Wednesday 16 December 2009

Parmentier Tatties - with garlic..

Tasty quick and moreish!

Ingredients (for 2 hungry people) :

  • 3 or 4 Maris Piper spuds – peeled
  • 1 large clove of garlic – chopped
  • 1 ½ Tbsp of vegetable oil
  • 10gms of butter
  • Fresh ground salt and pepper

Chop the potatoes into roughtly 1cm cubes. Heat the oil and butter in a pan and fry the cubed potatoes for about 10 to 15 mins, Transfer potatoes and oil to a tray, season and place in a 200deg C oven for about 30 to 40 mins – until browned off. At the halfway stage, stir in the garlic and make sure the cubes are separated. When cooked, transfer to a bowl lined with kitchen towel to absorb the oil. Server hot (see photo below on Rissoles..)

Rissoles to you!


These little (well not so little) beauties are just the job for a cold evening. A liberal dollop of homemade relish or ‘tatty’ sauce and parmentier potatoes and voila, a meal fit for a king!

Ingredients - for 2 hungry souls!:

  • 1 lb minced beef
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tsp mustard powder
  • 1 tsp of dry mixed herbs
  • 1 tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 or 2 tbsp of dry breadcumbs (optional)
  • Plain flour
  • 1 tbsp of vegetable oil

Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl (except flour) and work together so they bind well. Portion up so that you get 4 or 6 balls, then flatten slightly so that they will cook more evenly. Dust with flour to help the frying process. Fry in the oil until lovely and brown, serve hot and enjoy. These will keep and can be re-heated if you want them all to yourself – sometimes crosses my mind!

Tuesday 15 December 2009

Winter Warmers...

One of the issues with cold weather, apart from the fact I can’t stand it, is that I tend to cook food that is warming and worthwhile. You know, the sort of food like pies, stews and suchlike. The other problem is that it is ‘party-time’. So if we are not blagging a meal somewhere then I am cooking for more than just our household. In fact next weekend is a prime example – a chicken Dhansak for 30 people. I seem to have no problem catering for 6 or 12 but 30 people! Why do I just seem to find it difficult – maybe the fact that most of my catering equipment is designed for not much more than 8! Still that said, it will still work out well (even if it is by the skin of my teeth) – I’ll post the recipe and details soon…..

 

PS If you want to enjoy a cheap cut of beef, like Silverside, cook the joint in an over at about 140deg C for around 3.5 to 4 hours plus – I did this with a small joint last weekend and it was delicious and very tender….

Tuesday 8 December 2009

Coquille St Jacques

I’m not sure, these days, what is the correct version for this dish, but this recipe is pretty darn good and very easy…

Ingredients (serves 4 starters):

  • Pack of Queen Scallops
  • 100gms of Chestnut Mushrooms – sliced
  • 30gms butter
  • 30gms plain flour
  • 250ml of water
  • 125ml of dry white wine
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 shallot – sliced
  • 2 tbsps double cream
  • ½ cup of grated parmesam
  • ½ cup of dry breadcrumbs
  • Salt & Pepper

In a small saucepan, mix the wine, water and shallot and then put the scallops in the pan and bring to a simmer. Gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the scallops and keep warm. Keep the cooking liquid for the sauce.. In a small pan, fry the chopped mushrooms in a knob of butter until soft, bowned and all the liquid has gone. Now for the sauce! Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour until all blended. Now over a low heat, gradually stir in the saved cooking liquid and until you get a rich sauce – quite thick. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cream.

Place equal portions of the scallops and mushrooms in small ovenproof bowls or dishes (I use a large squat ramekin) then pour over the sauce unitl it has just covered the scallop mix.Mix the parmesan and breadcrumbs together and then sprinkle liberally over the top. Warm in a hot over for a short while (10 mins) and finish off under the grill until the topping is golden brown if not already so! Enoy. Make sure you have a little fresh bread handy to mop up any sauce…..

Sunday 29 November 2009

Parmesan toasts!

I do like a bit of bread with my soup but sometimes I yearn for something a little different. Heres one idea:

Ingredients:

  • French stick / bagette
  • ¼ cup Olive Oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup of finely grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 190/200 deg C. Blend garlic with the olive oil until smooth and brush over thin slices of the baguette. Sprinkle with black pepper and then top off with the parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-20 mins until brown. Serve straight away or when cooled down just great on their own or with a thick soup!

