Spanish stylee...
Ingredients
Beef shin (about 500gs)
Onion
Carrot
Peppercorns
Bay leaves
Cloves
Thyme
Parsley stalks
Red wine
Onion
Carrot
Chorizo
Tomatoes
Paprika
Method
Brown the beef shin and remove from pan.
Add the sliced onion and chunky carrots. After a few minutes, add the herbs and spices from the first list.
Return the beef to the pan. Add the red wine to just about cover the meat. Bring to a simmer.
Remember to season as you go. Simmer gently for about 60-90 minutes.
When beef is tender, strain the contents of the pan (reserve the jus). Fry up some diced onion and finely cut carrots in the pan. Add the chorizo after 10 minutes. Then add the tomato, or tomato puree, and paprika.
Put the beef chunks back in with this mix, and cover with the jus. Thicken it by reducing, or adding cornflour if necessary.
Tastes much better on the next day, so store overnight, and remove whatever fat you can.
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Monday 28 May 2012
Pork Chop with Caper Butter Sauce
Meaty
Ingredients
Pork chop
Butter
Lemon
Capers
Thyme
Method
Pork chops often need a good beating to be tenderised. Do that, then season generously.
Get a pan of butter frying on a low heat. Add the pork chop. Turn it once after about 5 minutes, depending on the size of your chop. When it has been satisfactorily cooked, transfer it to a hot plate.
Melt some fresh butter, then add some capers. Squeeze in some lemon. Finally, add the herbs. Drizzle over the pork chop, and serve with something like carrots.
Ingredients
Pork chop
Butter
Lemon
Capers
Thyme
Method
Pork chops often need a good beating to be tenderised. Do that, then season generously.
Get a pan of butter frying on a low heat. Add the pork chop. Turn it once after about 5 minutes, depending on the size of your chop. When it has been satisfactorily cooked, transfer it to a hot plate.
Melt some fresh butter, then add some capers. Squeeze in some lemon. Finally, add the herbs. Drizzle over the pork chop, and serve with something like carrots.
Sunday 20 May 2012
Paella
Paella. 'Nuff said.
Clean and briefly boil the squid. Skin and chop the tomatoes.
Season the chicken. Fry in olive oil. Remove from the pan.
Fry the chorizo and bell peppers in the same pan. Remove from pan.
Fry the diced onion, then add the rice. Throw in some white wine. Add the chopped tomatoes.
Return the chorizo and peppers to the pan. Throw in some saffron. Add the stock. Put the chicken breasts and langoustine atop the rice. Cover and bring back to the boil.
Place in a pre-heated oven (about 160) for about 30 minutes. Leave it with lid on for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley. Squeeze lemon over it. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Chicken breast
Chorizo
Squid
Peppers
Onion
Paella rice (250g)
White wine
Prawns
Prawns
Chicken stock (500ml)
Saffron
Method
Clean and briefly boil the squid. Skin and chop the tomatoes.
Season the chicken. Fry in olive oil. Remove from the pan.
Fry the chorizo and bell peppers in the same pan. Remove from pan.
Fry the diced onion, then add the rice. Throw in some white wine. Add the chopped tomatoes.
Return the chorizo and peppers to the pan. Throw in some saffron. Add the stock. Put the chicken breasts and langoustine atop the rice. Cover and bring back to the boil.
Place in a pre-heated oven (about 160) for about 30 minutes. Leave it with lid on for 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley. Squeeze lemon over it. Enjoy!
Tuesday 15 May 2012
Moules Marinieres, with a chilli twist
Messing with the classics, to good effect.
Ingredients
Mussels (roughly 300gs per person)
Onion
Bay leaf
Thyme
Garlic
White wine
Parsley
Lemon
Chilli
French bread
Method
I've made the standard creamy, rich moules marinieres. It's good. But I prefer this. Take out the cream, add some chilli.
Clean your mussels. Pull out their beards. Dont scrub the shells.
Start by frying some diced onion in butter. Add a few bay leaves and thyme. Add some chopped garlic. Add some white wine to the pan (about 150ml for a large portion). Let it burn off the alcohol.
Add the cleaned mussels to the pot. Return to the boil, and cover for about 3 minutes. Strain the juice into a serving bowl. Add the mussels.
Chop the parsley (or coriander) and cover the mussels. Squeeze a heap of lemon juice all over. Add a finely chopped chilli to the proceedings and you're good to go.
