Coconut oil has quickly become a staple household ingredient in recent years thanks to its health benefits and versatility for everything from cooking to whipping up some DIY natural beauty products. One celebrity chef who loves to use the oil in her cooking is Gizzi Erskine, who has teamed up with The Groovy Food Co to share recipes for two of her favourite dishes, along with her top tips for introducing coconut oil into your own meals.
"I've been using Organic Virgin Coconut Oil for a long time now, it's good to see that it's moved out of the health food shops and become a kitchen staple across the country," Gizzi said. "It's a really versatile oil to cook with, its delicious flavour profile adds another dimension to dishes that complement the mild, fragrant coconut flavour. I use it in baking, rich curries or even to help bind and thicken shakes or smoothies."
Gizzi utilises coconut oil for both sweet and savoury dishes including her delicious dairy and wheat free fondant and Vietnamese Pancakes with Prawns. Click through for the recipes…
Dairy and Wheat Free Chocolate Fondant
"If I was to tell you that this dairy, wheat and gluten free fondant was the best I've ever tasted you wouldn't necessarily believe me…well it's here, and what-do-ya know – it's actually really GREAT…, better even. So indulgent, same wickedness, but there's something about the flavour of the coconut that, I don't know… just really smashes the whole thing to the next level. Give it a go and see…"
Makes 5
Ingredients:
• 120g The Groovy Food Company Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, melted, plus around an extra 20g for greasing
• 2 Tbsp Cocoa powder
• 100g Great quality 70-80% dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 2 Free range eggs
• 2 Free range egg yolks
• 120g The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Sugar
• 1 tbsp The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour
Preparation time - 20 minutes
Cooking time - 25 minutes
Method:
1. Heat oven to 200C and put a baking tray on the middle shelf. 2. Brush the inside of 4 small pudding or 'dariole' moulds with the melted organic virgin coconut oil. (Grease it in a double layer of oil, then cut out tiny rounds of greaseproof paper a little bit smaller than the base of the mould and fit them to the greased base.) Grease the top of the paper again with more organic virgin coconut oil.
3. Then put the cocoa in one of the moulds and turn it to coat the inside with a layer of the powder as to line it, holding it over the second mould to catch any that escapes. Repeat with the other moulds.
4. Put the main volume of organic virgin coconut oil, 1 tbsp cocoa powder and chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over, but not touching, a pan of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted.
5. Stir in the coconut flour, and then allow to cool for about 15 minutes.
6. Using electric beaters, whisk together the whole eggs, yolks, coconut sugar and a pinch of salt until pale and moussey (the mixture should almost double in volume), this will take 3-4 mins.
7. Gently fold in the melted chocolate mixture, being careful not to knock out too much air.
8. Spoon into the prepared moulds, stopping about 6mm from the top. Chill for at least 1 hour. (The great news is you can make these the day before you want them.)
9. Put on a hot baking tray and cook for 15 minutes exactly until the tops are set and coming away from the sides of the moulds and it's souffled a spot.
10. Stand for 30 seconds, then serve in the moulds or turn out onto plates.
Serving Suggestions: Great with clotted cream or plain ice cream or good quality dairy free ice cream in vanilla or salted caramel.
Vietnamese Pancakes with Prawns
"Everybody loves a pancake, but this is a something a bit different. The addition of the coconut flour and coconut milk, gives these a great flavour which works perfectly with the fragrant herbs and sweetness of the prawns. The traditional way to eat these is to cut them into strips and wrap up in a lettuce leaf to form a delicious little fresh and crunchy parcel. I've used coconut sugar instead of the traditional palm sugar in the Nuoc Cham sauce, as not only is it easier to work with, it provides a caramel note which works really well. I recommend using a non-stick pan to cook the pancakes to prevent them sticking as they can be a little delicate."
Ingredients:
Filling:
• 2 Tbsp The Groovy Food Company Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
• 12 Raw prawns, peeled and deveined, and halved length ways
• 1 Onion thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 100g Bean sprouts
• A Head of romaine lettuce separated into leaves
• Handful of Thai basil leaves
• Handful of coriander, leaves picked
• Handful of mint leaves
• ½ Carrot peeled and cut into matchsticks
Nuoc Cham Sauce:
• 2 red Thai bird's eye chillies, deseeded if you prefer
• Juice of 2-3 limes
• 2 tbsp Fish sauce
• 2 tbsp The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Sugar
• 1 tbsp Rehydrated tamarind paste
Pancake:
• 1 tbsp The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Flour
• 2 tbsp Rice flour
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 200ml Coconut milk
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 tbsp Finely sliced spring onion
• 4 Free range egg whites
• The Groovy Food Company Organic Virgin Coconut Oil for frying
Method:
1. First make the pancake batter. In a food processor, mix together the flours, turmeric, coconut milk, salt, and egg whites, and blitz until smooth.
2. Stir in the spring onions, and set to one side.
3. For the Nuoc Cham sauce, mix together the chillis, lime juice, fish sauce, coconut sugar and tamarind paste in a bowl, and set to one side.
4. In a small nonstick frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the organic virgin coconut oil over a medium heat until very hot.
5. Add the onions and fry for 1 minute, followed by the prawns and carrots, and stir fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
6. Next stir through the oyster sauce, soy sauce and bean sprouts. Remove from the heat and spoon out onto a plate.
7. Return the pan to heat, adding a teaspoon of oil. Ladle the pancake batter into the pan, tilting to spread evenly, and cook until the pancake is just starting to crisp.
8. Add half the prawn mixture to the pan, cover, and cook for a further 2 minutes, until the underside of the pancake is crisp.
9. Fold the pancake in half and cook for a further two minutes, until the outside of the pancake is crisp and the inside is soft but cooked.
10. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter and filling.
11. To serve, cut the pancake into slices, bundle it into a lettuce leaf and wrap with some extra herbs. Dip into the sauce and scoff!