Wednesday 25 November 2009

Fish Stew (or Bouillabaisse)

This recipe gives you a soup that is ‘strained’ of the bits but has the fish in it giving a rich taste and allowing you to enjoy the texture of the meats. Mrs H. is not that keen on squid or mussels etc so I used white fish, salmon and prawns but you could use anything you fancy or anything that is on offer at the market – inc mussels!

Ingredients (Serves 4):

  • 1 small fillet of cod
  • 2 small fillets of other white fish – different textures – say 200gms each
  • 1 small fillet of salmon
  • Small pack of peeled prawns
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 leek, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • ½ bulb of fennel, finely chopped
  • (I used 5 mini fennel bulbs)
  • ½ tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (440gms)
  • 1 tsp of tomato puree
  • 2 small sprigs of thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 500ml of fish stock
  • 1L of water
  • ½ tsp of saffron stamens
  • 1 tsp of salt
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • Pinch of chilli powder
  • Charlotte potatoes – peeled and turned or chopped
  • 1 tbspish Chopped parsley

Remove the bones and skin from all the fish and chop into decent size chunks and put to one side.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion, garlic, carrot, leek and fennel and cook gently for 10 minutes until soft but not coloured.

Stir in the tomatoes, puree, fennel seeds, thyme, bay leaf and any fish trimmings (if you kept them). Add the stock, water and saffron and bring to the boil. Gently simmer uncovered for around 45 minutes. About half way through, add the potatoes. When it has reduced to about 1 litre remove from the heat, remove potatoes with a slotted spoon into a dish and then strain mixutre into a clean pan. Keep the potatoes warm (ensure they are firm but edible!) Now its time to taste and season accordingly. Bring back to a simmer and add the cod and white fish . After a few minutes, add the prawns and stir in the chopped parsley. When all cooked, which isn’t long, add the potatoes and serve immediately with warm crusty bread in large bowls – I am now drewling again and may have to cook this again tonight!

The secret is to cook the fish in stages so that the firmer cuts cook first and the softer ones cook last. I have seen some recipes for this where 15 different fish are used and cooked in separate pans and added just at the last minute into the dish – now there is dedication!

Sea Bass, Mullet, Monkfish are all great. For a change I tried Tilapia fillet and Vietnamese River Cobbler ! Whatever you choose it will taste great!

Monday 16 November 2009

One lasting memory of food I do not like...

In fact I’ll go as far as saying I will never order it again, ever, from anywhere. Carpaccio de Pied de Cochon. No you have not got it wrong – yes, it is carpaccio of pigs trotters. I’d liken it to thin slivers of semi-congealed fat (substiture snot for fat!). The texture was dreadful and the flavour not much better. Call me fussy, but I know when my palette says NO! Anyway – ordered in a Bistro in Chartres and no doubt loved by some French. It reminds me of the Restaurant Lyonnais that used to be in the Boulogne old town… but that is another story!

Review - Le Chateaubriand, Paris

I thought I had lost the menu from my visit there in September – it was a fabulous meal and evening. I may not remember everything from that evening but I do remember a fabulous meal.

It started by us turning up @ around 7:45 for our table booking @ 8:00pm. It was looking a bit strange with most of the staff sitting down and the maitre d' telling us to come back – 'the bar over the road was good' he said. We were now worried and whilst surveying the restaurant from a different bar from recommended, we mused over various delivery vans coming and going to the restaurant. We had theories from 'they have gone bust' to 'all the food is prepared elsewhere'. Never was it thought at any point that we were just, well, early.

The restaurant is not brightly lit, there are no pictures on the wall and the tables are small. The bar is typically French with a large mirror and prospective punters await at the bar whilst enjoying an odd aperitif etc We returned to a heaving restaurant and were escorted to our coffee table sized patch. The fixed menu (€45 per head) was given to us and were were asked if we had any allergies – with a firm no, he proceeded to tell us, very politely, about the forthcoming meal – it looked exciting:

  • Amuse Bouche
  • Encornets, cocos, Tomates
  • Limand Sole, Carottes, Beurre Noisette, Noisette
  • Boeuf d'Hugo Limousin, Aubergine brulee, faiselle
  • Fruits Rouge, Chantilly ou
  • Fromage du jour

