Minted peas and beans

Christmas dinners are rich and filling with stuffing, potatoes and lots of meet quickly filling the belly, while even the sprouts are rather dense, so it is important to offer some light vegetables to help balance the plate, while an injection of colour never goes amiss.

This idea is delightfully simple so it does not really constitute a recipe, but more of an idea.

All you need is frozen peas and fresh beans, which can be boiled or steamed for five minutes or so. Then before serving spoon in a teaspoon or two of mint sauce and a knob of butter. It make a pleasant difference and some simple veg suddenly become worthy of their place on the festive table.

Read more...

Enhanced stuffing balls for Christmas dinner

Stuffing comes in two very different types. One is using sausage meat and the other comes in a dried packet and this recipe is using the dried type that you get in a packet and this will show you how easy it is to enhance it and make it something quite special.

One pack of dried sage and onion stuffing
370ml boiling water
10 cooked chestnuts
liver from the giblets (turkey or goose is good here)
knob of butter

1. As per the instructions of the packet mix the boiling water with the stuffing and add the knob of butter and leave to cool.
2. Chop the chestnuts into pea-sized pieces and add to the mixture
3. Sautee the finely chopped liver in a pan for a few minutes and add to the mixture
4. When it is all cool roll into snooker ball sized balls and place on a greased baking tray.
5. Place in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees with 20 minutes. 

Easy, tasty and festive!

Read more...

How To Roast a Free Range Bronze Turkey

Cooking a turkey for Christmas or Thanksgiving is a scary task that many people dread as more often than not it will end up dry and uninspiring and the centre piece of the feast is not enjoyed, yet we return to this traditional bird again and again.

I can't promise that what I am going to explain will help you with your turkey as there are so many factors that can influence cooking time - size of the bird, stuffing, temperature of the bird, size of the oven, strength of the oven and the amount of times you open the door to check on your bird.

However, this worked for me and resulted in a moist and juicy bird that was full of flavour, so fingers crossed it wasn't a one off.

Ingredient

1 Turkey (We used a 5kg bird)
50g butter (soft)
Half an onion
Half an orange
Half a lemon
Six rashers of streaky bacon
Salt and pepper

1. Start by removing the string from the turkey and take out the giblets for use in the gravy. Leave the bird to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, while the oven is heating to 220 degrees.
2. Place the onion, lemon and orange deep inside the bird, but we are not going to put any stuffing inside as it does little for the flavour and complicates the cooking time.
3. Mix the salt and pepper in with the soft butter and rub this all over the bird, including the legs and wings. You really want to get your hands dirty for this job, so don't hold back.
4. Take out a pre-heated tray from the oven and place the turkey breast down and put the pan in the oven for 20 minutes.
5. Now take the pan out of the oven, closing the door to keep the heat in, and turn the turkey over. Use a plastic turkey tester and insert it an inch from the breast bone towards the front of the bird. This will pop out when the turkey is done.
6. Turn the oven down to 170 degrees and wrap the turkey in foil so that the pan is covered but that the foil is not too tight to the turkey.
7. The turkey should need 2 hours 30 minutes from this point, but you can use the temperature tester for guidance and when it pops up check the juices are running clear.
8. 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil and lay on the bacon across the bird.
9. Leave the turkey wrapped in foil to cool for 30 minutes before carving and use any extra juices in the gravy.

Enjoy!

Read more...

Cooking a Christmas Feast

It has been a long time since I blogged but after cooking a Christmas feast I felt compelled to share it with you all, while helping myself remember what I need when it comes to cooking again in twelve months time.

This is what the menu consisted of and you can click on each item for brief instructions on how it was prepared.

Free Range Bronze Turkey or Honey glazed goose
Enhanced stuffing balls
Pigs in Blankets
Roast Potatoes
Root vegetable mash with breadcrumb topping
Celeriac puree
Sprouts, Chestnuts and Pancetta
Minted peas and beans
Syrup glazed carrots
Bread sauce
Roasted baby potatoes
Turkey gravy or Goose Gravy

I hope some of the above inspire you for your  next festive feast and I'd love to hear suggestions on what can be added to the list, although we may need a bigger table if anything else is added.

Read more...

Tandoori Lamb Joint

This is a perfect way to cooking up a small leg of lamb or shoulder. Don't worry about overcooking the lamb as the crispy edges are gorgeous.

Ingredients and method

Liberally rub in tandoori spices, garam masala and chili powder into the lamb and then drizzle over the juice of one lemon.

Leave for at least 12 hours before cooking for two hours at 200 degrees. Turn over the piece of meat half way through.

Use the resulting meat fresh out of the oven, or cold.

Read more...

Hot vindaloo-style lamb curry with cooling option

The curry recipe below is not in any way a replica of a vindaloo, famous in England for being one the spiciest curries, but it generates a similar level of intensity and fiery flavour. So, if you can handle the spice you might enjoy giving this a try, although using a cooler such as coconut yoghurt means you can lighten the heat if required.

Ingredients

400g small pieces lamb (ideally cut from a nice leg of lamb)
1 tbsp tandoori spice mix
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 onion
1 small garlic (puree together with the onion)
4 cardamon pods
3 cloves
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper corns
1 inch of chopped ginger
2 red and 2 green chilies
1 tbsp of tomato puree
1 tbsp of chili powder
400ml lamb stock (or water)
1 tsp salt

Method

The night before cooking this curry rub in to tandoori spice mix, chili powder and garam masala.
Using a pestle and mortar lightly grind the cardamon, cloves, coriander seeds and black peppercorns.
Heat some oil in a saucepan and when hot add the mixture that has been grinded.
After 30 seconds add the chillies and ginger.
Stir well and after a minute add the pureed onion and garlic.
After three minutes add the lamb and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add the tomato puree, table spoon of chili powder, salt and lamb stock and simmer for 30 minutes.

Mix in some coconut yoghurt to cool if necessary.

Read more...

Crisp choc and raisin biscuits

As biscuits go these ones are easy to make, so how about letting the kids give you a helping hand for a special treat. As with all biscuit/cookie recipes you can change a number of the ingredients depending on what flavours you fancy.

This makes roughly 14 biscuits:

Ingredients

120g soft butter

160g soft brown sugar

210g plain flour

1 egg

1 tbsp syrup 

1 tsp ginger powder

2 drips of vanilla essence

50g raisins

50g chocolate pieces 

Method

• Start by creaming the sugar together with the butter.
• Add the egg and whisk and then repeat with the syrup.
• Mix together the flour and ginger powder before folding it into the mixture.
• Mix in the remaining ingredients and then roll the dough into a rather thick sausage.
• Cool in the fridge until firm and then cut into slices.
• Put the slices on baking paper and cook in a pre-cooked oven at 170 degrees with 15 minutes.

