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.

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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