I'll translate as I talk you through the experience. The amuse bouche comprised of sliced gherkin, salad, herbs, sliced radish and a sweetish dressing – a perfect opener! Then came the next course, this was lightly fried squid on a bed of pureed coco bean (a speciality over there). On the side was a tomato salsa and also halved cherry tomatoes, black olives and fresh basil – it all tasted very good indeed. Then the fish course! A small filet of lemon sole with miniature 'al dente' carrots in a sweet butter, caramel sauce and hazelnut on the top. It really was getting better. Then came the beef. This was like a strib of rib beef (no bone) and was delicious and very tender albeit quite rarer. This was served on a bed of rich and smoked aubegine puree – it looked fairly black – and this ensemble was accompanied by finely sliced pickled red cauliflour. By now my tastebuds were tingling – Some of these flavours were just incredible. After a well earned rest, we had both the pudding and the cheese. The former was an upmarked Eton mess and the latter included some of the finer and stronger goats cheese around. The house wines were sensibly priced and all enjoyable – but not memorable!

The style of food is simple yet very tasty food – no Michelin presentation here – just served to perfection. Have a look at this clip on YouTube. You can also see here that it jumped in as the 40th best restaurant in the world - thats better than the Gavroche! If you are in Paris, make the detour but remember, you will be well advised to book!

Salad of Smoked Mackerel and Beetroot


There are just times when I cook something and it is perfect – not often, I have to say – but this is one of those occasions that did it. It’s also a dish that kept well in the fridge for a second bash the next day – it was just as good!


Ingredients (serves 4 as a starter):

  • 250g Pack of cooked beetroot
  • 70gms of caster sugar
  • ½ tsp of sugar
  • 80ml of white wine vinegar
  • ½ tsp of vinegar
  • 150ml of water
  • 1 tbsp of creamed horseradish sauce
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp English mustard powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • 100ml of double cream
  • 1 small onion sliced
  • 2 smoked mackerel fillets (skinned)
  • Watercress as a garnish

There are 3 parts to this and all easy. Firstly chop the beetroot up and place in a bowl. In a pan, boil the water and add the 70gms of sugar to it to dissolve. Add the onion and simmer for 4 or 5 minutes then add the vinegar. Take off the heat and add this mixture to the beetroot and allow to cool and infuse, stirring occasionally.

Whip the double cream gently until just starting to peak and then carefully fold in the lemon juice, sugar, mustard, horseradish and vinegar together with salt and pepper. You should then get a lovely soft but firm horseradish cream. It is not strong but this can be changed by using a stronger horseradish sauce and more of it!! Lastly, drain the beetroot mix and then arrange the beetroot and onion on the plate with a dollop of the cream and the watercress around the plate. Break up the mackerel and scatter over the beetroot salad. Needless to say, it goes with saying that you can use fresh horseradish and freshly cooked beetroot. Either way - Enjoy - if you like beetroot, you'll love this.

Good Food Show / Masterchef 2009

Whatever you want to call it, it was fun. It wasn’t too busy and we felt we had plenty to east, taste and do. We went on the Sunday and arrived 5 minutes before opening – not intentional but we walked in and up the stairs to the awaiting doors.

Here are some of our highlights:

  • Masterchef cook-off between Matt Follas and Steven Wallis – It looked a little contrived but it was none the less entertaining
  • Beyond Chocolate – they definitely sold the best chocolates in the show – now in Waitrose, alledgedly!
  • Elderflower liqueur – I just had to buy this! Ideal with champagne, I’m told
  • Beetroot and Apple Chutney – This was great with a decent cheddar
  • Restaurant Experience – A great way to sample some very special dishes – including some Masterchef winning dishes – sorry Mat, didn’t get to try the Lavander Mouse… ;-(
  • Knife Skills – Quite an interesting little overview by Marianne Lumb
  • Other demonstrations around the hall were well attended and seemed enjoyable
  • Plenty/Bounty Girls – what more can I say about them – well there is plenty of them
  • Gregg / John / Michel and Monica – They can certainly draw a crowd
  • Lovely Bubbly – enjoyed a little sojourn here tasting Champagne!
  • And lots more…. I’ll be there next year!

Cry Tiger Thai Beef (Weeping Tiger)

I’m gradually getting there, trying to perfect this dish – close but not quite there!