Eat warm while the chocolate is soft, or wait for a very crispy biscuit. 

Read more...

Celeriac puree with honey

This side dish is often created on shows such as Masterchef and merely smeared over the plate as a smudge. However, do not dismiss it as a pointless bit of presentation or an attempt to make the dish sound classy. Celeriac puree is a very tasty side dish that would accompany roast lamb or beef superbly.

Ingredients

One large celeriac
25g butter
250ml milk
1 heaped teaspoon of thick honey
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Firstly trim the thick skin off the celeriac root and then cut it into cubes.
Place in a pan and cover in water and then bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Drain the water and leave the part boiled celeriac to one side while you melt the butter over a low heat.
Now add the celeriac and honey the pan and mix together.
Add the milk and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.
Using a hand blender turn the mixture into a puree, or a very soft mash.
Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with roast meat and gray.

Read more...

Syrup carrots - A sweet and juicy side dish

I love serving a good number of interesting vegetable side dishes with a roast dinner and this way of cooking carrots livens up this particular vegetable in a way that does not distract you from preparing the roast.

Ingredients

(Serves four)

8 medium carrots (quartered)
25g butter
1 tbsp syrup
1/2 tsp salt
50ml water

Method

Peel and cut the carrots (into what ever size you wish to be fair) and place in a wide-bottomed sauce pan.
Add the water, which should cover the bottom of the pan without submerging the carrots.
Turn on the heat and once the water starts to boil, reduce to a simmer and add the salt, butter and syrup and stir well.
Depending on the heat of your hob the water will boil away before long, so over the next 20 minutes add a splash of water when necessary.
The idea is that the carrots retain much of the water and its flavour and goodness is not lost by the usual boiling. Any liquid that is left in the pan is perfect for drizzling over the carrots for serving.

Read more...

Whiskey inspired liver and bacon surprise

The surprise in this recipe is the whiskey, which you can add liberally to the dish as the taste compliments liver superbly. Liver and bacon is traditionally served with mash, but it also works well with plain rice, especially as this recipe has a great deal of sauce.

Ingredients

4 rashers of smokey bacon
250g of pigs liver
1 large onion
50g of frozen garden peas
1 tbsp of plain flour
1 tsp of white pepper
1 tsp of celery seeds
1 tsp of coriander seeds
2 tbsp of whiskey
500ml of beef stock

Method

Start by frying the bacon, which is best cut into thin strips, in a hot pan (no oil needed) for five minutes. Cook for a little longer if you like your bacon crispy.
Remove the bacon and fry the chopped onion in the same pan until soft. Remove the onion
In a bowl mix the liver (chopped into bite sized pieces) with the flour, white pepper, salt, celery seeds and coriander seeds.
Heat some oil in the same pan as you used to cook the bacon and onion and then add the liver.
fry for 7 or 8 minutes, moving the liver around the pan regularly as you don't want it to go tough in places.
Remove the liver and with the pan still on the heat add the whiskey, shortly followed by the stock and stir well to get all the flavour off the pan. You could make a little roux sauce before adding the stock to help thicken the stock.
Now add the frozen peas, liver, bacon and onion to the pan, or if your pan is shallow place all the ingredients in a saucepan.
Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Check for seasoning before serving.

Serve with plain rice and steamed spinach.

Read more...

Quick Banana Bread Pudding

This is quite possibly the quickest and easiest sponge pudding I have ever made. It doesn't look fantastic, but it tastes great, while it is almost impossible to ruin. Get the measurements wrong, or the cooking time wrong and it just creates something different, but still lovely to eat.

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas
100g butter
100g muscavado sugar
100g self-raising flour
2 tsp of cinnamon powder
25g sultanas.
2 eggs
a splash of milk


Method

Start be melting the butter and then mash in the bananas (ripe is best here).
In a bowl mix together all the other ingredients and then mix it in well with the banana mush.
Place the mixture, which if too dry can take extra milk, in a 6inch squared dish.
You can either cook this in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or in a microwave on full power for 10 minutes.

Cook it too much and it can turn crispy, which I love. Cook it too little and it can still be runny in places, which I also love. So all in all, you can not go wrong!

Read more...

Chorizo and seafood paella recipe - Amazing

Paella is a specific Spanish dish and this recipe is not one that follows the traditional, so I should probably come up with another name for this dish. However,  I can not think of anything that will describe it better than a Chorizo and seafood paella in a rich chicken stock sauce. If anyone reads my blog and wants to try a dish from it I urge you to choose this one. It is amazing and I am happy to say so without any fear of being called arrogant. Try it for yourself and see.

Difficult - moderate
Serves - 6 (make some and freeze the rest)

Ingredients

400g of paella rice
2 Chicken wings
2 uncooked chorizo sausages
200g of raw king prawns
200g of mussel meat
50g pancetta
1 onion
4 garlic cloves
1 inch of root ginger
1 tomato
2 spring onions
10 chopped babycorns
100g of frozen peas
1 sprig of sage
2 handfuls of chopped coriander
1 chili
1.5 litres of chicken stock
150ml of white wine
2 tsp of paprika
salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. This may sound lengthy, but stick with it and you'll create a meal that can soon become your signature dish.
2. In a little vegetable oil fry the chicken wings for five minutes over a high heat, turning often, but allowing the chicken to get crisp. 
3. After five minutes add one chopped chorizo sausage and the pancetta and stir for another five minutes over a high heat. 
4. Turn down the heat to low and instantly add the chicken stock. Stir for three minutes and turn off the heat. The chicken stock will now add to its flavour from the chorizo and chicken wings to create an astonishing chicken flavour.
5. In a new pan heat a little oil and then add chopped chili, ginger, garlic, onion and the remain chopped chorizo sausage, which will add to the oil and the colour at this stage.
6. After five minutes add the paprika (and chili seeds if you like a really spicy dish) and then add the rice. Stir well for a minute to coat the rice.
7. Add the white wine to a hot heat and then after the wine has reduced turn the heat down to a medium/low temperature.
8. Now spoon add the following ingredients, namely the stock (and the chorizo, pancetta and chicken wings), sage, tomato (roughly chopped), salt and pepper (no more than a teaspoon of each), peas and babycorn.
9. Simmer for 15 minutes so that the sauce begins to thicken.
10. Add the chopped spring onion, coriander, prawns and mussel meat and simmer for a further five minutes.

