The Paupers Kitchen

Ratatouille Risotto

2011-03-01T23:38:00.007+01:00

My brother in law makes a fantastic risotto, and yesterday I had a craving for it. Alas, he lives in Newcastle and I don't have his recipe so I had to make one myself.

Ingredients

1 large tin ratatouille/homemade (see post below)

500ml canned whole tomatoes, drained and liquid reserved

2 pints vegetable stock

1/2 pint chicken stock

1 tblsp butter

1 tblsp olive oil

2 shallots/1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlice, chopped finely

1 cup (arborio) rice

2 bay leaves/1 tsp dried basil

100g parmesan cheese, grated

1 tsp lemon juice

Method

1. Pour the tomato liquid into a saucepan and add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil

2. Lower the heat to simmer, keep the mixture hot during the cooking process

3. In a large bowl mash the tomatoes into chunks with the back of a wooden spoon, set aside

4. In a large stock/soup pan, melt the butter and heat olive oil together

5.Add the shallots/onion and garlic and cook slowly until a purée-like texture is formed (about 10 mins)

6. Remove the shallots/onion and garlic and blot on a paper towel, return to the stove over a medium heat

7. Add rice and using a wooden spoon move around the pan until the rice starts to toast and smells butty (about 4-5 mins)

8. Add chicken stock and slowly reduce, stirring gently

9. Add the hot vegetable stock and tomato juice mixture slowly (a cup at a time)

10. Stir after each addition until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture thickens (you may not need all of the stock mixture)

11. Add the bay leaves/basil after the third addition

12. After around 15 mins add the mashed tomatoes

13. When the rice is al dente (around 20 - 25 mins) remove from the heat and add the ratatouille

14. Add the lemon juice and stir in the cheese

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 1 hour

Ratatouille

2011-03-01T23:36:00.000+01:00

Ingredients

2 red/yellow bell peppers, chopped into chunks

2 large tomatoes, chopped into chunks

1 large courgette, chopped into chunks

1 large aubergine, chopped into chunks

1 large yellow squash, chopped into chunks

1 tblsp balsamic vinegar

3 tblsp olive oil

a few basil leaves, torn into shreds

2 tblsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1. Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix together

2. Spread onto a baking sheet or large oven proof dish

3. Roast in the oven at 230°C for 12 -15 mins

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 15 mins

Crepes

2011-02-21T17:00:00.004+01:00

Today I made crepes for the first time and I was amazed at how easy it was.

250g/9 oz plain flour

4 eggs

1/2 litre / 1 pint milk

Mix the ingredients together until you get a smooth liquid

Heat a little butter in a frying pan

1 ladle of batter for each crepe

We had nutella, strawberry jam and peanut butter as fillings.

Blueberry Sauce

2011-01-28T10:27:00.005+01:00

I made this little sauce up the other day while wondering what to do with a crown of duck. Simple and delicious. I did duck but this fruity number is perfect for any red meat or pork. You could also subsitute the blueberries for redcurrants.

Ingredients

25cl white wine

4cl cider vinegar

2cl balsamic vinegar

2 shallots/1 onion, chopped finely

200g butter

200g blueberries

Method

1. In a saucepan melt the butter

2. Add the shallots/onions cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots/onions are soft

3. Add the white wine, vinegars and blueberries

4. Simmer gently for 5 - 10 mins

5. Remove from the heat and squash the berries with the back of a wooden spoon

6. Set aside, letting the juice from the berries seep into the sauce

7. Just before serving return a high heat and bring just to the boil stirring continuously

Or if you've roasted your meat in the oven

When you've removed your meat from the oven add the sauce to the meat tray, mixing the sauce with the juices from the meat. Return to the oven for 3-5mins or until hot. This gives the sauce a fuller and more meaty flavour.

Respite and Repos

2011-01-28T10:17:00.005+01:00

I went back to Blighty last week for a little visit and catch up with family. A lovely mini break chilling in the wilds of Northumberland. Obviously I was treated to some great English delights courtesy of my mum, Di from designersblock. Sunday dinner, mince and dumplings, bacon sandwiches, heaven :) Don't get me wrong I love France, and the food is to die for out here, but you can't beat your mum's Sunday dinner!

Chinese Stir Fry Beef

2011-01-08T11:03:00.003+01:00

The Chinese certainly got it right when they invented this quick and hassle free dish. Chop everything up and throw in a wok et voila! Here's my recipe for a quick beef delight.

Ingredients

500g rump steak, cut into chunks
4 tblsp hoisin sauce
4 tblsp soy sauce
1 tblsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tblsp oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tin sweetcorn (optional)

Method

1. In a large bowl mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, red wine vinegar and beef, set aside to marinate about 20-30mins
2. In a large wok or frying pan heat the oil
3. Add the onions and garlic and fry for 2-3 mins
4. Add the beef and the sauce fry for 5 mins
5. Add the pepper, sweetcorn and ginger, add a little more hoisin and soy sauce
6. Simmer gently for 5 mins

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 30 mins
Cooking time : 15 mins

Boeuf à la Badara

2011-01-07T23:58:00.006+01:00

Yesterday tiredness got the better of me, but luckily my chéri came to the rescue and made us a beautiful African style dish. It was delicious and I had many helpings! A couple of the ingredients you'll have to pop to your local chinese/indian supermarket*, but believe me it's well worth the trip.

Ingredients

1kg beef bourginon, chopped into chunks

3 onions, peeled and chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 small tin tomato paste

700ml water

5 large potatoes, peeled and quartered

4 kub d'or/maggi stock cubes *

salt & pepper

1 tin (200g) sauce graine *

2 tblsp oil

Method

1. In a large saucepan heat the oil

2. Add the onions, garlic and beef and fry gently for 3-4mins

3. Add the tomato paste and 200ml water, cook for 5 mins

4. Add the chopped tomatoes and 500ml water

5. Crumble in the stock cubes, season with salt & pepper

6. Simmer over a low heat for 30 mins

7. Add the potatoes and simmer for a further 30 - 45 mins, until the potatoes are tender

8. Add the sauce grain and simmer for 15 - 20 mins, until the oil from the sauce grain appears on the surface of the sauce

Serves : 6

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 1 1/2 - 2 hours

Look what I got for Christmas

2011-01-04T11:24:00.004+01:00

My friends know me well. I'm at my most happiest when in the kitchen, this year I was spoilt with a brand spanking new bread machine (you can even make jam in it!), an electric steamer and a raclette set. Since Christmas day I've been knocking out the baguettes in my machine but today I'm going to be a little adventerous and make Banana Bread. So for those of you who have a bread machine:

Ingredients

200ml water

1 egg

1 tblsp oil

45g milk powder

1 banana, peeled and chopped into small pieces

300g bread flour

40g sugar

4g salt

5g yeast

Method

1. Add all the ingredients, banana last, and press start :)

Bubble and Squeak

2011-01-03T10:16:00.003+01:00

I love this recipe. Traditionally eaten on a Monday with the leftover vegetables from the Sunday dinner.

Ingredients

4 large potatoes, peeled chopped and boiled

1/2 cabbage, par boiled/leftovers

leftover carrots, broccoli, brussel sprouts chopped finely

2 tblsp butter

salt & pepper

1 onion, chopped

Method

1. In a large frying pan melt the butter

2. Fry the onion until soft

3. Add all the vegetables, season with salt & pepper

4. Cook until golden brown and the pan bubbles and squeaks!

Serves : 4-6

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Merry Christmas

2010-12-27T19:24:00.008+01:00

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and Santa was kind to you all. We were no less than 18 for Christmas Dinner! On the menu was

Starter

Smoked Salmon
King Prawns
Foie Gras
Onions Agrodolce

Main Course

Duck
Chestnut, Prune and Apricot Stuffing
Roast Potatoes
Cabbage
Carrots
Brussel Sprouts
Yorkshire Puddings
Gravy

Dessert

Christmas Cake
Christmas Pudding
Mince Pies
Galette Breton

The Kid's Table

Feasting

Giant Plates

and on Boxing Day morning, a full English breakfast with all the trimmings!

Beautiful Soup

2010-12-24T11:00:00.000+01:00

Yet another day stuck in the house because of the snow. But on the bright side it gave me time to prepare this magnificent Soup Special. The cold is here to stay for the foreseeable future so warmth and goodness is a must to keep the spirits up. As Lewis Carroll quite eloquently put it

"Beautiful soup, so rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Beautiful soup! Who cares for fish,
Game, or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two
Pennyworth only of beautiful soup?"

(Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, 1865)

I can take no credit for the following recipes, they are taken from Lindsey Bareham's Celebration of Soup. A fanstastic little paperback that was given to me many years ago when I first started becoming really interested in cooking. There must be at least a couple of hundred recipes in there. The following I have tried and tested. One day I shall be able to say I have tried every one in the book!

Cream of Tomato Soup

2010-12-24T10:59:00.003+01:00

Ingredients

25g/1 oz butter
3 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed and peeled
700g/1 1/2 lb ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
Bouquet garni (4 stalks parsley, 1 branch of thyme & 1/2 bayleaf)
1.1 litres/2 pints chicken stock
100g/4 oz double cream
salt & pepper
chives

Method

1. Heat the butter and soften the shallots and garlic
2. Add the tomatoes, bouquet garni, generous pinch of salt & pepper
3. Leave to simmer gently, stirring occasionall, until the tomatoes have turned to mush and most of the liquid evaporated
4. Add the stock, bring to the boil
5. Partially cover the pan and simmer gently for 20 mins
6. Fish out the bouquet garni and purée the soup
7. Pass through a fine sieve and return to the pan
8. Reheat and pour in the cream, simmer for 2 - 3 mins
9. Sprinkle over the chives and serve

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 10 mins
Cooking time : 30 - 45 mins

Oxtail

2010-12-24T10:41:00.004+01:00

Ingredients

8 pieces of oxtail
2 onions, chopped finely
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 leek, chopped finely
3 sticks of celery, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic
8 whole tomatoes
4 sprigs of thyme (or 4 tsp dried thyme)
1 bayleaf
275ml/1/2 pint Guinness (red wine can be used instead)
1.75 litres/3 pints veal, beef or oxtail stock
salt & pepper
chopped parsley

Method

1. Fry the oxtail until browned all over and a lot of fat has been released
2. Set aside
3. Reserve 1 tblsp of fat and stir fry onions, carrots, leek and celery
4. Add garlic, tomatoes, thyme and bayleaf
5. When they have started to turn brown return the oxtail to the pan with the Guinness/red wine and the stock
6. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat , cover and simmer very gently for at least 1 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender
7. Remove the pieces of oxtail and set aside
8. Pour the soup through a fine sieve, push the vegetables through and discard the tomato skins and fibrous debris
9. Meat the meat from the oxtail, add to the soup and reheat
10. Taste and adjust the seasoning
11. Garnish with parsley

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 2 hours

Mushroom Soup

2010-12-24T10:27:00.003+01:00

Ingredients

50g/2 oz stale white bread *
milk (enough to moisten the bread)
450g/1 lb button mushrooms, rinsed and chopped
50g/2 oz butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tblsp parsley
570 ml/1 pint chicken stock
100 ml/4 fl oz double cream
nutmeg, salt & pepper

* Moisten the bread with the milk and leave to soak whilst you chop the mushrooms

Method

1. Melt the butter and stir in the mushrooms
2. Cover and leave to stew for 4 - 5 mins
3. Squeeze the surplus milk from the bread and tear into strips
4. Stir the bread into the mushrooms
5. Add the garlic, parsley, generous pinch of nutmeg and chicken stock
6. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 10 mins
7. Liquidise, return to the pan, adjust the seasoning and bring back to the boil
8. Stir in the cream and serve

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 10 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins

Jamaican Fish Tea (Soup)

2010-12-24T10:18:00.004+01:00

Ingredients

900g/2 lb fish heads or bony fish
2 litres/3 1/2 pints water
6 green bananas, peeled and diced
1 tomato, blanched, cored and chopped
1 sprig of thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
2 shallots, diced
3 red chilli peppers, 1 whole and 2 chopped
salt & pepper

Method

1. Make a stock with the fish by rinising them under cold water, putting them in a pan with cold water, boil, cover and simmer for 30 mins *
2. Strain the stock
3. Add the tomato, bananas, thyme, shallots and chillis to the stock
4. Bring to the boil and simmer until the bananas are half tender
5. Remove the whole chilli and season with salt & pepper

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 10 mins
Cooking time : 30 - 45 mins

* If you can't make the stock yourself use a fish stock cube, hey that's what they're there for isn't it!