Ingredients
Mussels (roughly 300gs per person)
Onion
Bay leaf
Thyme
Garlic
White wine
Parsley
Lemon
Chilli
French bread
Method
I've made the standard creamy, rich moules marinieres. It's good. But I prefer this. Take out the cream, add some chilli.
Clean your mussels. Pull out their beards. Dont scrub the shells.
Start by frying some diced onion in butter. Add a few bay leaves and thyme. Add some chopped garlic. Add some white wine to the pan (about 150ml for a large portion). Let it burn off the alcohol.
Add the cleaned mussels to the pot. Return to the boil, and cover for about 3 minutes. Strain the juice into a serving bowl. Add the mussels.
Chop the parsley (or coriander) and cover the mussels. Squeeze a heap of lemon juice all over. Add a finely chopped chilli to the proceedings and you're good to go.
Monday 14 May 2012
Steak Baguette, Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce
Ah yeah!
Ingredients
Steak (Sirloin or Rump)
Olive oil
Butter
English mustard
Baguette
Asparagus spears (3 or 4 per person)
Egg yolks
Butter
Lemon
Method
Season the steak heartily. Heat a pan, and add the oil and butter. Keep the heat low until the butter melts. Then turn the heat up. Put the steak in the pan. How long you fry it for depends on the thickness of the steak and how you like it. More importantly, do not turn it more than once, and always leave it rest for a minute before cutting it.
Melt the butter (about 75gs per serving). Simmer a pan of water. Mix up the egg yolks (one per serving) in a glass bowl. Add a wee bit of the water and mix again. Put the bowl over the water. Gradually pour in the clarified butter while whisking. Add a generous squeeze of lemon at the end. Turn off the heat but leave the pan over the water to keep it warm.
The asparagus can be cooked simply by boiling them for about 5 minutes (remember to cut off the woody ends).
Slice the steak and serve it in a baguette covered in English mustard with the asparagus and hollandaise on the side. Season the hollandaise with salt and pepper before eating.
Ingredients
Steak (Sirloin or Rump)
Olive oil
Butter
English mustard
Baguette
Asparagus spears (3 or 4 per person)
Egg yolks
Butter
Lemon
Method
Season the steak heartily. Heat a pan, and add the oil and butter. Keep the heat low until the butter melts. Then turn the heat up. Put the steak in the pan. How long you fry it for depends on the thickness of the steak and how you like it. More importantly, do not turn it more than once, and always leave it rest for a minute before cutting it.
Melt the butter (about 75gs per serving). Simmer a pan of water. Mix up the egg yolks (one per serving) in a glass bowl. Add a wee bit of the water and mix again. Put the bowl over the water. Gradually pour in the clarified butter while whisking. Add a generous squeeze of lemon at the end. Turn off the heat but leave the pan over the water to keep it warm.
The asparagus can be cooked simply by boiling them for about 5 minutes (remember to cut off the woody ends).
Slice the steak and serve it in a baguette covered in English mustard with the asparagus and hollandaise on the side. Season the hollandaise with salt and pepper before eating.
Wednesday 9 May 2012
Vietnamese-ish Beef Curry
Full o' flavour, just how I like it.
Ingredients
Beef (shin or chuck)
Flour
Cinnamon stick
Cardamom
Peppercorns
Bay leaves
Cloves
Onions
Garlic
Ginger
Chillies
Turmeric
Cumin
Chilli powder / Cayenne pepper
Tomato puree
Water
Yoghurt
Garam Masala
Method
Coat the beef in flour and season. Brown it off in a casserole.
Add the next batch of ingredients (cinnamon, bay leaves, etc.) and let them sizzle. Add the onion, garlic ginger and chillies. Return the beef to the pan.
Stir in the spices - turmeric, etc. Then add the tomato - I used puree. Top it up with some water. Mix the yoghurt in with some salt and garam masala. Add this to the casserole.
Let it cook for about an hour or more on a low heat.
Serve with rice, or chapati.
Ingredients
Beef (shin or chuck)
Flour
Cinnamon stick
Cardamom
Peppercorns
Bay leaves
Cloves
Onions
Garlic
Ginger
Chillies
Turmeric
Cumin
Chilli powder / Cayenne pepper
Tomato puree
Water
Yoghurt
Garam Masala
Method
Coat the beef in flour and season. Brown it off in a casserole.
Add the next batch of ingredients (cinnamon, bay leaves, etc.) and let them sizzle. Add the onion, garlic ginger and chillies. Return the beef to the pan.