Stir well and serve on its own, or with warmed olive bread.

I love serving this dish with quite a bit of sauce remaining, but it would do no hard to simmer a bit more if you wish to reduce the liquid further.

Please let me know if you attempt this dish as your feedback would be much appreciated.

Read more...

Spicy tomato and chicken tandoori curry

I have a number of curry recipes, which I love to make, but I have no idea how to name them or describe them, or even if they are a curry. If the dish involves certain spices I end up calling it a curry, such as this one, which is rich with coriander, cumin and tandoori mixed spices. If anyone has a suggested name for this I would love to hear from you.

Ingredients

300g of diced chicken - I used fillets of chicken thigh
1 onion
1 tsp of chopped root ginger
1 medium/hot red chili
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp tandoori mixed spices
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tbsp tomato puree
4 medium/large tomatoes
300ml water
1 tsp salt

Method

To follow

Read more...

Spicy coconut egg fried rice

If you fancy livening up a serving of rice to accompany a curry then this recipe may be want you are looking for. It is simple to create and the result is a dish that is worthy of serving on its own.

Ingredients

Freshly cooked rice (plain or basmati)
Half a small onion
3 cloves of garlic
1 red chili (medium)
tsp of finely chopped root ginger
4 cardamon pods
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
50g chopped cashew nuts
25g of soaked desiccated coconut
1 egg
Vegetable oil
Salt to serve

Method

1. Start by soaking the desiccated coconut in water.
2. Next in a dry pan heat the cardamon, coriander and mustard seeds until the seeds begin to pop. Once cooled lightly crush with a pestle and mortar.
3. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil and then fry the onion, chili, garlic and ginger. 
4. After 5 minutes add the lightly crushed spices and stir constantly for another five minutes.
5. Add the cooked rice, soaked coconut and chopped cashews and stir together. Add salt to taste at this point.
6. Crack an egg into the pan and stir in for a further three minutes.

Serve this egg fried rice recipe immediately with your favourite home cooked curry.

Click here for more Indian cooking recipes.

Read more...

How to make a quick red wine reduction

On cooking programs you can not go five minutes without hearing about red wine reductions, but how do you go about making such a sauce to drizzle over a lovely piece of lamb or duck for example?

Well, to be honest, I am not sure, but the following suggestion creates a fabulous red wine sauce, which doesn't take an age.

Ingredients

Half a bottle of a full bodied red wine
Half a small onion
One carrot, chopped roughly.
Meet flavour, preferable from a meat juices, or alternatively use a rich stock or gravy powder (adjust according to taste.
A sprig of sage
150ml water
1 tbsp red currant jelly

Method

1. In a saucepan heat the wine, onion and carrot and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes so that it has started to reduce and thicken.
2. If cooking meat use the pan to generate some rich meat flavours, which will make the sauce taste amazing. Heat the pan and then deglaze with the water and bubble away for a few minutes.
3. Add the wine reduction, a pinch of salt and the sage and simmer for at least five minutes, but longer if you want the reduction to be thicker.
4. Take off the heat and stir in and melt the red currant jelly.

Strain with a sieve and serve over lamb chops of duck breasts for a sweet, rich sauce that will wow your diners.

Read more...

Beetroot and Carrot Soup Recipe

Beetroot soup is a superb dinner party soup as the rich and vibrant colour has the wow factor, while it is has an earthy and sweet favour that will catch lots of people by surprise. This recipe is simplistic and can be put together relatively quickly.

Ingredients

4 Medium sized beetoots
4 carrots
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 small piece of root ginger, grated (1 teaspoon worth)
1 tsp of coriander powder
1 tsp of salt
150ml water
500ml chicken stock
knob of butter

Method

1. In a small amount of butter heat the chopped onion and garlic and grated ginger in a saucepan.
2. Peel and chop the beetoots and carrots and add them to the pan along with the water.
3. Simmer for 10 minutes until much of the water has gone.
4. Add the salt, coriander and then mix in with the chicken stock. Simmer again for at least 15 minutes.
5. Take off the heat and use a hand blender to make a thick soup.
6. You can return the soup to a heat to warm through, but it will throb and spit so don't leave it unattended.

This soup is naturally very sweet and mixing in some cream wouldn't spoil the soup if you wish.

Serve with warm crusty bread. Freshly made, or if not possible place a supermarket loaf in a warm oven for five minutes and slice and serve with the soup.

Click here for more Soup Recipes or for more beetroot ideas.

Read more...

Pancake recipe with brandy twist

It is Pancake Day on February 16th so I thought I should share my favourite recipe for pancakes with you at this time.

Ingredients

125g plain flour
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg + additional egg yolk
2 tbsp of brandy
225ml milk (full or semi-skinned)
Knob of melted butter
More butter for frying

1 lemon, quartered for juicing
caster sugar for serving.

Method

Start by sifting the flour into a bowl.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg, egg yolk and caster sugar into the milk and then add the brandy and stir.
Slowly add the flour to the milk, whisking as you do, but don’t beat it too much or it will need to rest afterwards for a short while.
Add the melted butter and stir in, making sure the butter is not too hot when you do this.

Use butter to fry the batter in a pan, keeping the mixture thin and cook the pancakes, with the iconic flip, until they begin to turn crispy.

Serve with lemon and sugar.

Read more...

Spicy Beef and Tomato Tagliatelle

This minced beef recipe is similar to a Bolognese dish, but with a spicy kick and more emphasis is on the meat rather than the tomato sauce. Nonetheless it has great Italian flavours and is lovely with olives and tagliatelle sprinkled with chili oil.

Ingredients

500g minced beef
4 to 6 cloves of garlic
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 medium red chili
1 large onion
1 400g tin of plum tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Method

1. I almost always like to brown the mince first and with a pack this size I will usually do this in two batches and then place to one side.
2. Using the same pan add a little vegetable oil and on a high heat cook the chopped onion, garlic and chili for five minutes. Stir regularly.
3. Return the beef to the pan and mix in the dried vegetables and the tomato puree.
4. Cook for five minutes, again stirring often as the dish will stick due to being quite dry.
5. Now add the tin of plum tomatoes and break up the plums. I find this gives thicker consistency than pre-chopped tomatoes. 
6. Cook for a further five minutes, adding a sprinkle of salt and a good amount of freshly cracked black pepper.

