CONTINENTAL FOOD

CHEESECAKE

Ingredients
For the base:
200g digestive biscuits, crushed
1p0gp butter, melted
80g0 demerara sugar
For the cheesecake:
130g0 soft margarine
550g caster sugar
1100g curd cheese
80g plain flour
finely grated rind and juice of 4 lemons
8 eggs, separated
400ml double cream, lightly whipped
For the topping:
900g mixed summer fruits (strawberries, raspberries, red and blackcurrants, blackberries)
caster sugar, to taste
2 tsp arrowroot
300ml double cream, whipped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3. Lightly oil a 25cm/10in loose-bottomed round cake or spring-release tin, and line with greased greaseproof paper.

2. Mix together the ingredients for the base, spread over the base of the tin and press down firmly with the back of a metal spoon. Leave to set.

3. For the cheesecake, measure the margarine, sugar, curd cheese, flour, lemon rind and juice, and egg yolks into a large bowl. Beat until smooth. Fold in the cream. Whisk the egg whites stiffly then fold into the mixture. Pour on to the biscuit crust.

4. Bake in a preheated oven for about 1½ hours or until set. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for a further 1 hour to cool. Run a knife around the edge of the tin to loosen the cheesecake and push the base up through the cake tin. Remove the side paper.

5. For the topping, cook the redcurrants, blackcurrants and blackberries in 2 tbsp of cold water, add the cooked fruit and liquid from the pan. Return to the pan, allow to thicken and then leave to cool. Stir the raspberries and strawberries into the other fruits then pile on top of the cheesecake, leveling out evenly. Decorate the edge of the cheesecake with piped or spooned whipped double cream.

CONTINENTAL FRESH VEGETABLE SOUP

Ingredients :
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
100 g cabbage, shredded
50 g peas
50 g sweet corn (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
2 pints (1 liter) water
1 vegetable stock cube
Freshly ground black

Method :

1. Place all the vegetables in a large pan with the water.
2. Cover and bring to a boil.
3. Add the stock cube and simmer for 1 hour.
4. Add a generous sprinkling of black pepper to taste.
5. Allow to cool, and then place in a food processor or liquidizer on high speed

CHICKEN ROASTED

Main Ingredients:

Whole Chicken : about 2 Kg (4-5 lb)
Butter: 3 tbsp ( room temperature)
Tomato: 1 large
Lemon : 1 large
Garlic: 3 cloves
Onion: 1 large
Rosemary : 1 tsp dried or 2 tsp fresh ( Thyme also works well)
Lemon Juice: 1/2 Cup
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Clean the chicken and remove any extra from cavity of the chicken.
2. Slice the onion and mince the garlic.
3. Place the chicken in a big zip-top plastic bag and pour the onion, garlic and lemon juice and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
4. Remove the chicken, cut lemon and tomato in two wedges. Sprinkle salt inside the cavity and then stuff the lemon and tomato wedges inside the chicken cavity.
5. Slide fingers under skin of breast and upper part of legs, loosening skin. Spread butter and rosemary under skin on breast and upper leg meat. Tuck wings underneath bird.
6. Preheat the oven to 350F. Roast the chicken uncovered about an hour and half, until a thermometer inserted into chicken thigh reads 180F.
7. Remove cooked chicken and cover with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.