the bar list for £45.

Keeping with the theme of valentines each course contained one choice which was available to share.

When we arrived we were told our table was ready but was asked if would like a drink in the bar first, as we were both hungry we opted to be seated, with our drinks order taken and offered fresh bread with served with butter and tapenade while we perused the menu.

To start we chose the lobster macaroni, baby spinach and Riesling sabayon to share. It served swiftly on a wooden board between us for us to potion on to our individual plates. The lobster macaroni was served in a hollowed out French baguette. The dish was luxurious and comforting although I didn't particularly like the texture of the bread with the sabayon sauce. For main course we sat eagerly awaiting the fillet of dry aged beef, smoked pommes puree and glazed shallots served with seasonal veg (crushed sweed and boiled new potatoes). We weren't disappointed the beef was cooked medium rare as requested and was so tender. The smoked pommes puree was the surprise on the plate, lovely smoky taste, I'm going to have to try and recreate them at home. The jus complimented the whole dish and the veg cooked just to my liking. For dessert we selected the valrhona chocolate fondant and pistachio ice cream. We told it would be 15 mins as it was cooked to order, this was fine as we wanted time to chat and let the first two courses settle. The fondant was served and was umptiously gooey inside, the ice cream was nice but the chocolate over powered the flavour of the pistachio.

The meal was lovely the staff very attentive. Although the bill for the two of us came to £108 including drinks, we do recommend you go and try it out for yourselves. They strive to keep there produce local which is shown in their cooking, lovely fresh flavours. They often run special promotions the current one I noticed was two courses, a bottle of wine and coffee for two people for £30. Well worth a visit.



Malmaison - Leeds
1 Swinegate
Leeds
LS1 4AG

0113 398 1000

Website