Archive for the ‘Recipe’ Category

A warming risotto for the cold snap.  Feeds 4.

Ingredients

• 2 Onion Chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic finely Chopped
• 1tbsp Olive Oil
• 225g Frozen Broad Beans
• 150g Chorizo Sausage – Cooked and chopped into chunks
• 150g Smoked Pancetta – Diced
• 350g Risotto Rice
• 1.2l Chicken Stock
• 1tbsp or fresh Dried Thyme
• 1tbsp Dried or fresh Oregano
• Salt and Black Pepper
• Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pan or flameproof casserole.
2. Add the onion garlic and diced pancetta to the oil and cook gently for 5 minutes stirring occassionaly.
3. Add the rice to the pan and cook for 1 minute stirring.
4. Add 300ml of the stock to the pan and simmer stirring frequently till all the liquid is adsorbed.
5. Cook the broad beans in slightly salted water in a pan for three minutes while carrying out step 6.  Drain and set asside.
6. Over 30-35 minutes add the stock 1 ladelful at a time stirring constantly until the rice is just tender and creamy.  Almost all the liquid should have been adsorbed.  You may not need all of the stock.
7. Stir in the Herbs, Chorinzo and Beans.  Heat gently.
8. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

This moist, rich, fruit cake recipe was given to me by a friend from Australia.  Serves 12.

Ingredients

• 175g Pitted Dates
• 115g  Ready to Eat dried prunes
• 200ml Unsweetened Orange Juice
• 2tbsp Molasses or Black Treacle
• 2tsp Candied Peel
• 225g Self Raising Flour (White or Wholemeal)
• 1tsp Mixed Spice
• 115g Seedless Raisins
• 115g Golden Sultanas
• 115g Currants
• 115g Cranberries
• 3 Large Eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170ºC / Gas Mark 3.
2. Chop the dates and prunes and place in a pan with the orange juice.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes until very soft.
3. Meanwhile grease and line a deep 20cm round cake tin.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and beat the mixture with a fork till it is puréed.
5. Stir in the Molasses and Candied Peel then leave to cool.
6. Sift the Flour and Mixed Spice into a bowl.
7. Mix the remaining Dried Fruit into the flour and make a well at the centre.
8. Separate the Egg Whites and Yolks into separate bowls.
9. When it is cool stir the Yolks into the Prune and Date mixture.
10. Spook the Prune and Date mixture into the Flour gradually working them together with a Wooden Spoon.
11. Whisk the Egg Whites until stiff.
12. Gently fold the Egg Whites into the mixture using a metal spoon.
13. Transfer to the baking tin.
14. Cook for 1½ hours.
15. Leave to cool in the tin.

The world (and the world wide web) probably doesn’t need another lasagne recipe but when did that ever stop me

This is my favourite lasagne recipe its an ideal dish to serve a gaming group after a hard day of gaming. Most of the preparation can be done before the game so its just a case of finding the right moment to put it in the oven. This recipe will serve 4 to 5 people and can be served with garlic bread and a mixed green salad.

Ingredients

• 25g Butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 500g lean minced beef
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 2tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 4tbsp tomato purée
• 250ml water
• 1tsp mixed herbs
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 12 pieces of oven ready lasagne (about 200g)
• 250g carton ricotta cheese
• 175g mozzarella cheese, grated
• 50g parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pan
2. Add the onion and garlic to the pan
3. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onion has softened stirring to prevent burning
4. Add the minced beef and cook, stirring until the meat loses its pink colour
5. Stir in the tomatoes, water, Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée and mixed herbs
6. Cover and cook stirring occasionally for 40 minutes or until the meat is tender
7. Season with black pepper and salt to taste
8. Place three of the lasagne sheets in one layer in the bottom of a casserole dish
9. Spread a thin layer of the meat mixture onto the lasagne in the dish
10. Lay three sheets of lasagne on top of the meat in the dish in a single layer
11. Spoon a third of the remaining meat mixture over the top of the lasagne covering the lasagne
12. Cover with another three sheets of lasagne
13. Spoon another third of the meat over the top
14. In small spoonful add half the ricotta cheese then add half the parmesan and mozzarella
15. Cover with another three sheets of lasagne
16. Cover with the remaining third of the meat, then the remaining ricotta and then the rest of the parmesan and mozzarella
17. Cover and place to one side ready
18. About 40 minutes before you want to eat put the casserole dish into the oven
19. Bake at 180ºC / Gas Mark 4 for 30 minutes
20. Remove the lid from the casserole
21. Bake for a further 10 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly

