Jan

30

Tomatoe-on-RiceSearching for something different “just for one” then why not try this “tomato on rice” or alternatively “tomato on pasta”. Each style can be prepared to suit your own taste. Delicious…

Ingredients Per Person:

Tin of Tomatoes 1 Chopped tomatoes with/without added herbs
Fresh Tomatoes 4/5 Chopped into quarters (optional)
Onion 1 Roughly or finely chopped
Garlic Cloves 3 Chopped
Basmati Rice 75-100g

Additional Ingredients….

If you prefer pasta to rice this tomato sauce will go with both. My son would use just an onion or garlic, but not both. My daughter would use both. If you prefer to use fresh tomatoes I recommend using 4 or 5. I would cut them into quarters. You can use the fresh tomatoes with or without the tin of tomatoes or just use the tin of tomatoes, whichever you prefer. 

Method:

Prepare the onion and garlic and put aside.

Measure out the basmati rice into a pan. Add boiling water and boil for 10 -12 minutes.

Meanwhile fry the onion a little in oil, then add the garlic and continue to fry.

When the rice is almost cooked add the tin of tomatoes to the onion and garlic, bring to a light simmer.

Drain the rice and serve *

*Suggestion: Instead of serving the tomato sauce at the side of the rice, after you drain the rice add it to the tomato sauce and mix thoroughly and then serve.

Jan

28

Shortcrust Pastry

January 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Looking for a pastry recipe to use for making tarts, pies etc. then this should do the trick. However, making good pastry requires accurate measuring of the ingredients and keeping everything cool; the room, work surface, utensils and your hands! Generally the proportions of flour to fat is 2:1. Use a mixture of margarine and lard and put the pastry dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill its then ready to use.

Ingredients for 8 ounces of pastry:

Plain Flour 225g 8 oz
Margarine 50g 2 oz
Lard 50g 2 oz
Pinch of Salt
Water 25ml

Method:

Add the fat to the flour and add a pinch of salt. Cut the fat into small cubes and, using a knife, mix the fat into the flour. This avoids warming the mixture initially with your hands. Then with finger tips quickly rub the fat into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Add water a little at a time and stir in. Collect the mixture together in a ball and knead lightly for a few seconds. 

The pastry can be put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill and is then ready to use in your recipe and can be rolled out and cut for tarts, pies etc. 

  

Jan

28

Beef Stew - PlateSearching for a beef stew that is more basic than some of the cookery book offerings then this recipe for beef stew with Guiness gravy really to makes the most of the flavour of the beef. Serves 4 or 5 but its really easy to double up the quantities when needed.

The picture shows the beef stew served with carrots, peas and mashed potato. 

Ingredients:

Stewing Steak 1kg (2 lb)
Onions 2
Plain Flour 50g 2oz
Back Bacon 4 Rashers
Guiness 1 Can
Sugar 2 tsp
Butter 15g 1½ oz
Button Mushrooms 250g 9 oz

Beef Stew - DishI recently made double quantities when my sister and her family came to dinner. It went down very well.   

Method:

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F, gas mark 2). 

Peel the onions and roughly chop. Cut up the steak into bite size cubes. Cut the bacon into strips. Halve the button mushrooms.

Put the flour into a mixing bowl and season it with salt and pepper. Toss half of the steak cubes in the flour making sure they are well coated and set aside. Add more seasoned flour to the bowl if needed and toss the remainder of the steak cubes and set these aside also.

Add cooking oil to a large frying pan and heat it up on the hob. Fry some of the steak cubes until they are brown on all sides. Turn these out into a suitable oven proof dish or casserole. Continue to fry the steak cubes in small batches until brown, adding more cooking oil to the pan if necessary.

If necessary add more cooking oil to the frying pan and fry the onion and bacon gently until the onions are tender and the bacon cooked and crispy, stirring and scraping off the cooked flour from the bottom of the pan. Tip everything into the dish on top of the meat.

Put the frying pan back on the heat and add the Guiness and sugar. Bring to the boil scraping up any remaining residue from the pan and adding the sugar. Pour all the contents of the pan over the meat. Add enough boiling water so the liquid covers the meat.  

Cover the dish with a lid or foil and place in the oven to cook for 2 hours or until the meat is tender. At the end of this if there is any surface grease skim it off. Fry the mushrooms in butter and add to the casserole about 15 minutes before serving.

It also adds more flavour if cooked in advance. For this leave to cool and store in refridgerator for up to 24 hours. Remove any surface fat before reheating well on the hob. Fry the mushrooms and add to the casserole 15 minutes before serving.  

Jan

26

Searching for a simple fish dish using coley or cod, then this “fish pie” is really tasty. You can use seasonal fresh vegetables or frozen vegetables of your choice. Top with creamy mashed potato and bake. I sometimes use up suitable vegetables left over from yesterday’s main meal. Serves 5 or 6.

Fish Pie - Plate 

Ingredients:

Coley or Cod 900g 2lb
Milk 900ml 1½ Pints 
Plain Flour 90g 3oz
Margarine 90g 3oz
Potatoes 1kg 2lb
Vegetables 300g 10oz 

Vary the ingredients in proportion to the number of servings needed.

Method:

Peel the potatoes, and boil in salted water until soft.

Meanwhile wash and skin the fish and cut up into bite size pieces. Place into a large oven proof dish.

At this point I added a few left over cooked vegetables to the dish.

Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6.