Potato, Onion and Feta Cheese Soup

2010-12-24T10:13:00.004+01:00

Ingredients

2 large potatoes, peeled and grated
40g/1 1/2 oz butter
2 onions, chopped finely
2 eggs, whisked with 150ml/5 fl oz water
50g/2 oz feta cheese, grated
salt

Method

1. Cover the potatoes with salted water and cook for 5 mins
2. In another pan melt the butter
3. Gently stir fry the onions
4. Season with salt and cover, cook for 5 mins
5. Mix the onions with potatoes
6. Top up with 275ml/1/2 pint water
7. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 mins
8. Stir a spoonful of the hot mixture into the egg mixture
9. Add the egg to the broth and heat throughly
10. Sprinkle over the feta cheese

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 20 - 30 mins

Curried Parsnip Soup

2010-12-24T10:08:00.005+01:00

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, split
1 very large parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 potato, peeled and diced
2 heaped tblsp butter
1 level tblsp flor
1 tsp curry powder
1.1 litres/2 pints beef stock
570ml-1.1 litres/ 1 - 2 pints water
150ml/1/4 pint single cream
salt & pepper
parsley

Method

1. Cook the onion, garlic, parsnip and potato gently in the butter, covered, for 10 minutes
2. Stir in the flour and curry powder
3. Cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally
4. Pour in the stock gradually
5. Leave to cook until the parsnip is tender
6. Purée the mixture and dilute with water to taste
7. Add salt & pepper
8. Re-heat and add the cream

Serves : 6 - 8
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 30 - 45 mins

Chickpea Soup with Fried Eggs

2010-12-20T21:28:00.003+01:00

Ingredients

225g/8 oz chickpeas
2 tblsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 tblsp mint leaves, finely chopped
700ml/1 1/4 pints chicken or beef stock
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt & pepper
6 eggs

Method

1. In a large saucepan cover the chickpeas with water, bring to the boil
2. Simmer gently for 1 hour until soft
3. Drain and conserve 275ml/1/2 pint of the chickpea water
4. Heat 2 tblsp of the olive oil and soften the onion and garlic
5. Transfer to a blender, add the mint leaves and 150ml/1/4 pint of the chicken/beef stock, purée
6. Add the chickpeas and the chickpea water, purée
7. Return to a large saucepan, add the rest of the stock and simmer for 5 mins, stirring occasionally
8. Season with salt & pepper and lemon juice
9. Fry the eggs
10. Slip a fried egg into each serving of soup

Serves : 6
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 1 1/2 hours

Sweetcorn, Potato and Cheddar Cheese Soup

2010-12-20T21:16:00.003+01:00

Ingredients

25g/1 oz butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and chopped
25g/1 oz flour
splash of white wine
275 ml/1/2 pint milk
1 medium sized tin of sweetcorn, drained
75g/3 oz cheddar cheese, grated
few sage leaves, chopped or 1 tsp dried sage
400ml/3/4 pint double cream
chopped chives (optional)

Method

1. In a large saucepan melt the butter
2. Soften the onion and potato
3. Sift in the flour
4. Stir round the fat to take up the fat and make a smooth roux* with the wine
5. Stir in the milk, bring to the boil and turn down immediatley to simmer
6. Add the sweetcorn, cheese, sage and cream to the pan
7. Simmer and stir until the cheese is completely melted
8. Sprinkle with the chives

Serves : 6
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins

* Melted butter or fat combined with an equal amount of flour, used for thickening sauces, soups or gravies.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

2010-12-20T21:09:00.005+01:00

Ingredients

25g/1 oz butter
1 onion, chopped
1 spray of fresh taragon, finely chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and grated (or finely chopped)
1.75 litres/1 1/2 pints vegetable stock
700g/1 1/2 lb broccoli, chopped
175g/6 oz cheddar cheese, grated
1 tblsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
salt & pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter and soften the onion
2. Add the taragon, potatoes and salt & pepper
3. Stir throughly and pour in sufficient stock to cover, bring to the boil
4. Cover and simmer for 10 mins
5. Meanwhile boil the broccoli with the rest of the stock
6. Liquidise the potato and broccoli together and return to a large saucepan
7. Stir in the grated cheese and parsley
8. Heat through without boiling

Serves : 6 - 8
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 20 - 30 mins

Banana Curry Soup

2010-12-20T20:54:00.004+01:00

Ingredients

25g/1 oz butter
1 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp curry powder
700 ml/1 1/2 pints chicken stock
350g/12 oz ripe bananas, peeled and chopped
2 tblsp lemon juice
150 ml/5 fl oz single cream
salt

Method

1. In a large saucepan melt the butter
2. Add the onion, cover and sweat for 5 mins
3. Stir in the curry powder and cook for a further 30 seconds
4. Add the stock, bananas, lemon juice and salt to taste
5. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 15 - 20 mins
6. Stir in the cream and serve piping hot

Serves : 6
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 30 mins

Bacon and Bean Soup

2010-12-20T20:44:00.005+01:00

Ingredients

225g/8 oz haricot, pinto or butter beans
2 litres/3 1/2 pints water
100g/4 oz bacon, chopped roughly
1 Cos lettuce, shredded
2 egg yolks
150ml/1/4 pint sour cream
1 tblsp vinegar
salt & black pepper
small bunch of fresh dill (optional)

Method

1. In a large saucepan add the beans, bacon and water
2. Bring to the boil
3. Skim off any froth, leave to simmer for about 2 hours, until the beans are very soft
4.Mash the beans slightly
5. Stir in the lettuce and black pepper and cook for a further 5 -10 mins
6. Mix together the egg yolks, cream and vinegar and add to the soup
7. Add the dill, salt & pepper
8. Stir together over a low heat for 2 - 3 mins

Serves : 6
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 2 1/2 hours

Christmas Biscuits with the Kiddie Winks

2010-12-19T22:54:00.003+01:00

We were completely snowed in today so I decided to become a stepford wife for the day, a bit of cleaning and washing, Sunday dinner and even baked some christmas biscuits with the children. This recipe is so simple that even I couldn't mess it up, I admit openly I'm not the best baker in the world. Well in France with a patisserie on every corner why bother even trying!

Ingredients

For the biscuits

115g butter
50g caster sugar
170g plain flour
1 egg, beaten

For the icing

50g white chocolate
1 tblsp water
115g icing sugar
green food colouring
coloured sprinkles

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk the butter until soft
3. Add the sugar a little at a time, mix together until light and fluffy
4. Add the egg and fold in the flour a little at a time
5. Roll out the dough to roughly 2 cm thick
6. Cut out your chosen shapes
7. Cook in the oven for 25 - 30 mins
8. Once baked, leave to cool

Now you can make the icing

1. In a saucepan place the chocolate and water
2. Stir until the chocolate is melted
3. Bring to the boil and let boil for 2 mins
4. Sift the icing sugar and add to the chocolate
5. Mix together over a low heat until the icing sugar has dissolved
6. Add the food colouring, mix throughly
7. Cover the biscuits whilst the icing is still warm
8. Sprinkle over the sprinkles

Loving my Cup

2010-12-18T11:05:00.002+01:00

I must admit the American's have got it right with their famous cup of this and cup of that recipes. It really does make life so much easier in the kitchen. You can buy them in most homeware shops for little over a £. You'll love not having to bring out the scales or being a bit buggered over a cake recipe if your scale has no battery left!

Hush Puppies

2010-12-10T09:30:00.004+01:00

For us Brits hush puppies are shoes, but for our cousins over the pond they are a sort of cornmeal ball traditionally served with fish. Quite delicious and not at all leathery!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

1 1/2 cups water

1/3 cup milk

1 tblsp olive oil

1/2 onion, grated

2 eggs

1 cup plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

cooking oil (for frying)

Method

1.In a saucepan combine the cornmeal and water

2.Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the batter becomes thick and begins to take the shape of a ball

3.Remove from the heat

4.Add the milk, oil and onion

5.In a large mixing bowl beat the eggs

6.Pour the batter into the eggs

7.In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar

8.Add the dry ingredients to the batter and mix well

9.In a deep frying pan heat the cooking oil until piping hot

10.Drop the batter by the teaspoonful into the oil

11.Fry for 5 mins or until golden brown

12.Drain on paper towls

Serves : 6

Preparation time : 5 - 10 mins

Cooking time : 20 - 30 mins

Potato Cakes

2010-12-10T09:06:00.004+01:00

I had a little clear out in my pantry today and a sheet of A4 paper slid out of one of my recipe books. A recipe for potato cakes I must have scribbled down years ago. I love finding long forgotten recipes. They always make me feel cosy and nostalgic. These potato cakes are a great side dish, or make a big one and serve with a salad for the hungrier moments.

Ingredients

8 large potatoes, peeled and diced

110g butter

170g mayonnaise

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp onion seasoning or 1/2 onion chopped finely

1 tsp basil (optional)

salt & pepper

milk & butter

Method

1.Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil

2.Add the potatoes and boil until tender, then drain

3.Mash the potatoes adding a enough milk a little bit at a time to make a smooth paste

4.Add the butter and mayonnaise, blend together until the mixture is light and fluffy

5.Season with salt & pepper

6.Add the beaten egg and blend in the onion

7.Flatten the potato mix into 8 cakes (or one large one)

8.In a large frying pan melt enough butter to coat the bottom

9.Brown the cake/s evenly on both sides until golden

Serves : 8 or 4 if 2 each

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 30 - 40 mins

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

2010-12-10T08:49:00.006+01:00

The world never ceases to amaze me. I watched a programme the other day about the Giant Omlette Celebration that takes place every year in Louisiana. The history of the giant omelette dates back to Napolean who once order the small town of Bessieres to produce a giant omelette to feed his troops. The little French town upheld the tradition after the troops had departed, making a giant omelette every easter to feed the poor.