A recipe I’ve cooked since I was at University and a personal favourite for when the cold weather sets in. Serves 4.  Serve with rice.

Lamb chops with Peppers

Ingredients

• 8 Lamb Chops
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 2 Onions
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped
• 400g Tin of Chopped Tomatoes
• 2 Green Peppers
• 1 Red Pepper
• 2 tsp Crushed Coriander Seeds
• Pinch of Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 150ml Dry White Wine
• 2 tbsp Tomato Puree

Instructions

1. Chop the onions
2. Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the chops on both sides
3. Lower the heat and add the onions and garlic to the pan
4. Cover and cook for 5 minutes
5. Meanwhile deseeded and cut the peppers into strips
6. After 5 minutes add the peppers, tomatoes coriander, salt and pepper to the pan and stir
7. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes or until the chops are cooked
8. Remove the chops from the pan and keep warm
9. Stir the wine into the pan
10. Cook rapidly, uncovered, stirring constantly until the liquid is reduced by half
11. Add the tomato puree and stir in
12. Simmer on a low heat for five minutes
13. Serve with the sauce pored over the lamb chops

I baked this for a friend’s birthday years ago. The other day they asked me for the recipe so here it is.

Ingredients

• 200g Margarine
• 400g Caster Sugar
• 100g Plain Chocolate
• 4 Eggs (size 3) separated
• 2 x 2.5ml spoon Cinnamon
• 2 x 2.5ml spoon Mixed Spice
• 350g Self Raising Flour
• 240ml Milk
• 50g Cut Mixed Peel

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 180ºC, Gas Mark 4
2. Grease a 25cm round tin and line the base
3. Melt the chocolate
4. Cream the margarine and the sugar until light and fluffy
5. Blend the melted Chocolate into the creamed sugar and margarine
6. Blend the egg yolks into the mixture
7. Sieve the spices and flour
8. Stir the spices and flour into the mixture alternating with stirring in the milk
9. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff
10. Fold the beaten egg whites into the mixture
11. Place the mixture in the tin
12. Bake for about 45 minutes

An unusual and tasty casserole that’s great as the cold winter nights draw in. Serve with bread or rice. Pork or turkey can be used instead of the chicken. Serves 4.

Ingredients

• 2 rashers of back bacon chopped
• 1tbsp sunflower oil
• 450g boneless chicken thigh or breast cut into large chunks
• 1 clove gralic crushed
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 225g plums stoned and cut into halves
• 1 tbsp muscovado sugar
• 150ml white wine
• 2tbsp plum sauce
• 450ml chicken stock
• 2tsp cornflour
• Cold Water

Instructions

1. Dry fry the bacon in a non-stick frying pan for 2-3 minutes
2. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon. Set aside in a covered container
3. Add the oil to the frying pan and heat it
4. Add the onions, garlic and chicken to the pan
5. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes stirring occasionally until the chicken is brown all over.
6. Return the bacon to the pan and stir in the plums, sugar, wine, plum sauce and stock
7. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through
8. Add 4tsp of water to the cornflour and mix to form a paste
9. Add the paste to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until the casserole thickens

A quick and easy dish of mildly spiced lamb. Serves 4. Serve with rice. For extra kick add 3 chopped or whole green chillies with the chilli powder.  For real kick don’t seed the chillies.