Cook the Tagliatelle according to instructions and place on a plate with a drizzle of chili oil. Now spoon on the minced beef mixture and serve with a side of stuffed olives.

Check out other minced beef recipes - I do cook a lot of these, which I guess is rather lazy.

Read more...

Sage and ale sauce - perfect for game birds or poultry

Sometimes a meal or, in this case, a sauce is created almost by accident. I was planning on making a cider sauce to go with a roast guinea fowl, however, it turned out there was no cider in the cupboard, while there was some fresh sage that needed to be used.

The creation was a delicious sauce that I think would work well with any game bird, or poultry and served almost as a gravy. The flavours are drawn from the fats and juices of the bird in the roasting tin, so this is essential for the sauce to pay off.

Ingredients

Fats and juices from a roasted bird
1 tbsp of plain flour
150ml water
250ml pale ale
sprig of sage
half a small onion
1/2 tsp salt
level tbsp of red currant jelly

Method

1. After roasting a bird and possibly potatoes in a tin there will be nice crispy bits, fats and juices in the pan. Drain the bird of all the juices into the pan and then put it on a medium heat.
2. Add the flour and mix into the pan to make a paste and then add the finely chopped onion.
3. With the pan sizzling add the water and stir strongly for a minute.
4. Now add the beer and sage leaves.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, making sure all the crispy bits are scrapped off the bottom of the pan.
6. Add salt to taste and then before serving melt and stir in the red currant jelly.

Serve with the meat and crispy roast potatoes.

More red currant jelly may be required if you use a bitter beer in this recipe.

Read more...

Cod, tomato and basil chunky soup

I had been looking for something to make using cod and tomato and stumbled across a cod and tomato chowder recipe on the delightful Yummy Mummy Blog. However, I'm not sure what exactly constitutes a chowder, so I am calling this variation a chunky soup.

Some food tastes like it is good for you and this recipe is a perfect example. It is also simple and something young children should love.

Serves 4 as a starter or part of a lunch.

Ingredients

2 cod fillets (skinless and boneless)
2 medium potatoes (such as roasters)
2 carrots
1 sweet onion
2 tomatoes
150g chopped green beans
1 tbsp dried basil
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp of finely chopped root ginger
knob of butter
400ml chicken stock
400ml tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp salt
black pepper
chopped spring onions and parsley to serve

Method

1. Start by preparing the vegetables. Finely chop the onion and garlic and grate or finely chop the root ginger. Peel and cut the potatoes and carrots into small cube sized pieces.
2. Heat a knob of butter in a wide saucepan and then when hot gently cook the onion, garlic and ginger for 5 minutes. 
3. Add the carrot and potato and cook, while stirring, for another five minutes.
4. Add the 2 tomatoes, which you should quarter, the basil and salt and stir for a few more minutes.
5. Now add the chicken stock and tin of chopped tomatoes, stir and then leave to simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Place the chopped beans in the pan and place the seasoned cod fillets on top of the mixture. Place a lid over the saucepan and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. 
7. The cod will now be cooked so you can break it up easily.
8. Garnish with the parsley and chopped spring onion and serve.

Serve with crusty warm bread for a wholesome winter lunch.

Read more...

What spices are in a tandoori spice mix?

In supermarkets and specialist Asian food shops you are able to buy a Tandoori spice mix, which is often used to marinate meat, especially lamb. It gives a recognisable Indian taste, but is without too much heat so it can be enjoyed by all.

The spices included in a Tandoori mix will differ depending on the brand you use, but generally the following spices will be present:

Cayenne pepper
Cumin
Coriander
Ground ginger
Paprika
Tumeric

See all my tandoori spice recipes .

Read more...

Tandoori minced beef recipe: A great jacket potato topping

This recipe is, in some respects, a variation of a traditional chili con carne and I feel it is fantastic to serve this on top of steaming jacket potatoes with a healthy dollop of sour cream to counter the fiery spice of this minced beef mix. This recipe used a tandoori spice mix, to find out what is included in tandoori spices follow the link.

Ingredients:

500g of minced beef
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 green birdseye chili
150ml water
1 tbsp of tandoori spice mix (pictured below)
2 tsp of freshly ground coriander seeds
2 tbsp of tomato ketchup
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
100g of chopped babycorn (or your vegetable of choice)


Method

1. Start by browning the minced beef, probably in two batches, in a saucepan and then leave to one side.
2. In the same pan and using the oil from the beef fry the chopped onion, garlic and chili for ten minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Return the minced beef to the pan and add the spices and ground coriander seeds, stir well before adding the tomato ketchup. 
4. The pan should now be quite dry so add the water and stir well. Add the chopped babycorn (or your alternative vegetable) and leave to simmer for 10 minutes on a low heat.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on buttered jacket potatoes and a dollop of sour cream.

If you like your food spicy add a tsp of chili powder along with the tandoori spice mix .

Read more...

Spicy chinese chicken drumsticks and wings

As part of my 'three meals from one chicken' approach this is a way of using the legs and wings for a side dish or a snack perhaps. The recipe contains the usual chinese flavours with lots of ginger and chili, but it is also very sweet, so probably consider this dish to be a treat. The secret is to marinade the chicken for roughly 24 hours before cooking the chicken and then to cook it in the marinade.

Ingredients

2 chicken legs
2 chicken wings
an inch of grated root ginger
1 medium red chili
1 heaped tbsp of honey (chinese if available)
3 tsp of chinese five spice
2 tbsp of dark soy sauce
1 tbsp of muscavado sugar

Method

1. It is essential to marinade the chicken at least overnight. Cut off the chicken legs and wings and lacerate them with a knife.
2. In a bowl mix all the other ingredients. Make sure the ginger is finely grated and the chili is chopped finely. Deseed the chili, or leave it out, if you do not like the spice, but it adds a cracking contrast to the sweetness of the honey and sugar.
3. Marinade the chicken and when possible spoon the marinade over the chicken again.
4. In a dish create a bowl out of tin foil and place the chicken and marinade in the middle.
5. Place in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for an hour. This should create a crispy and dark skin, which while being unhealthy is delicious. Go on, treat yourself!

Serve with the sauce drizzled over the chicken and what else you are eating, such as rice and corn on the cob.

Read more...