I'm not a big fan of omelettes, too eggy for my liking. But done properly and filled to burst with ingredients I can be pursuaded to eat a plateful or two. So this idea of throwing everything but the kitchen sink in greatly appealed to me.

Ingredients

6 eggs

6 tblsp milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

100g cubed cooked ham

1 green bell pepper, chopped

100g chopped mushrooms

1 onion, chopped

2 slices crisp bacon, crumbled

200g grated Swiss cheese

3 tblsp butter

Method

1.In a mixing bowl beat together the eggs with the milk, salt and pepper until smooth and foamy

2.In a separate mixing bowl combine the ham, pepper, mushrooms, onion, bacon and cheese, mixing throughly

3.In a large frying pan melt the butter

4.Pour the egg mixture into the pan and reduce to a medium heat

5.As the eggs begin to set left the edges with a spatula and let the uncooked egg flow to the bottom of the pan

6.Spoon the ham mixture into the centre of the omelette

7.When the eggs are set but still moist, loosen the edges of the omelette and fold over

8.Slide the omelette onto a plate

Serves : 2

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 10 - 15 mins

New England Clam Chowder

2010-12-10T08:27:00.005+01:00

I was about 8 I think, and we were traveling down the east coast of America. We stopped for a few days in a little fishing town called Kennebunkport in New England. It was here that I tasted the most delicious Clam Chowder from the Clam Shack. The smell from the little caravan was so enticing that we found ourselves wandering over despite ourselves. Heaven in a polystyrene cup. I stumbled across this recipe a while ago and have been saving it for the cold winter's nights. I wasn't disappointed.

Ingredients

1/4 lb salt pork, chopped

1 onion, sliced thinly

1 cup diced celery

2 cups clams with liquid, chopped

1 cups diced potatoes

1 cup water

3 cups milk

salt & pepper

Method

1.In a large saucepan brown the salt pork

2.Drain all but 1 tblsp of fat

3.Add the onion and celery, sauté until tender

4.Add the clams and liquid, potatoes and water, bring to the boil

5.Simmer for 20 mins or until the potatoes are tender

6.In a saucepan scald the milk

7.Add the milk to the soup, season with salt & pepper

Serves : 6

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 20 -30 mins

Sloppy Joes, really?

2010-12-10T08:18:00.005+01:00

I have heard Americans order this countless times on TV shows but I must admit I've never really been sure what they were, until today. A French TV cook made them, not often that the French look to the anglophiles for inspiration but it certainly got my mouth watering, so I gave them a try. Not the easiest thing to eat, but oh so worth the mess!

Ingredients

1 tblsp olive oil

500g/1 lb minced beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 tblsp mustard

1 tblsp brown sugar

5 tblsp ketchup

1/2 tsp salt

6 hamburger buns

Method

1.In a large frying pan heat the oil

2.Add the onion, pepper and beef

3.Stir until the beef browns

4.Drain off the excess fat

5.Add the ketchup, mustard, sugar and salt

6.Simmer for 20 -30 mins or until most of the moisture is absorbed

7.Spoon the mixture into the burger buns

Serves : 6 or 3 if 2 each

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 20 - 30 mins

Snow Snow and more Snow

2010-12-10T07:59:00.005+01:00

I'm currently snowed it. If you have been watching the international news you will have seen how the Paris region became totally paralysed by heavy snowfall within a couple of hours on Thursday afternoon. In my little hamlet in the Parisien countryside the roads are undrivable. So my making-do with what's left in the cupboard is being stretched to it's limits. However, a lonely tin of corned beef and a bag of potatoes came to my rescue yesterday evening, the great British favourite, so easy and oh so tasty

Corned Beef Hash

Ingredients

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup/57g of butter

1 small onion, chopped

1 tin corned beef, chopped

1/4 tsp black pepper

Method

1.In a large saucepan cook the potatoes in boiling water until slightly soft but still firm

2.Drain and set aside

3.In a large frying pan melt the butter

4.Add the onion and sauté for 1-2 mins

5.Add the corned beef and potatoes, season with the black pepper

6.Cook until the bottom begins to brown, turn occasionally so not to burn

Serves : 6

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 5 - 10 mins

Viva La Paella!

2010-12-02T22:06:00.006+01:00

We all could do with a bit extra omega 3, especially with all the flu viruses and horrible chills going around. So why not have a paella night. I've fiddled the Spanish traditional recipe a tad to become accessible to the home kitchen as I'm sure not many of us have a kitchen big enough for that giant pan!

Ingredients

500g mixed seafood (squid, mussels, prawns etc)

2 large onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 red pepper, chopped thinly

2 tsp thyme

2 tsp parsley

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cumin

2 tblsp olive oil

250 ml dry white wine

salt & pepper

1 fish/chicken stock cube

1 tblsp tomato purée

300g rice

Method

1.In a large saucepan cook the rice, with the stock cube, until the rice is still slightly firm

2.Drain and set aside

3. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan or wok heat the olive oil

4. When oil is piping hot add the onions, garlic and salt & pepper, stir constantly until the onions begin to soften

5. Add the pepper and seafood

6. Simmer gently for 3 - 5 mins

7. Add the white wine and herbs & spices

8. Simmer for a further 5 – 10 mins, until the sauce takes on an orangey red colour

9. Add the rice and mix well

10. Continue to simmer until the rice is cooked through

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 30 – 40 mins

Serves : 4

The Christmas Cake

2010-12-02T11:18:00.009+01:00

No Christmas would be complete without a good old fashioned Christmas Cake. Just look at what some people can do to make this otherwise humble fruit cake into masterpieces.

Bobbie from Clumsy Crafter

Now you give it a try. Here's are two recipes for a delicious Christmas cake, the decorating however is up to you!

Old Fashioned Boiled Christmas Cake

Ingredients

225g/8oz butter

225g/8oz sultanas

225g/8oz raisins

110g/4 oz currants

55g/2oz chopped mixed peel

55g/2oz glacé cherries, chopped

170g/6oz dried apricots, chopped

55g/2oz dried apples, chopped

110g/4oz dried dates, chopped

110g/4oz dried peaches, chopped

110g/4oz dried pears, chopped

225g/8oz soft dark brown sugar

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

grated zest and juice of 1 orange

110ml/4 fl oz water

110ml/4 fl oz orange juice

110ml/4 fl oz brandy

1/2 tsp freashly grated butmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cardamon

1 tblsp black treacle

5 eggs, beaten

310g/11 oz plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

For the fruit topping (optional)

340g/12 oz apricot jam

340g/12 oz mixed dried fruit and nuts

Method

Part 1

1. Put the butter, sultanas, raisins, currants, mixed peel, cherries, apricots, apples, dates, peaches, sugar, lemon and orange zest and juice, water and orange juice into a large pan.

2. Bring slowly up to the boil.
3. Stir with a wooden spoon, cover with a lid and simmer for 10 mins

4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.

5. Add the brandy and spices and transfer to a large bowl.

6. When the mixture is completely cold, cover and place in a cool place (not the fridge) for 3 days, stirring daily.

Part 2

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3.

2. Line the base and sides of a 25cm/10in round cake tin with a double thickness of greaseproof paper.

3. Stir the treacle into the boiled fruit mixture.

4. Beat in the eggs.

5. Sift together the flour and baking powder.

6. Stir into the cake mixture, which will be slightly sloppy.

7. Turn into the cake tin and bake in the preheated oven for about 4 1/2 hours, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

8. When completely cold, wrap up carefully in kitchen foil until ready to decorate.

NB normally a traditional Christmas cake should be prepared up to this point as early as October for it to mature properly, but it's not completely necessary, start a couple of weeks before the big day.

Part 3

Decorating the cake

1. Put the apricot jam into a saucepan with 1 tblsp water

2. Heat until boiling and then push through a sieve

3. Allow to cool slightly, then brush the top of the cake with the apricot glaze

4. Arrange the fruit and nuts all over the top of the cake

5. Using a pastry brush glaze with the apricot glaze

Preparation time : 4 days

Cooking time : 4 - 5 hours

Light Christmas Cake

Ingredients

110g/4 oz glacé cherries, chopped

55g/2 oz chopped mixed peel

450g/1 lb raisins

285g/10 oz sultanas

110g/4 oz currants

225g/8 oz butter

225g/8 oz soft dark brown sugar

5 eggs, beaten

285g/10 oz plain flour

2 tsps ground mixed spice

grated zest of 1/2 lemon

2 tblsp black treacle

200ml/7 fl oz beer or sweet sherry

110g/4 oz ground almonds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3

2. Line the base and sides of a 22cm/9 in round cake tin with a double thickness of greaseproof paper

3. Mix all the fruit together (set aside)

4. Cream the butter until soft

5. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy

6. Add the eggs slowly, beating well after each addition (if the mixture curdles add 1 tsp of the flour)

7. Fold in the flour, mixed spice, lemon zest, black treacle and beer or sherry

8. Stir in the almonds and fruit

9. Place the mixture in the prepared tin and make a deep hollow in the middle

10. Bake in the preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre emerges clean

11. Allow to cool on a wire rack

Preparation time : 30 mins

Cooking time : 2 - 3 hours

Five Gold Rings!

2010-12-02T10:58:00.002+01:00

Oh yes, it's that time of year again. The only time of the year that gluttony isn't a sin. I shall be posting some fantabulous recipes to get you into the Christmas spirit and most importantly to warm up the tummy on these cold dark nights.

Sauce for Lamb

2010-10-24T12:21:00.005+02:00

My favourite butcher's had a delivery of British lamb, so I greedily snapped up as many different cuts as I could carry! Here's a little sauce recipe I threw together the other evening.

Ingredients

Any cut of lamb

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 cup red wine

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp chopped chives

1 cup beef stock

2 tsp butter

salt & pepper

Method

1.In a medium saucepan melt the butter

2.Add the onions, stir until softening

3.Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to the boil

4.Turn down the heat and simmer gently for 3-4 mins

5.Pour over the lamb and roast in the oven until nice and tender

Serves : N/A

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 15 mins

Love Le Creuset

2010-10-23T00:02:00.001+02:00

Out of all my kitchenware my Le Creuset casserole dish (found at a mere 10€ at local brocante) has to be my favourite. It really does make all the difference to a dish. If you don't have one I insist you put it on your Christmas list! Tonight I felt I'd neglected it over the summer so I whipped it out and whipped up and chicken casserole.

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tblsp olive oil

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp worchestershire sauce

1 pint chicken stock

2 tsp herbes de provence

6 chicken drumsticks

Method

1.In a medium casserole dish heat the oil on the hob

2.Add onions and garlic

3.When the onion and garlic starts to soften add the tomatoes, chilli powder and worchestershire sauce

4.Stir constantly over a medium heat until well mixed

5.Add the chicken, stock, paparika and herbes de provence

6.Cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour 30 mins

Serves : 6

Preparation : 5 mins

Cooking time : 1 hour 40 mins

Boeuf Bourguignon Parfait

2010-10-10T20:19:00.007+02:00

This afternoon we paid a visit to the lovely Tara from Paris Parfait. Always a warm welcome and her husband, David, always a great culinary surprise. Today he out did himself with the best boeuf bourguigon I've ever tasted. So deliciously filling I fell asleep on the sofa afterwards!