Stir in the spices - turmeric, etc. Then add the tomato - I used puree. Top it up with some water. Mix the yoghurt in with some salt and garam masala. Add this to the casserole.
Let it cook for about an hour or more on a low heat.
Serve with rice, or chapati.
Friday 4 May 2012
Chicken, mushroom leek pie, with glazed carrots
Comforting, warming... tasting.
Ingredients
Chicken thighs
Onion
Chicken stock
Bay leaves
Thyme
Mushrooms
Leeks
Garlic
Parsley
Puff pastry
Small carrots
Water
Sugar
Salt
Mustard
Method
Season the meat. Brown the chicken thighs (with the bone) in a casserole. Remove from pan and brown the onions. Return the meat to the pan, and add the stock and herbs. Let it simmer away for 30 minutes or so.
In a separate pan, fry the slices mushrooms, leeks, and garlic in butter. Season and add parsley. Place it in the pie dish, and add the chicken from the casserole.
Depending on how you like your pie filling, add some milk, and some cornflour to thicken it. Let it reduce for 10 minutes or so. Add the mixture to the pie dish.
Clean the carrots. Place in a frying pan and almost cover them with cold water. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar per 500ml water, and some salt. Bring it to a boil and let it boil away until the water reduces (about 30 minutes).
Cover the pie mixture with the pastry and place in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes.
Towards the end of the carrot process, add the mustard and some more parsley.
Serve it together with some mash potato, if you like potatoes with pastry. Eat.
Ingredients
Chicken thighs
Onion
Chicken stock
Bay leaves
Thyme
Mushrooms
Leeks
Garlic
Parsley
Puff pastry
Small carrots
Water
Sugar
Salt
Mustard
Method
Season the meat. Brown the chicken thighs (with the bone) in a casserole. Remove from pan and brown the onions. Return the meat to the pan, and add the stock and herbs. Let it simmer away for 30 minutes or so.
In a separate pan, fry the slices mushrooms, leeks, and garlic in butter. Season and add parsley. Place it in the pie dish, and add the chicken from the casserole.
Depending on how you like your pie filling, add some milk, and some cornflour to thicken it. Let it reduce for 10 minutes or so. Add the mixture to the pie dish.
Clean the carrots. Place in a frying pan and almost cover them with cold water. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar per 500ml water, and some salt. Bring it to a boil and let it boil away until the water reduces (about 30 minutes).
Cover the pie mixture with the pastry and place in a pre-heated oven for 25 minutes.
Towards the end of the carrot process, add the mustard and some more parsley.
Serve it together with some mash potato, if you like potatoes with pastry. Eat.
Wednesday 2 May 2012
Pot-au-feu with Pork Belly
Hearty French peasant dish.
Ingredients
Pork Belly
Bay leaves
Water
Carrots
Garlic
Bouquet Garni (Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Bay)
Potatoes (Maris Piper)
Leeks
Shallots
Celery
Mustard
Method
Season the belly with sea salt and pepper. Place some bay leaves in on the meat side (not the fat side). Roll it up and tie it with string. Fry in a hot pan until it has developed a nice colour.
Place it in a casserole and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer lightly for about 45 minutes to an hour. Skim off the fatty impurities.
Add the carrots (long, thick slices, not chopped), garlic (whole cloves) and the bouquet garni. Continue to cook for 30 minutes.
Add the chopped leeks, shallots, celery and more seasoning. Continue cooking for another 45 minutes to an hour. Taste the stock and add more seasoning if necessary.
Slice the pork belly, add the vegetables and stock. Serve with dijon mustard, or, my preference, hot English mustard. Delicious!
Ingredients
Pork Belly
Bay leaves
Water
Carrots
Garlic
Bouquet Garni (Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Bay)
Potatoes (Maris Piper)
Leeks
Shallots
Celery
Mustard
Method
Season the belly with sea salt and pepper. Place some bay leaves in on the meat side (not the fat side). Roll it up and tie it with string. Fry in a hot pan until it has developed a nice colour.
Place it in a casserole and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer lightly for about 45 minutes to an hour. Skim off the fatty impurities.
Add the carrots (long, thick slices, not chopped), garlic (whole cloves) and the bouquet garni. Continue to cook for 30 minutes.
Add the chopped leeks, shallots, celery and more seasoning. Continue cooking for another 45 minutes to an hour. Taste the stock and add more seasoning if necessary.
Slice the pork belly, add the vegetables and stock. Serve with dijon mustard, or, my preference, hot English mustard. Delicious!
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