Ingredients

• 450g lean minced lamb
• 6tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium onions sliced
• 2 tomatoes cut into segments
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 2.5cm ginger root
• Fresh coriander leaves chopped
• 1tsp chilli powder
• 100ml peas

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan
2. Add the onion and fry until golden brown
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer
4. Add the coriander, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chilli powder
5. Stir well to combine
6. Add the minced lamb
7. Stir fry for 7-10 minutes
8. Add the peas and cook for 3-4 minutes

A mild and tasty curry. This recipe serves 4. Lamb or beef can be used instead of pork. Serve with rice.

Ingredients

• 750g Leg or Shoulder of Pork
• 3tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions chopped
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 2.5cm ginger root
• 2 fresh green chillies seeded and chopped
• 1.5tbsp medium curry paste
• 1tsp ground coriander
• 250g mushrooms sliced thickly
• 850ml stock
• 3 tomatoes chopped
• 60g creamed coconut chopped
• 3tbsp ground almonds

Instructions

1. Cut the pork into bite sized pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
3. Add the pork to the saucepan and fry, stirring frequently, until sealed
4. Remove the pork from the pan
5. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, chillies, curry paste and coriander to the pan
6. Cook gently for 2 minutes
7. Stir in the mushrooms, stock and tomatoes
8. Return the pork to the pan
9. Cover and simmer for 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 hours or until the pork is tender
10. Stir in the creamed coconut and ground almonds
11. Cook gently for 3 minutes

Spicy Black-eye Beans

This is one of my favourit recipes, so much so that I went and bought a 7 litre stock pot from John Lewis a couple of weeks back so I can cook a double quantity for freezing. Ideally it should be cooked a couple of days in advance and allowed to sit so the deep, rich flavour of the sauce can mature and permeate into the beans.

• 350g Black-eye beans soaked overnight in water
• 2 medium Onions, chopped
• 1 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 500ml Vegetable stock
• 1 tbsp Clear honey
• 2 tbsp Treacle (molasses)
• 4 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 4 tbsp Tomato Puree
• 1 tsp Dry Mustard Powder
• 1 Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Dried Rosemary
• 1 tsp Dried Thyme
• 1 tsp Dried Sage
• Pepper
• 1 small Orange
• 1 tbsp Cornflour
• 2 Red Bell Peppers, deseeded and chopped into slices

1. Rinse and drain the beans.
2. Place in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes.
3. Drain and place in an ovenproof casserole dish.
4. Fry the onions in the oil in a frying pan for 5 minutes, then add to the beans and mix well.
5. Put the Vegetable stock, Honey, Treacle, Soy Sauce, Tomato Puree, Mustard Powder, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage and Pepper in a jug and mix well then pour into the casserole.
6. Add the bay leaf at the side of the pot so it will be easy to remove later. Peel three strips of orange rind from the orange and put on top of the beans.
7. Cover the casserole and bake for 1 hour at 150ºC / Gas Mark 2.
8. Extract the orange juice and mix into the cornflour to form a paste. Add the peppers and paste to the beans and mix well.
9. Return to the oven and cook for another hour.
10. Discard the bay leaf and serve with either rice or wraps.

Tried this out earlier in the weekend and enjoyed it so thought I’d post it tonight. The quontities here are for it as a side dish for a wet curry or light meal with Chapatis.

Serves 4. Serve hot or cold.

• 150g Black-eye beans soaked in a bowl overnight
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 2 Medium Onions
• 1 tsp Fresh Ginger root finely chopped
• 1 tsp Fresh Garlic crushed
• 1 tsp Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Ground Coriander
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 150ml Water
• 2 Green Chillies
• Fresh Coriander
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice

1. Rinse and soak the black-eye beans overnight.
2. Boil the black-eye beans in a pan of fresh water over a low heat for about 30minutes.
3. Drain the beans.
4. Heat oil in a pan. Add the onion and fry until golden brown.
5. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli powder, salt, ground coriander and cumin and stir fry for 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Add the water to the pan, cover and cook till the water has evaporated.
7. Add the black-eye beans, green chillies and coriander leaves to the onion and stir.
8. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with lemon juice.