Have a go yourself, this is a traditional boeuf bourguignon by Peter Chapman at Le Bigon restaurant in the Pays de la Loire.

Warning: you need to start preparing 24 hours before cooking!

Ingredients

1kg chuck steak, cut into large chunks

1 large carrot, chopped roughly

1 large onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves crushed in their skins

2 cloves

1 bottle robust red wine

10 black peppercorns

1 tblsp Maderia

Beurre manie (1tsp flour and 1tsp butter mashed together)

1 tblsp butter

Chopped parsley

Olive Oil

Method

1.Put the pieces of beef in a large glass bowl and add the next seven ingredients making sure that the beef is covered. Cover the bowl and allow to marinate for 24 hours.

2.Take the meat out of the marinade and dry it thoroughly on kitchen paper. In a casserole heat a tablespoon each of oil and butter until the butter stops foaming and then add the meat pieces four at a time.

3.Brown them over a high heat on all sides – they should look really crusty almost like a steak – and then take them out of the pan and add the next four, until you have a pile of fragrant beef.

4.Add the drained vegetables from the marinade to the casserole and brown those too and then pour in the wine marinade. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and pile the meat back in. The meat should be entirely covered by liquid. If not add a little beef stock or more red wine if you have a bottle handy, bring back to a simmer and place in a low oven (140°C) for three hours.

5.It is worth checking the meat every hour and if the level of liquid has dropped and the meat looks a little exposed, turn it over gently in the liquid. Even if the meat looks burned, don’t be alarmed and don’t add more liquid – you need the gentle reduction of the sauce and the darkening of the meat for flavour – if the pan looks totally dry, your oven thermostat has broken!

6.Towards the end of the cooking time, gently poke the meat with a fork – it is done when it starts to break apart when you do this.

7.Take the casserole from the oven and carefully lift out the meat into a warm dish and set to one side.

8.Strain the sauce into a clean pan and place it over a low heat. Allow it to come to a gentle boil. Add the Madeira and reduce until it tastes as strong as you like – the sauce should become almost syrupy. Whisk in the butter and flour mix and keep whisking until blended.

9.Add the meat back to the sauce to heat through and serve a couple of large chunks per person with the sauce poured over, scattered with chopped parsley.

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 24 hours

Cooking time : 3 hours

They are on their way!

2010-10-08T23:30:00.008+02:00

My parents are coming to stay this week (some of you may know my mum Di from designers block) and so I shall be very busy in the kitchen! Although I do tend to get my Mum to make at least one english meal when she's here! They arrive tomorrow afternoon so here's what on the menu for the arrival.

Smoked Salmon Delight

Ingredients

4 slices of smoked salmon

Cream cheese

2 tomatoes, sliced

Handful of pickled gerkhins, chopped

1 orange pepper, chopped

3 tblsp balsmaic vinegar

2 tbslp oilve oil

1 tsp mustard

1 small onion, chopped finely

salt & pepper

1 half cooked baguette

200g red potatoes

Method

1.In a small bowl add the vinegar, oil, mustard, onion and salt & pepper

2.Stir together

3.In an oven proof dish add the pepper, gerkhin and tomato

4.Pour over the vinegar mix and place in the oven at 200°C for 20mins

5.Meanwhile boil the potatoes

6.Remove the vegetables from the oven and set aside

7.Cut the baguette in half and slice open

8.Place in the oven for 10-15mins

9.Once the baguette is cooked spread the cream cheese on thickly

10.Place the smoked salmon over the cheese

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 30 - 40mins

A few of my favourite things........

2010-10-06T01:40:00.008+02:00

Smoked Salmon

Shepherd's Pie

Fish & Chips in paper

Sunday Dinner

Bacon Sandwiches

Strawberries

Chinese Chicken Drumsticks

2010-10-03T13:06:00.003+02:00

Here's a great simple recipe for a taste of China.

Ingredients

8 chicken drumsticks

4 tblsp hoisin sauce

4 tblsp soy sauce

1 tsp chilli purée

3 spring onions, chopped finely

1 orange/yellow/red pepper, chopped finely

1 tblsp sesame oil

2 tblsp oyster sauce

Method

1.In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients (except the chicken) and mix well together

2.Add the chicken and mix until the chicken is completely coated

3.Place in the fridge for 30 mins (overnight is even better, but time is of the essence!)

4.Preheat the oven to 180°C

5.Place the chicken and sauce into an oven proof dish

6.Cook in the oven for 30-40mins, or until chicken is cooked through

Serve with rice or noodles.

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 35 mins

Cooking time : 30-40 mins

Tip of the Day

2010-10-02T01:17:00.004+02:00

On a pauper's budget, meat can be a bit of a luxury but here's a tip for you, in France I noticed that near the supermarket's closing time on a wednesday evening the meat aisle is full of offers. Further inspection led me to realise that most of the meats sell by dates are on a wednesday so near closing time they slash the prices so that they try to sell what will have to go in the bin at closing time. Of course I snap these fantastic offers up and freeze. Try a bit of your own detective work in your local supermarket.

This little secret is how I got two large duck thighs for 2€ price slashed from 14€!

So tonight we had roasted duck thighs and spinach with roast potatoes. Delicious.

Ingredients

2 duck thighs

6 large potatoes, peeled and chopped into medium chunks

100g spinach

3 tblsp duck/goose fat

1 tbslp olive oil

Method

1.Preheat the oven on to 180°C

2.In a medium oven proof dish add the fat and oil

3.Place in the bottom of the oven

4.Par boil the potatoes (about 15 mins)

5.Meanwhile prepare the duck, rub a little olive oil and sea salt onto both sides on the duck

6.Place in a large oven proof dish

7.Arrange the spinach around the duck

8.Place in the oven, roast for 30-35mins

9.Drain the potatoes and fluff (return the drained potatoes to the pan, place a lid on the pan and shake up and down roughly)

10.Add the potatoes to the hot fat & oil (BE CAREFUL OF HOT FAT SPITTING)

11.Mix the potatoes with the fat & oil

12.Roast in the oven for 20-25 mins

Serves : 2

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 40 mins

Thank you Adam!

2010-09-25T20:33:00.011+02:00

I love lamb but I'm not too familiar at cooking it. After work I stopped off at the butcher's and picked up some lamb riblets. I have no idea who Adam is but Adam's Breast of Lamb, found courstey of cookitsimply.com, was the recipe I decided on for my lamb adventure and it was simply delicious!

Ingredients

2 breasts of lamb, cut into 'riblets'

1 pint (600 ml) water

6 tablespoons malt vinegar

3 tablespoons plum jam

3 tablespoons tomato puree (paste) or sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon made mustard

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

salt pepper

Method

1. Put the lamb riblets in a saucepan with the water and 4 tablespoons of the vinegar.

2. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the lamb.

3. Put the remaining ingredients, including the rest of the vinegar, in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until well combined.

4. Arrange the lamb riblets in a roasting tin and pour over the sauce.

5. Roast in a preheated moderately hot oven 200°C (400°F) Gas Mark 6 for 40 minutes, basting the riblets with the sauce every 15 minutes.

6. Increase the heat to hot 230°C (450°F) Gas Mark 8 and roast for a further 10 minutes to crisp the coating.

I served with a potato gratin and carrots.

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 1 hour

Footnote : My mum pointed out to me that Eve was supposedly made from Adam's rib so maybe this is the Adam in reference!!

Blast from the Past

2010-09-24T13:46:00.011+02:00

Who knows what this chap does for a living? Yep, you guessed it, he's a rag and bone man! For those of you that don't know what a rag and bone man is here's the wikipedia definition!

"Rag and bone man is a British phrase for a junk dealer. Historically the phrase referred to an individual who would travel the streets of a city with a horsedrawn cart, and would collect old rags (for converting into fabric and paper), bones for making glue, scrap iron and other items, often trading them for other items of limited value.

They would use a distinctive call to alert householders to their presence, and/or ring a hand bell. The call was something similar to "rag-and-bone", delivered in a sing-song fashion. Long usage tended to simplify the words, for instance down to "any raa-boh", even to the point of incomprehensibility, although the locals could easily identify who was making the call."

Anyway, to get to the point! I stumbled across a documentary about British quirkiness on French TV and the image of the rag and bone man spun me back to my grandparent's house and therfore my nanny's cooking. And so I immediatly had to make a homemade steak and potato pie!

There are two ways you can go about this recipe, either make individual pies or one large pie with a top crust only. I made the large one, well I would wouldn't I!

Ingredients

2 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped

2tbsp vegetable oil 600g braising steak, flank, shin or cheek, cut into rough 2cm chunks

A sprig of thyme/1tblsp dried thyme

1 litre/2 pints beef stock*

600g potatoes, peeled and cut into rough 2cm chunks

1 medium egg, beaten

Salt & pepper, to season

For the pastry (ready made shortcrust pastry is fine too)

225g self-raising flour

1tsp salt

85g shredded beef suet

60g butter, chilled and coarsely grated

1 medium egg, beaten

Method

1.Heat the oil in a frying pan, season and fry the meat on a high heat, stirring occasionally.

2.In a large soup or saucepan gently cook the onions and thyme in a little more oil for 3-4 minutes until soft.

3.Add the meat, potatoes and stock, season and bring to the boil

4.Simmer with a lid on for 1 1/2 hours.
5.Pre-heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 5.

6.Make the pastry:

- Mix the flour and salt with the suet and grated butter.

- Mix in about 150ml of water to form a smooth dough and knead for a minute.

- Roll the pastry on a floured table to about 1cm thick and cut out to about 2cm larger all the way round than the pie dish you are using.

7.1.For large pie:

- Add the meat to the dish or dishes you are using

- Brush the edges of the pastry with a little of the beaten egg and lay the pastry on top of your pie, pressing the egg-washed sides against the rim of the dish.

- Cut a small slit in the top of each pie to allow steam to escape, and brush with beaten egg.

7.2.For individual pies:

- Line the dishes, bottom and up the sides, you are using with pastry

- Place in the oven for 2-3 mins, to seal the pastry so that the liquid won't make the pastry go soggy.

- Add the meat to the dishes you are using
- Brush the edges of the pastry with a little of the beaten egg and lay the pastry on top of your pie, pressing the egg-washed sides against the rim of the dish.
- Cut a small slit in the top of each pie to allow steam to escape, and brush with beaten egg.

8.Leave to rest in a cool place for 30 minutes.

9.Cook for 30-40 minutes until golden.

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 2 & 1/2 hours

* If you are using stock cubes for a fuller flavour, in a large bowl add 1 beef/veal stock cube such as Knorr or Maggi, 1 oxo beef stock cube and 2 tsps of original Bisto to the boiling water, mix until completely dissolved.

¡Hola, Mis Amigos!