Chicken and mushrooms in white wine sauce

This recipe is my take on the simple, yet delicious, chicken and mushroom with a white wine sauce. The main differences from this traditional dish is the inclusion of celery and celery seeds and a less creamy sauce. I hope you enjoy this easy and inoffensive dish, which is a hit with young children too.

Ingredients

300g of diced chicken (which ever part of the bird you prefer)
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
100g of chestnut mushrooms
100g of shiitake mushrooms
2 sticks of celery
1 pint of chicken stock
150ml of white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc
250ml of full fat milk
50ml of double cream
25g of butter
50g of plain flour
2tsp of dried oregano
1tsp of dried parsley
1tsp of celery seeds
salt and pepper to taste - this dish does need a good pinch of salt I feel.

Method

1. In a little olive oil sweat the chopped onion and garlic for five minutes.
2. Add the diced chicken and over a medium heat cook for another five minutes
3. Add the two types of mushroom, both chopped, celery and the herbs and celery seeds.
4. Keep stirring for 5 minutes and the add the wine.
5. Simmer for five more minutes and then add the chicken stock.
6. Leave to simmer while you make the roux-style sauce.
7. In a separate pan melt the butter and then take off the heat and stir in the flour. Return to a low heat and add the milk. Stir continurously and when the sauce begins to thicken add the cream.
8. Now mix this sauce in with the chicken and stir and continue to simmer for another five minutes. 
9. In all the cooking should take between 45 minutes and an hour, but just make sure the chicken is cooked through.
10. Add pepper and salt if required.

Please note the sauce is very runny, but this works perfectly with a plate of rice to soak it all up.

Serve with rice.

Read more...

Green Peppercorn Sauce for steaks

A good piece of beef is a pleasure that is hard to describe. If a fabulous fillet of beef, or a rib eye steak is seasoned and cooked well it does not require a sauce to be enjoyed. However, a side green peppercorn sauce is a fine accompaniment, or for a lesser cut of beef it can save the day. Here is a simple recipe to create a cultured and flavoursome sauce that will treat you palette and wow your diners.

Ingredients

1 heaped tsp of green peppercorns
1 shallot (or half a small onion)
150ml double cream
2 tsb of Coleman's English mustard
Steak juices
2 tbsp brandy

Method

1. Using the pan in which you've cooked your steaks add the finely diced shallot or onion and cook while the pan is still hot.
2. The onion will brown quickly so keep stirring and add the brandy.
3. After a matter of seconds and the green peppercorns and using the back of the spoon or spatular gently crush them.
4. Add the cream and mustard and reduce the heat to low and simmer, while constantly stirring, for five minutes.
5. If possible add the juices that have come from the beef steaks that have been resting on a plate.

Enjoy with your streak of choice - my recommendation is a rib eye steak smothered in cracked black peppercorns.

Read more...

Fruit and nut oat cookies

Oat based biscuits and cookies are my favourite, so much so that I try and fight the urge to make them as I can't help but eat them all within hours regardless of the damage done to my waistline. However, if you can control yourself then please try this recipe as they are fantastic.

The base of these cookies, everything but the fruit and nuts, should be the base for many alternative versions, such as ginger or cherry or chocolate, or a combination of all three.

Makes roughly 10 cookies - enough to keep a family happy for a day or two.

Ingredients:

150g softened butter
40g caster sugar
60g muscovado sugar
90g self raising flour
125g porridge oats
100g of raisins, sultanas and chopped glace cherries (or your combination of choice)
50g chopped almonds and macadamia nuts (or your nuts of choice)

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
   
2. In a bowl beat the soft butter and the two sugars together until the mixture is fluffy.
   
3. Mix the flour and oats together and then stir in to the butter mixture. Stir well.
   
4. At this point you can add your choice of ingredients, but in this case it is a mixture of fruits and nuts. Again stir well.
   
5. Divide into ten equal portions and roughly form into balls. Place each ball on the baking tray (you may need two trays) and pace in the even. They will resemble cookies after cooking, trust me.
   
6. The cookies will take roughly 15 minutes and you can tell as the edges begin to darken.
   
7. Leave on the baking tray for at least five minutes to firm up before moving them to a wire rack to cool.
   

I'd love to hear your alternative cookie versions.

Read more...

Roast Guinea Fowl and Streaky Bacon Recipe

As promised here is a simple recipe for roasting the game bird Guinea Fowl. Check out what is guinea fowl if this is a new animal for you. It is important not to overcook and dry out the bird, which has a subtly gamey flavour.

Ingredients:

1 guinea fowl - which is usually the size of a very small chicken
4 rashers of streaky bacon
3 sprigs of thyme
2 cloves of garlic
a knob of butter

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 degrees.
   
2. Crush the garlic and place it with the thyme in the cavity of the bird.
   
3. Smear the butter over the skin of the bird. Don't worry if this is too unhealthy for you, but it makes the skin gorgeous.
   
4. Place three of the bacon rashers from left to right over the bird and one from top to bottom over the top.
   
5. Put the bird in the oven for an hour. Please note that this may differ depending on the size of the bird.
   
6. After 30 to 40 minutes remove the now crispy bacon and continue cooking the guinea fowl.
   

Separate the legs and breasts and serve with the bacon. This is delightful with sweet potatoes, steamed vegetables and a cider gravy.

Read more...

What is Guinea Fowl?

Having enjoyed Guinea Fowl tonight I will shortly post up a short recipe for Roast Guinea Fowl , but before I do, here is a run down on one of the lesser known forms of poultry.

Guinea Fowl (pictured) is considered a fine game bird and is famed for its diet of insects, making it a friend of farmers across the country. However, it is native to West Africa, but the ones on offer is unlikely to come from anywhere so far away.

It is similar to chicken, but slightly gamey, but not to the extent of pheasant for example. It is a lovely roast option for a meal for two and tastes fantastic with a topping of crispy bacon.

The juices given out by Guinea Fowl can help create a lovely sauce or a cider gravy.

Read more...

What is the difference between a Stew and a Casserole?

I am a big fan of stews and casserole, but what is the difference between these two very British cooking concepts? Does it matter? Well, probably not, but generally if it is cooked in the oven I call it a casserole and if it is cooked in a saucepan I call it a stew.

I think by definition a casserole is a meal cooked in a dish with a fitted lid, whether the process was slow or fast, although usually casseroles do cook slowly. Stewing is on the other hand more obviously a slow method of cooking and is traditionally done on a hob.

It does not seem to be a big deal which word you use, but both meals are fantastic options for an easy, convenient and warming meal. They are perfect for using up all the leftover vegetables you have lying around and they allow you to be adventurous with the flavours you include.