Ingredients (serves 2):

For the steak:

  • 2 Clove Garlic
  • 2 tsp of thai fish sauce
  • 2 tsp of light soy sauce
  • 2 tsp palm sugar
  • ½ lb sirloin steak (2)

For the sauce:

  • 1 tsp Thai rice
  • 3 tsp of Thai fish sauce
  • 2 tsp of Lime juice
  • ½ tsp sweet chilli paste
  • ½ tsp chilli powder – depending on how hot you like it!
  • 1 tsp palm sugar

In a mortar, grind the garlic and coriander then add the remaining fish sauce, soy and sugar and mix well. Put the steaks into a bowl and rub the mixture into the steaks well. Leave to marinate for at least half an hour.

For the sauce, ‘toast' the rice in a pan and then grind to a fine powder. Put his powder into a bowl and add the lime juice, fish sauce, chilli powder and paste. Stir well and ensure the sugar is dissolved.

Fry the steaks on a pre oiled, hot griddle to your taste – I prefer them medium to well done in this dish but you can just as easily do them rare. Rest the meat when cooked and then slice into strips. Serve the meat with the sauce together with some fragrant sticky rice – delicious!

Monday 9 November 2009

King Prawns and Rice

Friday last saw Mrs H and I tucking into King Prawns and rice – just the way we like them. The idea of a Thai salad on a cold evening sis not appeal to us! It a quick and simple dish and tastes great. In fact it takes more time to peel the prawns than cook then! The primary ingredient are those type of prawns that are massive – I tend to buy then from my local Korean supermarket – about £10 for 20 and about 150mm’s long. (make sure they are the uncooked variety!) - they are often frozen as they probably come from The far east...

Ingredients (serves between 2/3 people):

  • Pack of Super King prawns
  • 1 large clove of garlic
  • 10gms Butter

For the rice:

  • 1 cup of basmati rice
  • 1 tsp of groung tumeric
  • 2 tbsp of sultanas
  • 2 tbsp of pistachio nuts
  • 1 tsp of pine kernel nuts
  • 1 large onion
  • ½ tsp of sugar
  • Olive oil

I take a prawn and remove the head. I then cut the prawn lengthways to break open the underside of the shell. The shell is then easy to remove and the prawn can be cooked on a griddle, splayed open. Wash all the peeled and split prawns and set aside.

Boil the rice until just cooked with the tumeric. Drain and wash with hot water and leave to drain. Chop and fry the onion in about 1tbsp of olive oil. When cooked, add all of the nuts and sultanas and fry until starting to turn brown. Add the rice and ensure all is completely mixed well and hot throughout. Keep warm.

Now melt the butter in a hotish pan or griddle and add the garlic. After a few seconds, add the prawns and fry until they change colour to pink – meaning they are just cooked.

Serve prawns on a bed of the rice and spoon over any butter and garlic on to the top. Absolute bliss!!

Friday 30 October 2009

Thai update!

I was very disappointed with the ol’ Beef Masaman curry the other day – so that recipe is not going up on the blog! The spicy noodles are a dish I do regularly but will post when I have made them that little bit different. So tonight will probably be some sort of Thai salad with garlic King Prawns!

Tuesday 27 October 2009

Chicken Thai Green Curry

Yes, I know, there are plenty of recipes out there but I think mine takes some beating – well I would, wouldn’t I !! It has, of course, been extensively honed and fashioned into what Mrs H. approves of!

The secret is a good paste – I don’t have to time to make mine from first principles but you don’t need to if you get a good one.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp of Vegetable oil
  • 2 plump chicken breasts – deskinned and boned
  • One large onion – chopped
  • 2 ½ Tbsp of Thai Green Curry Paste
  • 2 Tbsp of Thai Fish Sauce
  • 1 small pack of Coconut cream – not creamed coconut!
  • 500ml of good chicken stock
  • 7 Kaffier lime leaves
  • 2 Tbsp of Palm sugar
  • Pinch of salt (if required)
  • 1 small red Bird’s eye chilli (if required)
  • Vegetable of your choice – bamboo shoots, French beans, broccoli etc etc
(Serves 2 or 3)

Fry the onion in the oil until soft then add the breasts, chopped into 2cm chunks. When just cooked, add the paste and stir continuously until it is fragrant and has covered all of the meat. Add the remaining ingredients (except the vegetables) stir and simmer for about 40 minutes – allowing the sauce to reduce slightly. During the simmering process, check the chilli heat to see if it is up to scratch! You don’t have to ad the veg! Just serve with boiled rice if you prefer…..

Monday 26 October 2009

The week ahead.....!