2010-09-24T13:15:00.006+02:00

I've just come back from a wonderful week in LLoret de Mar on the Costa Brava in Spain. Sun, sea, sand and of course lots of scrmptious food! I'm afraid I was too busy eating all the food to remember to take lots of photos, but my chéri did manage to remind me a few times to snap a shot before I tucked in!

Cheesy fried chicken wings with garlic bread.

Paella Mixta and a pint of lager!

Fish & chips and a can of Irn Bru, not very Spanish, but I just couldn't resist!

Huge hams in a beautiful side street restaurant.

Ginormous mussels and mediterranean salad, beautifully presented don't you think?

You can't go to Spain and not eat at least once in a tapas bar. We kept ordering and ordering until we nearly burst!

One of the things I didn't take a photo of was our daily breakfasts. Every morning we had a full english breakfast. I used to snub english tourists for doing that on holiday but for 2.75€ for a full english of a sunny morning, well who wouldn't!

Bits on the Side

2010-09-06T16:44:00.002+02:00

Some days I’m really in the mood for cooking. I can sometimes spend hours on end in the kitchen whipping up this and that and then I pack it all up and put it in the freezer, for those days where I just can’t be bothered to get off the sofa!

Here are a few of my favourite side dishes that I like to be able to pull out of the freezer at whim.

Gorgonzola Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

8 large potatoes, peeled and chopped

50g butter

150ml (1/4 pint) milk

1 tblsp grated parmesan
100g gorgonzola cheese, chopped finely

Method

1. Peel and chop the potatoes

2. Rinse with cold water and add to a large pan

3. Cover with cold water and add a tsp of salt

4. Bring to the boil and simmer until soft (tip: to check the potatoes are fully cooked, take a sharp knife and slide it into the potato, if it slides straight through they're done!)

5. Drain and return to the pan

6. Add butter and milk, parmesan and gorgonzola

7. Mash until creamy (add extra butter and milk if needed.

Serves : 4
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins

Naan Bread

2010-09-06T16:42:00.002+02:00

Ingredients

230ml/8 fl oz/1 cup warm water
7g/0.25 oz package active dry yeast
600ml/2 fl oz/1/4 cup white sugar
3 tblsp milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp salt
1 L 600ml/2 pts ¼ /4 cups ½ bread flour
2 tsp minced garlic
60g/2 oz/1/4 butter

Method

1.In a large bowl dissolve the yeast in warm water, let stand for about 10 mins, until frothy
2.Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt and enough flour to make a soft dough
3. Knead for 6-8 mins, or until smooth, on a lightly floured surface
4.Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, set aside to rise. Let it rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in volume
5.Punch down the dough and knead in garlic.
6.Pinch off small handfuls of dough (golf ball size) roll into balls and play onto a tray
7.Cover with a towel and allow to rise, 30 mins or until doubled in size
8.Lightly oil grill tray and preheat the grill to high
9. Roll out one ball of dough into a thin circle
10.Place dough on grill tray cook for 2-3 mins or until puffy and lightly browned
11.Brush uncooked side with butter and turn over
12.Brush cooked side with butter and cook until browned, 2-4 mins
13.Repeat the process until all of the naan has been prepared

Serves : 14 individual naan breads
Preparation : 2 hours
Cooking time : 7 mins each (1 h ½ total if cooking them all, freeze them uncooked)

Mushy Peas

2010-09-06T16:40:00.001+02:00

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
450g frozen baby peas, thawed
80ml thin cream
80ml vegetable stock
salt & pepper ground black pepper

Method

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat
2.Add the onions, stir until slightly golden
3.Add the peas, cream and stock, bring to the boil
4.Reduce the heat to low and cook for a few minutes stirring constantly until sauce thickens
5.Remove from heat and mash slightly using a fork or back of a spoon
6.Season with salt & pepper

Serves : 4
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 10 mins

Pesto

2010-09-06T16:33:00.005+02:00

Ingredients

½ a clove of garlic, chopped

Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

3 handfuls of fresh basil, leaves picked and chopped

A handful of pine nuts, very lightly toasted

A handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

Squeeze of lemon juice

Method

1. Pound the garlic with a little pinch of salt and the basil leaves in a pestle and mortar or food processor.
2.Add the pine nuts to the mixture and pound again.
3.Turn out into a bowl and add half the Parmesan.
4.Stir gently and add olive oil – you need just enough to bind the sauce and get it to an oozy consistency.
5.Season to taste, then add most of the remaining cheese.
6.Pour in some more oil and taste again
7.Add the lemon juice
8.Keep adding a bit more cheese or oil until you are happy with the taste and consistency.

Serves : 1 jar for 1 – 2 dishes of pasta
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 0 mins

Potato Gratin

2010-09-06T11:17:00.002+02:00

Ingredients

8 large potatoes, peeled and sliced

200g grated cheese

50g butter

2 tblsp milk

salt & pepper

3 tblsp breadcrumbs (dried is ok)

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 200°C

2.In a large saucepan boil the potatoes until just softening

3.Line the potatoes in an oven proof dish and season

4.Melt the butter over a high heat and pour over the potatoes

5.Pour the milk over the potatoes

6.Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the potatoes

7.Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs

8.Place in the oven for 15 mins

9.Turn the heat up to 230°C, leave for a further 5 mins or until golden and bubbly

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 40 mins

Hash Browns – easy peasy!

2010-08-29T15:47:00.007+02:00

I love hash browns, but you rarely to never see them in France. They don’t even have them on their MacDonald’s breakfast menu here! So I gave them a try and I was extremely surprised at how easy they were to make. So I made loads and have put them in the freezer.

Ingredients

1 egg, beaten
4 medium potatoes, peeled
1 medium onion
salt & pepper
3-4 tblsp vegetable oil for frying

Method

1.Coarsely grate the potatoes and onions onto a tea towel.
2.Squeeze out the excess liquid by twisting the towel.
3.Place the mix into a large mixing bowl and mix in the egg, salt & pepper.
4.Heat the oil in a frying pan.
5.Add spoonfuls of the potato mixture and flatten into patties (about 1cm thick).

6.Cook for 2-3 mins each side (until browned).

Serves : 4

Preparation : 10 mins

Cooking time : 5 mins

Stuffed Ham and Eggs

2010-08-29T15:34:00.004+02:00

Here’s another great example of a mucky mixture. I couldn’t face the hoards in the supermarket on a Saturday so I’d made do with what was left in the pantry. Here’s what I made

Ingredients

4 slices of country ham
4 triangles of spreadable cheese
4 eggs, each fried both sides then chopped into bite size pieces
4 tsp humous

Method

1.For each slice of ham spread 1 triangle of cheese and 1 tsp humous
2.Add one egg for each slice
3.Roll into a long sausage

I served this with new potatoes, a mixed salad and garlic bread.

Quick and delicious!

Serves : 2

Preparation : 5 mins

Cooking time : 5 mins

Mac and Cheese with Bacon Bits

2010-08-26T15:24:00.007+02:00

I stumbled across a lonely tin of Heinz macaroni and cheese whilst doing a spot of cleaning in my cupboards. (note to self, really should do that more often!). The last time I had this was when I was about 15, how time flies, and I distinctly remember it not being very nice! Anyway, a few tweaks here and there and I created my own version of this children's favourite.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pack of lardons, or 4 slices of bacon diced

5 tblsp crème fraîche

150g grated cheddar cheese

150g grated emmental/gruyere cheese

50g soft cheese (philidelphia for example)

300g macaroni pasta

salt & pepper

½ tsp paprika

½ tsp cayenne pepper

25g butter/margarine

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 200°C

2.In a large saucepan cook the macaroni until al dente (5mins max), drain and set aside

3.In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter

4.Add the onions and lardons/bacon

5.Stir constantly for a few minutes

6.Add the soft cheese, grated cheddar, crème fraîche, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt & pepper to taste

7.Simmer gently for 5-10 mins, until a the sauce is smooth and creamy (add a little milk if needed)

8.Mix the macaroni and pasta well together

9.Spoon into an oven proof dish

10.Sprinkle over the emmental/gruyere cheese

11.Bake in the oven until cheese starts to bubble nicely

Serve with warm bread and a light salad

Serves : 4

Preparation : 10 mins

Cooking time : 30 mins

I wish I had this much spare time!

2010-08-24T14:04:00.003+02:00

These Gingerbread Houses are just amazing. Such a shame to eat them.

Mafé and Plantain Bananas

2010-08-24T12:42:00.004+02:00

Yesterday while flicking through a few recipes books and finding nothing that interested me, I suddenly thought of Mafé. A famous and very popular dish in West Africa. It is a kind of stew in a peanut sauce. My boyfriend makes a fantastic Mafé, so I decided to give it a go myself. I must admit looking up the recipe on the internet I was a bit daunted as none of them were the same. A quick telephone call to my chap for the ingredients he uses and following a basic Mafé guideline I became an African momma for the evening. P.S. The cooking smells were heavenly!

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped finely

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

6 medium potatoes, peeled, quartered and par boiled (5mins max)

6 large chicken thighs

2 thin beef steaks, diced

420g unsweetened peanut butter

2 Maggi (Kub Or) cubes, crumbled NOT mixed with water

1 tin of whole, peeled tomatoes

5 tblsp olive oil

2 chillis, left whole

Salt & pepper to taste

Method

1.In a large soup pan or stew pot heat the oil

2.Add the onions, garlic, chicken and beef

3.Sauté over a high heat

4.Reduce the heat a simmer for a few minutes

5.Add the remaining ingredients, except the peanut butter and beef stock

6.Simmer over a low heat for 30 mins, stirring occasionally (add a little water if becomes too dry)

7.Add the beef stock and peanut butter, stir well together

8.Add the chillis, DO NOT LET THEM OPEN INTO THE SAUCE!

9.Leave over a low heat for about an hour, stirring occasionally

Serve with rice.

Serves : 6

Preparation : 10 mins

Cooking time : 45 mins

I also made plantain banana, a traditional side dish.

2010-08-24T12:40:00.003+02:00

Ingredients

2 plantain bananas, peeled and sliced

3 tblsp sugar

25g butter

Method

1.In a large frying pan melt the butter

2.Add the banana and sugar

3.Cook until nicely caramelised

I have to admit it wasn't as good as my boyfriend's, but he has been cooking it since he was a boy! But he did say it was an excellent first try and he liked it so much he ate three platefuls!

Serves : 6

Preparation : 2 mins

Cooking time : 5 mins

Honestly it’s true!

2010-08-16T12:16:00.004+02:00

Here are a few fun food facts that may leave you in disbelief.......

The “special sauce” in a Big Mac is actually thousand island dressing.

The potato was the first vegetable to be successfully grown in space.

An apple, when fresh, is made up of about 25% air. That is why they float in the barrel when we “Bob-for-apples”.

Apples are more efficient than caffeine at waking you up in the morning

Linguine literally means, “little tongues”.

Americans eat approximately 100 acres of pizza each day, or 350 slices per second.

Since Hindus don't eat beef, the MacDonald's in New Delhi makes its burgers with mutton.