Read more...

Mixed game meat and tomato stew

Following interest in a previous game meat recipe, I decided to attempt a new creation. While the first was a casserole this one can be a classed a stew. What is the difference between a casserole and a stew? Follow the link to find out. This recipe focuses on the flavour of the game meat, a rich tomato sauce, a strong taste of thyme with celeriac providing the substance.

This has only been tested the once, but it was an overwhelming success, so I am confident in recommending it.  Don't worry if you have alternative game meat for this dish as it will work with venison and others just as well.

Serves: 4 as a main meal

Ingredients
350g mixed game meat - pigeon, partridge, pheasant and mallard.
400ml tin of chopped tomatoes
600ml of beef stock
Half a medium celeriac - cubed (pictured below)
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 medium carrots
2 fresh tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
3 sprigs of thyme
2 tsp of dried thyme
2 tsp of salt
1 tbsp of coriander powder


Method

1. In a little olive oil in a large saucepan heat the chopped onion and garlic until soft.
   
2. While that is cooking, mix half the salt, coriander powder and dried thyme with the chopped game meat in a bowl.
   
3. Add the meat to the onion and stir continuously or the meat will stick to the pan.
   
4. After 5 minutes add the tomato puree and tomatoes roughly chopped (not the tin), mix and reduce the heat.
   
5. Now add the beef stock, tin of chopped tomatoes, cubed celeriac and sliced carrot. Using scissors cut the sprigs of thyme and add to the saucepan.
   
6. Add the remainder of the salt, stir and place the lid on the pan.
   
7. Now leave to simmer of an hour, stirring occasionally.
   

Serve with steamed green vegetables and jacket potatoes.

Read more...

Parsnip and sweet potato soup recipe - Perfect winter warmer

There is nothing better on a cold winter's day than a simple root vegetable soup served with freshly warm crusty bread. Well, it is not bad at least!

This recipe is predominately parsnip, but the accompanying vegetables are interchangeable, so go with what ever you have available.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

5 medium parsnips
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 large carrot
1 medium onion
2 cloves of garlic
3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp of dried basil
1 tsp of dried parsley
300ml chicken stock
300ml vegetable stock
200ml milk
splash of double cream


Method

1. Chop the root vegetables and boil for 20 minutes in lightly salted water
   
2. Sauté the chopped onion and garlic in a knob of butter for 5 minutes, until soft.
   
3. Add the stock and herbs to the onion and garlic and simmer gently until the root vegetables are ready to strain.
   
4. Add the cooked root vegetables into the onion stock mixtures and blend to a puree using a blender, or a hand blender if you have one.
   
5. Add the milk and cream, mix well and add salt according to taste. Depending on the quality of your stock the soup may need a kick from salt and/or black pepper.
   

Serve with warm bread.

Read more...

Pork chops with shiitake mushrooms

This awesome recipe is inspired by one of the great Delia Smith's favourite recipes. The flavour that this recipe gives the pork chops is quite exquisite, if I do say so myself.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 pork chops
200g shiitake mushrooms
fresh thyme
juice of half a lemon
25g plain flour
100ml warm water
salt and plenty of cracked black pepper
1 tbsp of double cream and 1 tbsp of soft cream cheese whisked together.

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees.
   
2. Start by heating a little oil in a pan and then seal the pork chops a minute on each side.
   
3. Place on tin foil, which is large enough to turn up around the edges, and season generously with salt and pepper.
   
4. In the same pan, adding more oil if necessarily, fry the chopped shiitake mushrooms until soft. Add the lemon juice and mix until absorbed.
   
5. Mix in the flour and then add the water and simmer until the mixture is thick.
   
6. Turn off the heat and mix in the soft cheese and cream mixture.
   

Serve with steamed vegetables and baby new potatoes.

42CJ2NWQ4JQB

Read more...

Guide to herbs and spices

I hope to create a guide to herbs and spices in the near future, but in the mean time the link below is a nice brief overview to a great number of ingredients used in cooking, from capers and cassia bark (used in a recipe this week) to poppy seeds and paprika.

Guide to Herbs and Spices from Good Cooking.

Read more...

Chinese style aubergine recipe - sweet, spicy and delicious!

I was taught how to cook this aubergine (egg plant) dish by a cook in Guilin, China and the intense sweet and spicy Chinese flavour can be recreated by ingredients available in England.

Ingredients:

2 medium/large aubergines
2 green finger chillies
2 cloves of garlic
50g muscavado soft brown sugar (Chinese rock sugar would be better if available)
2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine
2 tbsp rice vinegar
Handful of chopped spring onion and coriander
Salt to taste
Vegetable oil for cooking

Method

Aubergines can have a rather bitter taste, but this can be reduced by sprinkling the freshly chopped chunks with salt and leaving them to sit for about 25 minutes. Then rinse with water and dry with a paper towel.

1. Heat some vegetable oil in a wok and then add the chopped aubergine pieces and fry until the pieces become soft or limp. Remove from the pan.
2. Now fry the slices garlic and chillies for five minutes - stirring frequently.
3. Reduce the heat and add the rice wine, rice vinegar and sugar. Stir the ingredients together for a minute or two.
4. Return the aubergine pieces to the pan and cook for a further five minutes. Add salt if required.
5. Turn off the heat and sprinkle over the chopped coriander and spring onions.

I prefer to leave this dish to sit for a while and then reheat it to serve. The aubergine really soaks up the flavour this way.

Serve with rice and pork.

Read more...

Keema Lamb with Coconut Cream Recipe

I love the flavours that go into a traditional Keema Lamb recipe, but have found that using coconut cream creates an entirely unique dish that is served perfectly with plain rice.

Serves: 4
Difficulty level: Easy
Spice: Medium/Hot

Ingredients:

400g minced lamb (ask your butcher to do this to ensure good quality meat)
1 large onion
2 green finger chilies
2 cloves of garlic
1 piece of cassia bark (pictured below)
1 piece of cinnamon
4 cloves
1 tsp of cinnamon powder
1 tsp of coriander powder
1 tsp of cumin powder
1 tsp of tumeric
2 tsp of garam masala
50g of frozen peas
1 can of coconut cream (400ml)

*If you do not have all of the above spices it is not going to harm the dish if one or two are absent.