In a ‘fit of peak’ I have decided to go Thai this week. No, I’m not going to talk stangely and wear man dresses. (Mind you….) I’m going to turn into a Thai Kitchen slave. (Calm down Mrs.H and Hils, don't get excited, it's not that kind of slave!) So, this week we will have, amonst other things:

  • Thai Curry – Masaman, Green and Red
  • Beef Rendang
  • Thai Beef Salad
  • Phad Thai
  • Chicken Spicy Noodles
  • Tiger Cry

Oh, deep joy!

Crab with Mango, lime and chilli

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tsp of palm sugar
  • 1 green bird’s eye chilli
  • 1 red bird’s eye chilli
  • 1 tsp of ground dried shrimp
  • 300gm of fresh white crab meat
  • 20gms of chopped mint leaves
  • 20gms of chopped coriander leaves
  • 4 small shallots – sliced in rings
  • 1 green mango – halved, peeled and sliced
  • Cherry tomatoes – for garnish
  • 1 large green chilli – thinly sliced at an angle

(Serves 4)

This dish is fabulous! It has a ‘clean’ taste, typified by lots of Thai dishes. You may want to add another small chilli if you like your food spicy but don’t add too much as it will ‘kill’ the dish. I suggest that you mix all of the ingredients soon before you serve. If you want, you can prepare the mix and leave out the crab until the last minute.

So there you go – put the lime, fish sauce, sugar and chopped chillis into a bowl and allow to infuse – taste and adjust with sugar or lime (the proportions I have given should work perfectly, however!). Chop all the other ingredients and mix up (less the crab) in a large bowl. Make sure the shallot slices are separated into rings. When you are ready to server, mix the crab in bowl with the shallots etc and add the ‘sauce’. Mix well. Enjoy – I know you will!

Monday 19 October 2009

Crab with lime, chilli and linguine

I love crab meat – especially the white stuff! This probably dates back to my early years when my mother used to bring a fresh crab home from the docks in Fleetwood – and other food delicacies. In fact my father’s favourite food was Dover sole, Lobster and Scallops – now I know where I get the taste from…

Anyway, I digress, This dish is fresh and tasty and with warm pasta – is a decent autumn starter.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
  • 250gms of White Crab Meat
  • Juice of 2 lines and their zest
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1 chopped red chilli
  • 1 tsp of sugar syrup
  • 1 cup of chopped spring onions
  • ½ cup of chopped parsley
  • 1 cloves of garlic – chopped
  • Linguine – cooked – enough for 4 small servings

Mix all of the ingredients (except pasta and crab) in a bowl and allow to infuse. Cook the linguine and when drained, mix in with the crab and citrus mixture. Serve straight away and enjoy. This could serve 2 people as a main meal or 4 as a starter. I will post up soon another Thai version of this with Mango…..

Monday 12 October 2009

Venison and Smoked Pancetta Meatballs with Curly Kale and Parsnip Mash and Red Onion Gravy

One site I love is The British Larder.

On Friday I cooked this recipe and it went down a storm :-

http://www.britishlarder.co.uk/venison-and-smoked-pancetta-meatballs-with-curly-kale-and-parsnip-mash-red-onion-gravy/

The pancetta must be thick enough so it does not break apart. The meatballs can be prepared in advance and put in the oven when you want to serve up. Enjoy!

Beurre Blanc (Nantais) Sauce - Revised!

Or should it be called Beurre Nantais? (by virtue it has cream in it as a stabilising influence)

After a lot of trial and effort, I have now perfected this recipe – and it works perfectly!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup of dry white wine
  • ¼ Cup of white wine vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped shallots
  • 2 Tbsp of cream
  • 8oz of Unsalted (or slightly) butter – cubed
  • Salt to taste.

Add the shallots, wine and vinegar to a pan and simmer until reduced until you get about 15% of the liquid left.

Stir in the cream and reduce a little – this is what stops the sauce separating! Now whisk in about 1oz of the cubed butter and when mixed, do another 1oz. Repeat until completely infused and you have a creamy sauce. Season the sauce with salt to taste. This sauce whould not separate and can be prepared in advance of that fish meal you promise your guests!

Wednesday 7 October 2009

Chicken Breast with Beetroot Sauce - Farewell Floyd!