The largest living organism ever found is a honey mushroom, Armillaria ostoyae. It covers 3.4 square miles of land in the Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon, and it's still growing.

Lemons contain more sugar than strawberries.

Onion is named after a Latin word meaning large pearl.

Ice cream is Chinese food. When the famous explorer Marco Polo returned to his homeland of Italy, from China in 1295, he brought back a recipe (amongst other things). The recipe, was a Chinese recipe for a desert called "Milk Ice." However, Europeans substituted cream for the milk, and voila..."Ice Cream."

The founder of McDonald's has a Bachelor degree in Hamburgerology.

The Word "Salary" Comes From "Salt!" Salt, our oldest preservative, was extremely rare in the past. So rare, in fact, that it was often used as pay. Imagine...earning a couple of tablespoons of salt for a hard-days work. Today, salt is so common that restaurants give it away for free, and packaged food contains so much that it's far too easy to eat too much salt.

Cream is lighter than milk

Bakers used to be fined if their loaves were under weight, so they used to add an extra loaf to every dozen, just in case -- hence, the expression "baker's dozen"

Let them Eat Cake

2010-08-15T12:23:00.007+02:00

This quote is of one my many pet peeves. This infamous Marie Antoinette quote has been lost in translation. She did not say "Let them eat eat cake", she said "Let them eat brioche", which is a sweet bread very popular at French breakfast table and the recipe is very similiar to that of normal bread. So she wasn't being that hoyty toyty!

Anyway, rant over! I put cake into to Google images and spent a good half an hour gazing in awe at the talent. There are thousands of photos, but here are a few that really made me go WOW!

Rationing - the Real Pauper's Kitchen

2010-08-15T12:15:00.005+02:00

There have been many moments in history where people have simply had to make do. I watched a documentary about rationing during the second world war and some of the dishes the women managed to make out of practically nothing was awe inspiring.

The British Ministry of Food issued this advertisement

‘Because of the pail, the scraps were saved,
Because of the scraps, the pigs were saved,
Because of the pigs, the rations were saved,
Because of the rations, the ships were saved,
Because of the ships, the island was saved,
Because of the island, the Empire was saved,
And all because of the housewife's pail'

A typical week’s rations in 1943 Britain were

3 pints of milk
3 1/4lb meat
1 egg of 1 packet of dried eggs every 2 months
3-4 oz of cheese
4 oz bacon and ham
2 oz of tea
8 oz sugar
2 oz butter
2 oz cooking fat
+ 16 points a month of other rationed foods (usually tinned).

Luckily these weekly rations were stretched with the help of un-rationed extras like bread (bizarrely not rationed until after the war), cereal, potatoes, offal and fruit and vegetables.

I gave one of the most popular recipes of the time a go Woolton Pie and I was quite surprised at how tasty it actually was. This recipe was created by the Chef of the Savoy hotel and named after Lord Woolton, head of the Ministry Of Food.

Woolton Pie

Ingredients

450g diced potatoes
450g cauliflower
450g diced carrots
450g diced swede
3 spring onions
1 tsp vegetable extract
1 tblsp oatmeal
A little chopped parsley

Method

1. Cook everything together with just enough water to cover, stirring often to prevent it sticking to the pan.
2. Let the mixture cool.
3. Spoon into a pie dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley.
4. Cover with a crust of potatoes or wholemeal pastry.
5. Bake in a moderate oven until golden brown.
6. Serve hot with gravy.

Serves : 4
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 30 mins

Burritos Baby!

2010-08-04T11:12:00.008+02:00

(As I have already visited America and tried to tackle their humongous portions, I can well believe that these are indeed as big as your head! But don't worry mine are realisticly edible sizes!)

Where I work in Disney there is a Dinner Show called the Wild West Show with real cowboys and indians! One of the indians who works there makes the most fantastic (and HUGE!) burritos and sells them for only 5€ but the other day as I strolled over for a burrito fix I discovered much to my disappointment he is on holiday for a month. So I thought if he can do it so can I. So here’s my burrito recipe.

Ingredients

6 tortilla wraps
6 tblsp creme fraiche
200g grated cheese
500g minced beef/lamb/pork
1 small tin of tomato purée with meat
1 red pepper, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 small tin of sweetcorn
1 large onion
2 tsps cayenne pepper
1 tsp chilli purée or chopped chilli
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp salt
2 tsps worchestershire sauce
1 tblsp olive oil

Method

1. Before starting the burritos, par boil* the carrots, drain and set to one side
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C
3. In a large shallow pan heat the olive oil
4. Add the onion, chilli and red pepper
5. Stir until the onions and peppers start to soften
6. Add the minced meat, cayenne pepper, paprika and salt
7. Stir constantly until the meat is beginning to brown
8. Add the tomato purée, carrots, sweetcorn and worchestershire sauce
9. Mix well together and leave to simmer for 5-10 mins
10. Meanwhile, lightly heat the tortilla wraps in the oven (see instructions on the packet as these may vary)
11. Once the tortilla are warmed, spread a tblsp of creme fraiche onto each
12. Fill the tortillas with the meat sauce, sprinkle over the grated cheese and wrap up!

Tip : You can wrap the bottoms in tin foil just to keep them together during consumption!!

I served with rice and a green salad.

* To cook partially by boiling for a brief period

Serves : 6 (or 3 if 2 each!)
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins

Barbecue Chicken and Spinach Wraps

2010-07-27T12:39:00.007+02:00

It’s hot again. So yesterday I made Chicken Spinach Wraps. Quick and easy and doesn’t require too much time in front of the stove.

Ingredients

6 medium tortilla wraps
500g Spinach leaves
4 chicken filets, sliced into long pieces
4 tblsp barbecue sauce
100ml crème fraîche
2 medium tomatoes, chopped finely
1 red peppers, sliced into long pieces
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, sliced into long pieces
2 tsp honey
50g mozzarella, sliced thinly OR 200g grated cheese (emmental, gruyere, cheddar)
1 tblsp olive oil
10g butter

Method

Before you start chopping the vegetables, in a mixing bowl mix the chicken with the barbecue sauce, leave in the fridge for about 30 mins.

1.In a large frying pan/wok heat the oil add the onion and garlic, stir until the onions have absorbed all of the oil.
2.Add the chicken, stir until the chicken just starts to cook.
3.Add the peppers, stir to mix everything together, leave on a low heat until the chicken is cooked through.
4.Meanwhile, in a shallow pan melt the butter
5.Add the spinach and leave to cook gently for 4-5mins
6.Add the spinach to the chicken, mix together
7.Mix the crème fraîche, honey and chopped tomatoes together
8.Spread the mixture thinly and evenly onto the wraps
9.Dish out the chicken and spinach evenly onto the wraps.
10.Add the cheese and wrap up the wraps!

I served with boiled red potatoes and French beans.

Serves : 6 (or 3 if 2 each!)

Preparation : 10 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Curry on a Sunday Afternoon

2010-07-18T17:30:00.008+02:00

I love Sundays because I'm not at work, everything in France in closed so you have no option but to potter about the house, one of my favourite passetimes! Because I have so much time to myself Sundays are the days I spend the most time in the kitchen.

Today I decided to make a curry. Curries are best when they've been cooking for a long time, so this afternoon I make a beef curry. Now you won't see that on an Indian menu as cows are sacred animals to the Indians, but I only had beef in the freezer so apologises if this causes any offense.

Ingredients

1 large onion

500g chunk steak, chopped into chunks

1 red bell pepper, chopped into chunks

8 carrots, chopped into chunks

6 large red potatoes, chopped into 8ths

1 ½ pints of beef stock

500ml crème fraiche

2 tblsp olive oil

1 tsp chilli purée

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp five spices

5 tsp mixed curry spices

Method

1.In a bowl mix 3 tsps of mixed curry spice with the beef, set aside.
2.In a large bowl soak the chopped potatoes in cold water for 10-15 mins

3.In a large stew/soup pan heat the olive oil.

4.Add the onion and chilli purée, stir constantly for 2-3mins

5.Add the carrots and pepper, stir again for 1-2mins

6.Add the beef stock and potatoes

7.Mix together until the potatoes completely immersed in the sauce.

8.Add the rest of the spices, mix again throughly

9.Add the crème fraiche, stir until the cream and liquid completely mixed

10.Leave over a low flame for 1-2 hours, stirring often.

Serve with rice and naan bread.

P.S. Don't be afraid at the amount of spice I've put into this recipe, it's got a lot of liquid in it plus the crème fraiche to tone down the heat, it's actually quite a mild curry.

Serves : 4

Preparation : 15 mins

Cooking time : 1-2 hours

Pasta, The Tired Cook’s Best Friend

2010-07-15T13:37:00.004+02:00

Last night I was so tired and hungry I must have gone from the cupboards to the fridge at least 10 times to try and find some inspiration! In the end I decided on an old favourite Hot Pasta Salad. I love doing this because it takes no effort and is made with whatever you’ve got in the fridge. Here’s the one I made :

Indgredients

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 tsp basil
2 tsp parsley
5 tblsp olive oil
10 crab sticks, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
20g mozzerella, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
250g spaghetti

Method

1. In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook the pasta.
2. In a small saucepan heat the olive oil
3. Add the onions, garlic, basil and parsley
4. Stir constantly until just starting to brown
5. Drain the pasta and return to the pan (but not back onto the stove)
6. Add the pepper, crab sticks and tomato.
7. Pour over the onion and garlic mix
8. Add the mozzerella and sea salt
9. Mix together until the pasta is completely covered with the oil mix and the mozzerella has started to melt.

I served with a warm baguette. Have a go yourself with whatever is in your cupboard, I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Serves : 2

Preparation : 5 mins

Cooking time : 10 mins

I'm melting!

2010-07-13T13:17:00.000+02:00

A heat wave has hit France! Forecasts of 30+° all summer. So this week I invested in a good barbecue and this weekend I’m off to buy a swimming pool!

However, all this heat means cooking quickly becomes torture instead of pleasure. So with a large bottle of ice cold water and my fan on high, I’ve spent the morning browsing the internet for foodie stuff and I’ve stumbled across some fantastic finds. So sit back and enjoy.

I Love Pork

2010-07-13T13:08:00.003+02:00

I wouldn't be a true Brit if I didn't love pork. Love Pork is a great website for pork lovers everywhere, be sure to have some tissus handy the recipes are mouth watering!

Figs Asp Bite and Songbirds

2010-07-13T12:35:00.003+02:00

These were the last meals of Cleopatra and the French president François Mitterand. I stumbled across Your Last Meal while searching for the species of songbirds Mitterand legendly wolfed down. Go over and take a look, it's fasinating.

My last meal would have to be a full english breakfast! What about you?

Picasso Eat Your Heart Out

2010-07-13T12:05:00.003+02:00

I don’t really get art, just one of those things that goes over my head. I mean, I know when things are pretty or rubbish but paying £10 million for a smudge is beyond me! However, food art takes my breath away. It’s amazing what some people can do with a few vegetables and imagination. Take a look at these great works of art.

Markets, markets everywhere!

2010-07-13T11:41:00.017+02:00

I love food markets. Living in France I’m spoiled for choice. Here are some great photos of markets around the world. Wish I could visit everyone of them.