Method

1. Start by browning the minced lamb and put it to one side once it is browned.
   
2. Heat a little olive oil and then fry the chopped onion, garlic and chili - stirring regularly for 5 to ten minutes.
   
3. Add the browned mince and mix together with the chopped onion mixtures.
   
4. Add the spices and mix thoroughly and cook for five further minutes.
   
5. Add the coconut cream and stir well into the minced lamb.
   
6. Add the frozen peas.
   
7. Add salt to taste.
   
8. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
   
9. Discard the cassia bark (pictured), stick of cinnamon and cloves.
   

Serve with rice.

The taste of this dish may not appeal to all, as the cream can be off putting to certain palettes, but I believe the flavours would also work with a tin of chopped tomatoes, although I have not tried this myself.

Read more...

Great foods that are overlooked

This fantastic article in the English daily The Times profiles 20 foods which are criminally overlooked and explains why they should be consumed more often.

From Green Tea to Grapefruit - there is something for all to consider, so I recommend giving it a read.

Read more...

How to roast beetroot

Beetroot has to be one of the most poorly perceived and misunderstood vegetables on earth. It hardly ever comes up on recipes, is rarely on menus and the only time people encounter it is when it has been drowned in vinegar.

This richly coloured root vegetable is however a joy to use as a side dish for roast dinners, while beetroot soups and chutneys are quite delicious.

There are 'rules' that need to be remembered when dealing with a beetroot, such as to leave the skin and undamaged when boiling it, but this recipe deal with simple roasting beetroot to provide an eye-catching side dish for a roast dinner - such as beef.

Ingredients 

4 medium sized beetroots (avoid large beets as they can be tough)
olive oil
dried thyme
salt and pepper

Method

You may find cooks adamant that beetroot should also be roasted with its skin on and then peeled once cooled, but I don't believe that this is necessary as the flavour is retained in this recipe.

1. Carefully peel the beetroot and then quarter each one
   
2. Mix together with enough olive oil to cover the beetroot pieces.
   
3. Add the thyme (roughly 2 heaped teaspoons, but I can't say I measure this) and a pinch of salt and some freshly cracked black pepper.
   
4. Mix the beetroot pieces so the herbs/salt/pepper are evenly distributed.
   
5. Place on a roasting tray and put in a pre-heated oven (200 degrees) for an hour.
   

The beetroot pieces do not ooze too much juice, even to though they've been peeled, but if you use the roasting tray to make a gravy to accompany the roast this will help aid the flavour.

Read more...

Salmon Fillet with Honey, Orange and Ginger

This quick and easy salmon recipe is sweet with the honey, while the orange and ginger accompanies the fish delightfully.

Serve this dish with a plateful of salad, or some new baby potatoes and steam vegetables for a meal that takes 30 minutes to complete from start to finish.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 fresh salmon fillets
1 tbsp of honey
juice of 1 orange
2 tsp of grated ginger
a handful of chopped fresh coriander
sprinkle of salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1. Turn on the oven and heat at 200 degrees.
   
2. Place tin foil on a baking tray and lay on the two salmon fillets. Turn up the foil so that it can hold a small amount of liquid.
   
3. Now grate the ginger root and squeeze the juice from the orange.
   
4. Mix together with the honey to form a paste and pour over the salmon fillets.
   
5. The paste will fall off, so wrap up the tin foil around the sides of the fillets.
   
6. Sprinkle on the chopped coriander and place in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes depending on how well done you like your salmon.
   

To improve the above recipe you should marinate the salmon fixture in the mixture for at least a few hours.

Yeah this blog needed some pictures - so here is a salmon fillet :)

Read more...

Peshwari Naan Bread Recipe

Regardless of what kind of curry I am cooking, I have to accompany it with a sweet, peshwari naan, full of fruit and coconut.

These are quite unlike those you may receive from your local indian curry house and are quite solid, so make them smaller than is normal so not to daunt people. If you do make too much they are fantastic on their own the next day.

Makes 5

Ingredients: 

250g plain flour
125ml of semi-skimmed milk
2 tbsp of sunflower oil
2 heaped tsp caster sugar
1 level tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
50g desiccated coconut
50g sultanas
25g caster sugar
1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Whisk the milk and sunflower oil together and leave in a jug
   
2. Mix the flour with the tsp measurements of sugar, salt and baking powder.
   
3. Make a dip in the middle of the flower and pour in the liquid.
   
4. Knead vigorously for at least 5 minutes. Adding further flour/milk if required to form a dough like consistency.
   
5. Wrap in cling film and place in a warm place (airing cupboard) for 30 minutes at least.
   
6. While you are waiting you can measure out the remaining sugar, coconut and sultanas and mix together.
   
7. Retrieve the dough and divide into five equally sized pieces. Roll into balls and proceed to make one at a time, while leaving the others covered with cling film so they do not dry out.
   
8. Push the dough ball down with your fist, as firmly as you can. Now add a handful of the sweet mixture and place it in the middle of the squashed dough ball.
   
9. Fold the dough over and push down the edges to seal. Now use a rolling pin to flatten out the bread, so that it takes the shape of a tear drop. Don't make the naan too thin.
   
10. Brush lightly with olive oil and place on a preheated grill pan and put in a preheated grill for roughly 90 seconds, turn over and cook for a further minute.
    

Serve straight away with your favourite curry dish.

Read more...

Chicken breast stuffed with chorizo

This is one of my favourite 'dinner party dishes' as it tastes fabulous and looks far more impressive than it probably is. It can be fiddly to pull off a perfect stuffed chicken breast, but is far from complex, so give it a go and let me know how you get on.

As much as we all love chicken a whole breast can lack flavour, so stuffing it with chorizo makes up for this with abundance, while the wafer thin prosciutto wrapped around also adds a lovely taste. Ok, on to the recipe.


Ingredients

4 large plump chicken breasts
5 inches of cured chorizo sausage
4/8 rashers of prosciutto
1 large onion (finely chopped)
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 tbsp of olive oil

Method

1. Start by turning the oven on to 180 degrees.
   
2. Now the difficult bit. Use a sharp knife with a small blade and carefully push it into the end of each chicken breast at the plumpest part. Make sure you do not get too close to breaking through at the other end. Take out the knife and push in a (washed) finger to open up the hole further, but keeping the breast in tact.
   
3. Now chop four inches of the chorizo (one inch per chicken breast is enough, but you can use more) into small pieces. Slice the remaining inch into four even pieces, which will be used to block up the chicken later.
   