As a tribute to Keith Floyd, I thought I would dust off a copy of ‘Floyd on France’ that I had on the shelf. Like a lot of people, Keith managed to get me to raise my level of cooking back then. Maybe, even subliminally, I really love a glass of wine or 2 whilst cooking in the kitchen….. This dish was my first real dinner party dish that made people raise their eyebrows – it looks different but tastes great. (I have copied the reciped exactly as in the book)

The inspiration for this has come about from 'A Slice of Cherry Pie' blog and 'Back to the Chopping Board' blog.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Small Chicken breasts – boned and skinned
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Butter
  • 1 shallot – finely chopped
  • 1 glass of dry white wine
  • 1 medium beetroot – cooked and pureed with its own weight in butter
  • 150ml (5fl.oz) double cream
  • Fresh Chervil and julienne strips of cooked beetroot to garnish

Season the chicken and sauté gently in butter for about 4 minutes on each side. Keep warm and covered.

Boil the shallot in the wine until almost reduced to nothing. Now stir in the beetroot butter into the remaining wine and shallot until melted. Add the cream until you have a smooth consistency and a bright purple sauce. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

There should be a little juice from the chicken that has been resting: pour thid into the sauce. Then slice each breast into thin scallops and reconstruct into its original shape. Pour a little sauce on to each plate, lay the chicken on top of the sauce and decorate with strips of beetroot and chervil.

Oh, by the way - don't serve it with dauphinoise potatoes - just too much! I think crushed new potatoes would be much better.

Decent Jus for Lamb etc

I have another go at making a decent jus for a rack of Lamb last night (less strong than the red wine sauce) Basing the sauce on the principles that I used on a Beetroot sauce (A Keith Floyd marvel and I’’ll post after this!)

Mrs H was a happy and I must admit that I thought it was pretty good – considering that most of the time I am a little disappointed with my meat sauces, unless there is a fluke on the evening. One day I will have the time to boil up a load of veal bones!

Ingredients:

  • 1 shallot – finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic – finely chopped
  • 200ml of red wine
  • 500ml of decent lamb or beef stock
  • Fresh salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp of redcurrant jelly
  • 1 knob of slightly salted butter

In a frying pan, fry the shallots and garlic in the red wine until almost reduced to nothing (but still liquid) Then add the stock and butter and simmer again and reduce by a half. Remove from the heat and strain the mixture into a clean pan. Taste then season with salt and pepper and reduce further until the required consistency is achieved. If I have been searing the lam or beef in a pan, I will add the misture to the pan to deglaze the pan of the tasty bits! Any juices from the meat from resting or from the oven can be mixed in as well. Serve in a small boat or around the meat.

Monday 5 October 2009

Au revoir to my wasitline...

OK, that’s it! - I'm definitely on a diet - 3 weeks of great food! But its taking it's toll on my waistline.

I’m now back to normality, and some cooking - hopefully some of the places I have been to will have inspired some dishes and others have taught me what NOT to eat – one being Carpaccio of pig’s trotter. (more of that later)

Best meal – probably at Le Chateaubriand in Paris – I’ll give you an overview. I know that some people get a little hot under the collar when we say the French can cook (well they can) but I think its merely a case of numbers. What I mean is that everyone in France loves food and there are a lot of chefs / cooks. So the chance of you getting a good meal in France is higher than the UK (and also the chance of a poor one as well!)

Wednesday 9 September 2009

'Nutty' Rice

This recipe was a modification on a standard rive that I make.

Original Recipe – Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Cooked Basmati Rice
  • 80ml of Pistachio Nuts - shelled
  • 1 cup of small sultanas
  • 1 small onion –chopped
  • Olive oil

Fry the onion in oil until tender, add the sultanas and nuts and toast until golden. Add the rice, and stir the mixture in well until well warmed through. This recipe is really enjoyable but using up bits from the fridge prior to holiday gave it a different edge:

Additional Ingredients:

  • Small handful of chopped coriander
  • Large Handful of sliced spring onions
  • 50ml of pine kernals

With this version, add the pine kernals with the other nuts and then add the coriander and spring onions at the end. Very tasty and a meal in its own right AND vegetarian! I like to serve this warm but you could just as easily serve this cold.

Tuna with Garlic, Chilli, Lime and Ginger Salsa


A quick meal to enjoy! Who needs fast food when you have this!