Rialto Market, Venice, Italy

Tsukiji Fish Market, Japan

St Lawrence Market, Toronto, Canda

Cheese Market, Siciliy

Perth, Australia

Oasis Centre, Dubai

Mumbai, India

Little Italy, Manhattan, NY, USA

Mercato Centrale, Florence, Italy

Chi Chi Market, Guatemala

Bologna, Italy

Haoyou Market, Bejing, China

La Boqueira, Barcelona, Spain

Cookipedia

2010-07-13T11:38:00.006+02:00

Everybody has their favourite cook book that you can rely on to answer any culinary question you have. Mine is Prue Leith’s Coookery Bible. However, today I stumbled across Cookipedia and I must say it is a brilliant site. Full to the brim with recipes, photos, great useful info like their meat cooking time converter. Great internetting at it’s best, well done Cookipedia!

Hovis As Good Today as it's Always Been

2010-07-03T13:09:00.001+02:00

Another great foodie advert

Ahhhh Bisto!

2010-07-03T13:02:00.005+02:00

Who can remember this? Classic bisto advert!

What Every Spice Cupboard Should Contain

2010-07-03T12:52:00.002+02:00

Cooking on a budget means a lot of improvising. Having a full and diverse dried spice/herb collection means one set of ingredients can be a Mexican dish or Italian or French … the list is endless. You need less dried herbs and spices in a dish than fresh ones and the average lifespan of one of these little bottles is 2-3 years. At less than £1 a bottle all is good for the pauper's kitchen!

Here's what my spice cupboard contains :-

cayenne pepper
paprika
4 spice
nutmeg
ginger
chilli powder
curry powder
cinnamon
coriander
cumin

rosemary
thyme
sage
basil
parsley
herbes de provence

soy sauce
red wine vinegar
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
malt vinegar
truffle oil
chilli purée
sea salt
table salt
white pepper
black pepper

Pizza, Pizza, Wherefore art thou Pizza?

2010-07-03T12:50:00.002+02:00

This is a photo of an outdoor kitchen in a Tuscan house for sale. How fantastic to be able to stroll down your garden on a warm evening and whip up a pizza to enjoy in the Tuscan countryside. The house is for sale at 850 000 €! Hmmm, I can always dream.

Anyway, it made me realise I hadn't made a pizza for a long time. Now I don't make the base myself, tried it once and it was a bit of a catastrophe, so I leave it to the professionnels and always have a few cheese and tomato bases in my freezer. Following on in my minced meat adventure I decided to make a pizza bolognaise.

Ingredients

1 medium pizza base

For the bolognaise

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tblsp olive oil
250g minced beef/lamb
500ml passata/chopped tomatoes (use a good brand otherwise the sauce will taste watery)
1 small tin of chopped tomatoes and meat
3 tsps salt
3 tsps basil
3 tsps parsley
10cl orange juice

Topping

1 red pepper, sliced into strips
100g mozzarella, sliced thinly
200g grated cheese, emmental, gruyére or cheddar

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 200°C
2.In a medium saucepan, heat the oil gently
3. Add onions and garlic, stir constantly for 1-2 mins
4. Add the mince meat, salt, 2 tsps basil and 2 tsps parsley
5. Stir constantly until the meat starts to brown
6. Add the tin of tomato & meat and the passata
7. Add the rest of the herbs and orange juice
8. Stir until well mixed
9. Simmer over a low heat for 5-10 mins
10.Spoon the sauce over the pizza base, spredly out evenly
11.Place the peppers on top of the sauce
12.Cover with the mozzarella then the grated cheese
13.Cook in the oven for 10-15mins until the cheese has completely melted

Serve with a light salad or french fries.

Homemade Burgers

2010-07-03T12:48:00.003+02:00

Using the same ingredients as for the meatballs instead of rolling into balls I flattened into burgers.

Ingredients

For the burgers

700g mince(d) beef
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
3 tablespoons herbes de provence
1 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon chilli purée (optional)

8 burger buns/16 slices of bread
4 tblsp ketchup
4 tblsp mayonnaise
4 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 large onions, sliced into half rings
1 tblsp olive oil

Method

1.In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients
2.Mix together thoroughly
3.Roll the mixture into a big ball
4.Divide the mixture into eight
5.Roll each 8th into a ball
6.Using a small saucer mould the ball into a patty, about 2 – 3 cm thick
7.In a large griddle pan on a high heat cook the burgers
well done – 10 mins each side
medium – 6 mins each side
rare - 3 mins each side

While the burgers are cooking

1.Mix the ketchup and mayonnaise together, spread onto the top sides of the burger buns.
2.In a small frying pan heat the olive oil
3.Add the onions and cook until just softening

Make up your burgers with the onions and tomatoes et voilà. Add lettuce, gherkins and cheese if you want a mega burger feast.

I served with a light salad, but you could always go for the whole burger dinner and serve with french fries.

Serves : 8 burgers
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 10 - 20 mins

Baked Meatballs

2010-06-24T01:21:00.006+02:00

Ingredients

500g grated cheese

For the Meatballs

700g mince(d) beef
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
3 tablespoons herbes de provence
1 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon chilli purée (optional)

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 200°C
2.Place a sheet of aluminium foil on a baking tray
3.In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients
4.Mix together thoroughly
5.Roll the mixture into a big ball
6.Divide the mixture into sixteen (half, quarter, eighth, sixteenth)
7.Roll each 16th into a ball
8.Place on the baking tray,
9.Bake in oven for 10 mins, or until just browning

For the Sauce

Ingredients

1 onion, sliced finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 large tomatoes, chopped finely/ 500ml passata
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon parsley
1 tablespoon sage
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper

Method

1.In a small saucepan heat the olive oil
2.Add all the ingredients
3.Stir constantly until piping hot
4.Take off the heat and leave to cool
5.In a large, shallow oven proof dish add the meatballs
6.Cover the meatballs with the tomato sauce, mix well
7.Cover the mix with grated cheese
8.Place in the oven for 15-20 mins, or until cheese bubbles

Serve with pasta and warm baguette.

Serves : 4
Preparation : 15 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins

Baked Meatloaf

2010-06-24T01:20:00.002+02:00

Ingredients

2 eggs
1/3 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon worchestershire sauce
1 potato, peeled & grated
1 onion, peeled & grated/chopped very finely
1 teaspoon basil
700g mince(d) beef
salt & pepper

Spice lovers add :

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teqspoon chilli purée/1 chilli chopped finely

Method

1.In a large mixing bowl add all ingredients
2.Mix together throughly
3.Pour the mixture in a loaf tin, shaping into a bread loaf
4.Bake at 180°C for 1 hour, or until meat is cooked through.

Serves : 4
Preparation : 5 mins
Cooking time : 1 hour

1001 Things to do with mince(d) beef

2010-06-23T01:22:00.000+02:00

I don't know about you but I am a huge carnivore. I don't feel like I've really had a meal unless meat is involved. Unfortunately on a pauper's budget this can sometimes be difficult to achieve. Or can it?

I must say I've given up on chicken. It's not a very interesting meat to start with but the supermarkets have decided to make it a delicacy and are selling it at the same price of duck! Maybe this is just in France, but in any case I refuse to pay 13€ for 6 chicken filets!

My boyfriend doesn't eat pork so even though it is the cheapest and in my opinion best meat out there (mmmmmmmmmm, bacon sandwiches!) for our meals together I am obliged to over look this delicious option for dinner.

So I've set myself a goal, find the most possible recipes for mince(d) beef. I've been experimenting and have been pleasantly surprised by this seemingly boring option. Extra bonus I can buy a kilo of very good quality mince for 2,99€ in my local supermarket.

So here are a couple of my 1001 things to do with mince(d) beef to wet your appetite.

Enjoy!

I can't believe it's been nearly a year!

2010-06-23T01:19:00.000+02:00

I apologise profusely for anyone who had started to follow this blog and I abruptly ended just as soon as I had started.

Unfortunately life is full of twists and turns that demand attention when you'd rather being doing things you love, like blogging for example!

Anyway, here I am. Luckily, even though I haven't posted for nearly a year, I have still been cooking so I now have masses of concoctions to share with you all.

A Hot Rediscovery

2009-07-19T21:09:00.004+02:00

I stumbled across Jim Beam Hot Sauce in the foreign products aisle of my local supermarket. I'm a great fan of spicy food, so despite it's 5 euro price tag (oh yes the import tax can be quite disturbing on certain products!) I snatched it up. Apart from going to the chinese/africain epiceries, in France it's very hard to find spices. They are not the vindaloo loving nation like the British!

I had forgotten just how hot this sauce was! So I've toned the amount down for this next recipe so you don't end up in the same discomfort as I did!

Ricey Jim Beam

Ingredients

100g basmati rice
1 tsp jim beam hot sauce
1 tin of string beans
2 tblsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper
50g cooked chorizo, chopped

Method

1.Cook the rice in a large saucepan of salted water
2.Once the rice is cooked heat the oil gently in a large frying/griddle pan
3.Add the onions and cayenne pepper, stir until the onions start to soften
4.Add the rice, string beans, chorizo and jim beam sauce
5.Stir together over a medium heat until the rice has taken on a light red colour
6.Serve with bread and/or crème fraiche

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 30 mins

Garlic Bread

2009-07-19T20:54:00.006+02:00

I hadn't made this for years, following on the BBQ theme, I had a few friends over and I decided to add this to the menu, ever since I've given the recipe to dozens of people!

Ingredients

7 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tblsp dried/fresh basil
2 tblsp dried parsley
150g butter
salt
1 baguette/ciabatta halved

Method

1.In a small saucepan mix all the ingredients together
2.Place over a low heat
3.Cook until the butter has completely melted and the mixture just starts to bubble
4.Spread over the bread
5.Place in the oven (200°C) until just starting to brown

You can add chilli paste for a little kick, or sprinkle cheese over the bread to make cheesy garlic bread.

Serves : 4 - 8 (depending on how you cut the bread after cooking)
Preparation : 10 mins
Cooking time : 20 mins

BBQ Simple and Delicious and On the Menu all Summer!

2009-07-19T20:46:00.005+02:00

Since moving in to my country mansion ;) my housemate and I have already had numerous BBQs, whether for friends and family or simply just the two of us, a good BBQ is always great fun.

However, I was surprised to find just how many people just whack the meat on the BBQ no preparation, no flavour, just dry charcoaled meat!

As you already know by now, I grew up in a great cooking environment, my palette takes offence to these types of cooking methods!

So here is very simple BBQ recipe to add that much needed bit of flavour to the great outdoors grillade.

Chinese Chicken/Turkey Skewers with Cherry Tomatoes

Chicken and turkey are extremely bland meats and they can be very dry if not cooked nor accompagnied properly. They are even worse if just shoved onto a BBQ grill!