4. Fry the onion in a little of the oil for a few minutes and then add the chopped chorizo. Stir constantly until the chorizo lets off its oil and the onion is soft. Take off the heat and mix in the salt and pepper. Leave to cool.
   
5. Once cool push as much of the mixture as you can into each chicken breast. Don't push your luck or the breast may rip. Use the chorizo slices to fill the hole.
   
6. Now rub the remaining oil over the breasts and place on a hot pan over a medium heat, turning often to sear all sides. Do one at a time to make it easier.
   
7. Finally wrap the semi-cooked breasts with the prosciutto. One or two slices each depending on their width. Now place in the hot oven with foil placed roughly on top of the breasts. Turn once at 15 minutes, remove the foil and leave for another 15 minutes.
   

Please check the chicken is fully cooked and then enjoy your meal, especially when you first slice open your stuffed chicken breast.

A variation of the above is to add chopped chili in with the onion to give an extra kick to this dish.

Read more...

One chicken can equal three meals

I find it horrifying that many people never consider that they can make their own food and rely on ready made meals, prepared in a microwave. It can be so easy, and so much cheaper, to buy some key ingredients and make your meals.

Those that do attempt home cooking often buy meat that has been prepared for them, such as diced meat. Again, this frustrates me! It isn't cost effective and you are never going to be getting the best meat. A good quality, corn fed, free range chicken can cost £6 or £7, this puts some people off, but it can result in three fabulous and diverse meals. I'll show you how.

The three meals created from one chicken are:

Chicken Soup
Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Chinese Chicken legs and wings

Read more...

Chicken and Almond creamy curry - A korma style curry children can enjoy

I am not sure what actually defines a dish as being a curry, but this one resembles that of what is considered a korma. However, this dish is not spicy, oily and is certainly suitable for children. My two-year-old loves it!

This serves three and takes less than 90 minutes from start to finish to reproduced.

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts (or 300g of boneless chicken)
2 large onions
5 cloves of garlic
25g of root ginger
2cm stick of cinnamon
5 green cardamon pods
15 coriander seeds (roughly)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp tumeric
100g of low fat yoghurt
1 tsp of salt
2 tsp of caster sugar
25g desiccated coconut (dry fried and soaked in water)
50g ground almonds
25g flaked almonds
knob of butter
75ml of double cream (replace with single if you wish)

There are a lot of ingredients listed above - do not fear if you are missing one or two, the basis of this dish will carry it through regardless.

Method:

Firstly in a dry saucepan heat the stick of cinnamon until it starts to let off a smell. Now add the cardamon pods and coriander seeds and heat until they begin to darken in colour.
Remove the spices from the heat and using a spice grinder reduced to a fine powder. Use a sieve to check the powder is fine.
Blitz the garlic and ginger with a slash of water to form a paste
Mix together the spices, garlic/ginger paste, yoghurt and salt and marinate the chopped chicken (use bite-sized pieces).
Return to the fridge for as long as it takes to prepare the rest of the meal.
Chop the onions and using a hand blender reduce to a puree.
Heat the butter in a saucepan and then cook the pureed onion for five minutes.
Now add the marinated chicken, nutmeg and tumeric and simmer in the pan with the lid on for 20 minutes.
Add the almond powder, flaked almonds and desiccated coconut to the mix and cook for five more minutes.
Now add the double cream and cook for a further two minutes.

Serve with rice and/or peshwari naan bread

Read more...

Easy folded gammon and cheese omelette with oregano.

Omelettes are fantastic for their easy creation, quick turnaround time and versatility. There are countless of variations available, so I thought I would add my own to the mix.


This omelette recipe is enough to serve two as a snack.


Ingredients:


Omelette:
4 eggs
2 tbsp on semi-skinned milk
1 level tsp of dried oregano 
1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper
salt to taste


Filling:
50g of grated cheddar cheese
100g of roughly chopped cooked unsmoked gammon 


Method:

1. Add all of the omelette ingredients and beat for 30 seconds, or until the eggs are well combined. 
2. Now melt a small knob of butter on a medium-sized frying pan and once hot ladle half of the omelette mixture into the pan and quickly move the pan around so the mixture covers the pan evenly.
3. After two minutes flip the omelette and on one-half of the cooked side place half of the chopped gammon and grated cheese. 
4. Now fold the omelette over to make a semi-circle and carefully turn it over once and after another 30 seconds remove from the heat.

Serve with salad.

Read more...

Thai coconut fish and noodle soup recipe

I used swordfish loins in this tasty easy-to-make soup, but try tilapia or your fish of choice and you'll still get great results.

Serves three as a main.

Ingredients:

2 swordfish loins
100g of egg fried noodles
1 litre of fish stock
1 sachet of creamed coconut
1 onion
1 leek
2 sticks of lemon grass (broken and crushed)
3 spring onions
an inch of ginger (crushed)
fresh coriander
freshly cracked pepper
salt to taste

Method:


Heat some oil in a saucepan and fry the chopped onion, ginger and lemon grass for five minutes. Add the fish stock and sliced leek and simmer for ten minutes.
Place the contents of the sachet of creamed coconut and mix until dissolved.
Add half the coriander and two chopped spring onions, cracked black pepper and taste the soup, now add salt if desired.
Place the swordfish loins and noodles into the simmering soup and cook for five minutes.
Test the fish is cooked and then remove the ginger and lemon grass and serve. Sprinkle the remainder coriander and spring onion in the bowls.

Read more...

Mixed game casserole recipe

This casserole recipe works well with any game meat, but I have used it for a mixed selection of game meats, namely venison, pigeon and rabbit.

300g of mixed game meat

1 tbsp of plain flour

1 tsp of cracked black pepper

salt to taste

one onion

4 garlic cloves

2 leeks

2 sticks of celery

2 carrots

2 tomatoes

1 large glass of red wine

500ml beef stock

1 tsp of celery seeds

fresh basil

splash of worcester sauce

Method:

In a little vegetable oil fry the chopped onion and garlic and simmer for 5 minutes until soft. Then place in a casserole dish.

Mix the chopped game meat with plain flour, salt (to taste) and cracked pepper.

Add a slash more oil to the same pan and then add the meat and frequently turn until the edges are browned. Then add to the casserole dish.

While the pan is still hot, deglaze with the red wine and add to the mixture.

Place the rest of the ingredients in and mix together. You may wish to add extra pepper and salt at this stage.

Place the dish in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for at least an hour and a half. Half way through give the casserole a stir.

Serve with yorkshire puddings, or mash potato and freshly boiled peas.

Read more...