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sized Tuna Steak
  • 1 clove of garlic - crushed
  • 1 thumb sized piece of ginger – finely chopped
  • 1 red chilli – to taste – finely chopped
  • Juice of one lime
  • 1 teaspoon of sugar
  • Splosh of olive oil

Mix the garlic, chilli, ginger, lime, oil and sugar in a bowl and leave to one side.

Sear the Tuna in a hot pan (I use vegetable oil) until cooked to your taste. My preference is to have the centre of the steak just pink. However don’t over cook it as the fish is spoilt when over cooked.

Serve with you choice of side dish and sprinkle the salsa over the steak. I served mine with a ‘nutty’ rice – I’ll post this shortly.

Monday 7 September 2009

The impending Gastro trip 'round France...

Well, I am rather looking forward to next weekend – I say weekend but it is really 5 days where Saturday and Sunday happen to be somewhere in the middle! We are off to Paris, Chartres, Rouen and Le Touquet for a whirlwind gastronomic tour. My next size up trousers are packed, the x-large shirts pressed and my taste buds groomed for the onslaught. I can’t wait!

Friday 28 August 2009

Tomato Salsa (Dip)

This can be varied as and how you like but I will give you a basic outline below

Ingredients:

  • 1 x 440gms can of chopped tomatoes (or fresh is you want but remove seeds)
  • 1 small chopped onion
  • Small handul of chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 tbsp of tomato ketchup (or homemade)
  • 1 chopped fresh chilli – to suit
  • 1 half small green capsicum pepper – chopped (optional)
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 tsp of caster sugar – depending on the sweetness of vegetables etc

Simply chop all the ingredients and mix in a bowl. Cover and allow the coriander to infuse.

Server with Fajitas or corn chips – or both!

Hersham Winos - Inaugural Event 21.08.09

The evening went off well!

We tasted 5 different red wines (all from South America, mostly Chile) and had one mystery guest wine – which was white. Each ‘tasting’ was interlaced with a crouton and a tuna/pepper spread (recipe to be put up shortly). At the end of the first round we gave a score.

Food was then served (Thai chicken salad) and another round was done!

After the final round we then had a glass of the mystery wine (or was it half time?) This turned out to be a swiss white wine – not common at all and very enjoyable. (Le Moulins du Valais 2008)

The results of the tasting were as follows:

Winner: Pehuen, Apalta, Chile – Carmenere 2004

2nd: Errazuriz Estate – 2008

3rd: Don Maximiano Estate (Errazuriz) – 2007

These wines scored 40, 39 and 37 respectively so the scoring was close. Then came the time to carry on the ‘tasting’ and enjoy some good cheeses.

A good evening was had by all and we look forward to the next one!

Should we taste all the wines blind ?

Thursday 20 August 2009

Hersham Wino's

Tomorrow sees the inauguration of the Hersham Winos a sort of Wine Appreciation Society.

The idea will be to have a tasting hosted at a different place each time. The host will supply Canapes etc and the guest bring a bottle of wine of the chosen region and colour. So tomorrow I will be hosting the event with probably about 8 attendees. The wine will be red and from South America. Hopefully we may actually taste wine and not just get drunk!!

I have some ideas for food so will post up after the event.

Monday 17 August 2009

My Mother ....

On Saturday, my mother, Joyce Harrington passed away after a short illness. 90 years old is not a bad innings but it is still sad to see her go.

I was leafing through her old recipe book yesterday and there are a few meals that I intend to russle up in memory of her…….

Saturday 15 August 2009

Chicken, Chorizo and Bacon


Sounds like Im using up left overs well sort of. I didnt want to waste items in the fridge and came up with this recipe. I make no apologies for the poor photos - but at least I am trying! It can only get better!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • Chorizo say 150cm x 2.5cm piece - chopped
  • 2 chicken breasts
  • Pack of Bacon lardons or similar
  • 1Tbsp of Tomato Paste
  • 1 Chilli - chopped
  • 1 Onion diced
  • ½ Tsp of Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Tsp of Sugar
  • 1 440gms tin of chopped tomatoes
  • Salt & Pepper

Heat oil in a pan and add the chorizo, onions, bacon and chilli. Stir constantly making sure nothing burns. As the chorizo cooks it will release oil. When it is looking cooked ie onions are soft, add tomato paste and paprika and stir for a few minutes. Chop the chicken breast and add for a few minutes. Then add the chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and reduce the heat and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes until chicken is well cooked. Serve with rice or pasta either way it was very good!

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