Make the white sauce by melting the margarine in a large pan. Stir in the flour and let the mixture cook for a few minutes, stirring on a low heat. I usually warm the milk in the microwave then gradually stir in the milk. Bring to the boil slowly stirring all the time until the mixture boils and thickens. Pour the sauce over the fish and vegetable mixture and mix in to coat the food. 

Fish Pie in Dish

When the potatoes are cooked (they should all be fairly soft) mash them and add in a knob of margarine and a little milk to make a rich, smooth mash.

Spoon the mash over the fish mixture in the dish and spread over the whole dish finishing off with a fork to create a spiked effect.Place in the oven to cook for 30 to 40 minutes until the potatoe spikes are browned.

Variations:

For added variety add sweetcorn, or prawns. 

Jan

25

Victoria Sandwich

January 25, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Victoria SandwichLooking for a light fluffy cake with an indulgent wipped cream and jam filling for that special treat, then why not try this Victoria Sandwich recipe. Make sure the margarine and sugar are mixed until creamy, add the beaten eggs and fold in the flour so that it is light and smooth. Bake for about 20 minutes. Makes two 18cm (7inch) shallow cakes.

Ingredients:

Self Raising Flour 225g (8oz)
Eggs 4
Butter or Margarine 225g (8oz)
Sugar 225g (8oz)

Preparation:

Sieve the flour to help make the cake light. 

Grease and line the base of two 18cm (7inch) sandwich tins.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F, Gas mark 5 )

Method:

Mix the margarine and sugar together in a mixing bowl until creamy in texture.

Beat the eggs together.

Add the beaten eggs to the mixture a little at a time mixing well after each addition.  

Gently fold in the flour to the mixture  until the mixture is light and smooth. 

Spoon half the mixture into each sandwich tin and smooth over with a knife.

Put the tins into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes until well risen, firm to the touch and begining to shrink from the sides.

Turn out on to wire tray and leave to cool.

When the cakes are cool sandwich them together with jam and sprinkle with icing sugar. For a special treat add whisked double cream.

  

Jan

25

Liver and OnionLiver and onions (with lambs liver) is a recent favourite of my family.  Simple to prepare and cook, served with seasonal fresh vegetables, is undoubtedly a healthy meal.

Ingredients:

Lambs Liver 700g (1½lb)
Onions 2
Corn Flour
Water
Gravy Browning

Preparation:

Slice the onions and wash the liver.

Method:

Gently fry the liver in  oil on both sides, when cooked remove it  from the frying pan and set aside.

Add the onions to the pan and gently fry until soft.         

Return the liver to the pan then pour over enought hot water to cover the liver and onions and bring to the boil.

Mix the cornflour with some water then add a few drops of gravy browning, I usually do this in a cup. You want enough cornflour to thicken the gravy. Pour this into the liver and onions and stir the gravy should thicken quickly.

To Serve: 

Serve hot from the pan with your choice of vegetables. 

  

   

Jan

21

Cooking Sausages

January 21, 2007 | Leave a Comment

 

Sausages Cooking

 

Sausages can form a healthy part of any meal you use good quality local made butcher’s sausages. I don’t use supermarket or mass produced sausages. I cook the sausages on an electric  table top grilling machine. The benefit of this is that much of the fat that is necessary in making sausages is run off in the cooking process. My experience is that sausages cooked in a frying pan do retain much of the fat.  

 

 

 

Jan

18

Garlic Bread

January 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Ingredients: Bread Stick (e.g. French Stick or Baton as shown below, works well), Clove(s) of Garlic, Butter and a little mixed herbs.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4. 

Ensure the the butter is at room temperature or slightly warm. 

Chop the clove(s) of garlic into small pieces. 

Prepare garlic butter by mashing the garlic pieces into the butter to make a smooth paste.

Garlic Bread - 1Slice the bread diagonally with a bread knife to about halfway through as shown and spread garlic butter into each of the cuts. Use plenty of garlic butter to give the bread the garlic flavour.

 

 

Ready for OvenWrap the buttered bread stick in baking foil and place on flat baking tray. 

Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes.  

 

Ready to ServeRemove from the oven and cut right through alternate cuts to provide pieces to serve. 

 

 

 

 

Gralic Bread - CheeseVariation: When the bread is buttered, push a thin slice of cheese (e.g. cheddar) into the cuts before wrapping in foil and cooking.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan

15

Dish of Risotto

This is my version of a simple baked rice dish using good quality English Bacon and Cheddar Cheese. I do prefer to fry with olive oil as a healthy option. The dish should take no longer that 4 or 5 minutes from start to finish and provide a hot healthy meal on its own or can be served  accompanied by vegetables (peas, sweetcorn, broccoli) or meat (sausages) for those with a larger appetite.  

Ingredients Per Person:   150 grams Risotto Rice, 1 Rasher of Bacon, Half an Onion, 1 Egg, Milk, 60 grams Cheese of choice (Cheddar is a safe choice), 500 ml Stock, Sunflower or Olive Oil or Butter.

Equipment: Frying Pan, Oven proof dish, Scales, Jug, Mixing Bowl, Grater.

Method:

Alternative Ideas:

Jan

15

Smoked Mackerel

January 15, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Smoked MackerelSmoked makerel fresh from the fish monger makes a very quick, healthy and easy lunch. Simply place on the plate and enjoy with bread and butter. We like ours either cold or warmed through for a few seconds in the micrwave.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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