So try this quick marinate recipe, it'll make a huge difference to your spread

For a dozen skewers (don't worry if that seems too much they freeze beautifully and so ready for the next BBQ party)

Ingredients

6 chicken/turkey filets/breasts, chopped into cubes
1 pack of cherry tomatoes
4 tblsp hoisin sauce
2 tblsp soya sauce

Method

1.Mix the chicken/turkey cubes well with the hoisin and soya sauce
2.Set aside in the fridge for 20 mins (or overnight if you want to prepare the night before)
3.Once well marinated, alternate meat cubes with cherry tomatoes on the skewers
4.Cook on the BBQ until tender

I'm back!

2009-07-19T20:17:00.007+02:00

Hello everybody! I do apologise for such a long absence, I've been very busy with moving house and having my parents over to decorate it. I finally have a huge kitchen and so the creativity has been flowing much to my new housemate's delight!

She's even asked me to teach her how to cook, a very flattering request. So for her birthday I bought her, what every aspiring chef should have a Kitchen Bible! It's called Tout ce que votre mère aurait dû vous apprendre en cuisine (Everything Your Mother Should Have Taught You In The Kitchen) Judging by the names of the authors Kim Rowney Lulu Grimes Kay Halsey and the fact that quite a few of the recipes are traditionally English it must be a translation. I strongly recommend this book it is brilliantly written and so simple to follow, that even the most inexperienced of cooks can't fail!

Anyway, sit back and enjoy the pictures and recipes to come, I shall make an extra special effort in my posts to make up for my laziness in the blog department these last two months!

Stranded!

2009-04-11T15:26:00.000+02:00

Unfortunately not on a desert island but on my bed! I've just mopped my floors and realised I'm now stuck on my bed for a good half an hour, the time they dry! So I'll use this time to type up a few recipes I have saved in my memory.

Spaghetti Bolognaise

2009-04-11T15:25:00.002+02:00

This is my quick and easy recipe for this Italian favourite.

Ingredients

500g spaghetti
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tblsp olive oil
500g minced beef/lamb
1 litre passata/chopped tomatoes (use a good brand otherwise the sauce will taste watery)
1 small tin of chopped tomatoes and meat
3 tsps salt
3 tsps basil
3 tsps parsley
10cl orange juice

Method

1. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook the pasta
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil gently
3. Add onions and garlic, stir constantly for 1-2 mins
4. Add the mince meat, salt, 2 tsps basil and 2 tsps parsley
5. Stir constantly until the meat starts to brown
6. Add the tin of tomato & meat and the passata
7. Add the rest of the herbs and orange juice
8. Stir until well mixed
9. Simmer over a low heat for 5-10 mins

Hey presto! Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread.

Serves : 4
Preparation : 5 mins
Cooking time : 15 mins

Fajitas

2009-04-11T15:24:00.004+02:00

Another great favourite. I've tried the Old El Paso kits and found them a tad disappointing, so with a bit of experimenting a came up with this recipe, that has never failed to be a hit.

Ingredients

For the chicken

4 chicken breasts, chopped into medium cubes
2 tsps chilli purée
1 tblsp olive oil
2 tsps salt

For the vegetables

1 large tomato, chopped roughly
1 large red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped into chunks
1 large onion, peeled, quartered and stripped
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
2 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp coarse sea salt

For the sauce

2 tbslp mayonnaise
2 tblsp ketchup
1 tsp chilli sauce

2 pack of 8 large tortilla wraps

Method

1. Add the vegetables, olive oil, salt and spices to a large shallow roasting tin
2. Mix together until the oil coats all the vegetables
3. Place in the oven at 180°C

Meanwhile prepare the chicken

1. In a large shallow pan, heat the oil gently
2. Add the chicken, salt and chilli
3. Stir constantly over a medium heat until the chilli coats all the chicken
4. Remove from the heat when the chicken just starts to whiten
5. Add the chicken to the vegetables (juices in the pan included)
6. Return to the oven for 5-10 mins, stirring occasionally

Meanwhile mix the ketchup, mayonnaise and chilli sauce together in a small bowl

Once the vegetables and chicken are well roasted (not browned) remove from the oven and place to cool.

Place the tortilla wraps two at a time in the warm oven (switched off)for 30 seconds.

Place the bowl of vegetables and sauce on the table for a self service atmosphere, keep warming the tortillas two by two as the cries for more flow! Serve with creme fraiche/sour cream, grated cheese and guacemole (to cut the spiciness)

Serves : 8 (or 4 if 2 each)
Preparation time : 5 -10 mins
Cooking time : 15 - 20 mins

Udon Noodle Soup

2009-04-11T15:23:00.004+02:00

This a great quick and tasty recipe. I recommend you take a trip to your local Chinese supermarket for the ingredients, it's worth it to get that authentic oriental kick. I also recommend you stick with Udon noodles as they are a thicker variety and so make this dish more wholesome.

Ingredients

5 spring onions, chopped finely
1 pint vegetable stock
10 thai basil leaves, shredded roughly
500g Udon noodles
2 tblsp fish sauce
2 tblsp soy sauce
1 tblsp seasme oil
1 tsp Chinese Five Spices
1 small tin sweetcorn, drained
1/2 tsp ginger (optional)

Method

1. In a large saucepan, heat the seasme oil gently
2. Add the spring onions, ginger and five spices
3. Stir gently for 1-2 mins
4. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, stir again for 1-2 mins
5. Add the stock, sweetcorn and basil
6. Simmer over a low heat for 3 mins
7. Add the noodles
8. Simmer until noodles are cooked through and softened

Serves : 4
Preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 10 -15 mins

My floors are dry now, so I'm off to do my washing.

Bon Appétit tout le monde!

Night Owl's Diet

2009-04-11T13:19:00.001+02:00

I'm still carrying a few extra pounds from my visit to England and Christmas (yes I know that was 4 months ago, but I can't help being greedy!). Working in an all you can eat buffet restaurant doesn't help either! So I'm getting myself back into the routine of preparing my meals for my shift at home. Today on the menu is

Pasta Pimentée

Ingredients

200g penne pasta
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
2 tsp chilli purée
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbslp olive oil
2 tsp basil
2 tsp parsley
salt & pepper

Method

1. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the pasta
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil gently
3. Add onions, garlic and chilli purée
4. Stir until well mixed
5. Add the chopped tomatoes, spices and salt & pepper
6. Simmer gently for 5 mins
7. Drain the pasta and pour over the sauce
8. Mix together

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 10 - 15 mins

Serve with grated cheese and crusty bread

I will be packing a fruit yoghurt, a banana and an orange. Can't get much healthier than that!

Light Supper

2009-04-11T13:06:00.001+02:00

After a few twelve hour days in the land of Mickey Mouse full from popcorn and all things sugary, for my cousin's last supper in Paris I made it simple and light.

Pork Filets with Charlotte Potatoes and Simple Rocket Salad

Ingredients

4 pork filets
250g new/charlotte/rebecca potatoes
250g rocket
4 tsp olive oil
4 tsp coarse sea salt

For the vinigrette

2 shallots/1 red onion, peeled and chopped finely
4 tblsp olive oil
4 tblsp balsamic vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp chilli purée

Method

1. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes
2. Coat the filets with the oil (1tsp per filet)
3. Rub in the salt (1tsp per filet) crushing lightly into the oil
4. In a griddle pan, cook the pork (4-5 mins each side)
5. Meanwhile prepare the vinigrette
6. Wash the rocket and pour over the vinigrette

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 20 - 30 mins

Serve with fresh bread and condiments

Visit from England

2009-04-04T14:40:00.005+02:00

My crazy cousin, Nicola, is coming to stay for a few days next week and I have promised her a traditional French supper upon her arrival. But looking through my cookbooks the great classics are scarily similar to the British classics for example Boeuf Bourguignon is simply Beef Casserole! And the French say they are the Kings of Cuisine!

So I've decided that the supper will be traditionally French in that the ingredients are French but the recipe will be mine!

Filet de Canard aux Echalotes et Fond de Veau dans son nid des lentilles et purée de patate douce

(Duck Breasts in an Onion and Veal Sauce in a nest of lentils and sweet potato mash - sounds much more apetising in French n'est ce pas?)

Ingredients

For the Duck

4 Duck breasts
4 tsps coarse sea salt
4 tsps truffle oil
1 tsp butter
6 shallots, peeled and halved
1 pint of veal stock
1 tsp sage

For the nest

100g puy lentils
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into chucks
100g red currants
4 tsps sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C
2. Cover the duck breasts will the truffle oil (1 tsp per breast)
3. Rub in the sea salt (1 tsp per breast) crushing gently
4. In a shallow pan over a medium heat, cook the duck breasts for 3 mins each side, fat side first
5. Baste a shallow casserole dish with the butter
6. Add the duck breasts (fat side up) and shallots
7. Pour over the veal stock
8. Add the sage
9. Cover and place in the oven for 1-1/2 hours (until tender)

Once the duck is tender remove from the oven and place to one side (keep covered).

Now start preparing the nest

1. Cook the lentils following the guidelines on the box (they usually take about 10-15 mins but it depends on the type and quality of the lentils)
2. In a large saucepan of lightly salted water cook the sweet potatoes until soft.
3. Meanwhile in a small bowl crush the red currants roughly with the back of a tablespoon
4. Add to a small saucepan (with their juices) add the sugar
5. Over a low heat stir constantly until sugar completely absorbed and the sauce thickened
6. Drain the potatoes and mash (add a knob of butter if desired)

Presentation individual (4 people)
Spoon the mash in the middle of the plates, patting gently to form a round centrepiece
Spoon the lentils around the mash
Drizzle the currant sauce around the lentils
Place the duck breast on top of the mash
Spoon the shallot sauce over the duck (3 shallots per plate)

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 10 - 15 mins

Cooking time : 1 - 2 hours

Et voilà! Bon Apetit!

French Onion Soup

2009-03-26T11:57:00.005+01:00

Everytime I would order French Onion Soup in the brasseries of Paris as a little girl, I would slurp happily away as my Dad told me the story of how this fantastic dish was born. In the cold mornings of the old Les Halles market, the stall holders would warm themselves with the boiling hot liquid and gather around the huge marmite to exchange news and gossip.

I always thought it would be a complicated recipe and I would never be able to master this soup in the same way as the Parisiens. But a few years ago I decided to give it a go, and in fact it's the simplest recipe I've ever followed! All you need is a bit of patience and some good stock and voilà soupe à l'oignon à l'ancienne.

Ingredients

500g onions, peeled and chopped
2 pints brown stock
1 tsp plain flour
½ clove garlic, chopped
60g butter

Method

1.In a large saucpan, gently melt the butter
2.Add the onions
3.Over a very low heat, gently brown the onions (this should take about 1 hour)
4.Add the garlic after 45 minutes
5.Once browned add the flour and cook for a further minute, stirring constantly
6.Add the stock, a pinch of salt and pepper
7.Simmer for 20-30 minutes

Serves : 6 - 8

Preparation time : 10 -15 mins

Cooking time : 1 - 1 & 1/2 hours

Serve with crusty bread coated with cheese.

Chilli Con Carne

2009-03-25T19:43:00.004+01:00

This is one of my all time favourite dishes and my Dad’s recipe is better than any Mexican restaurant has ever served me. I’ve made a few adjustments, simply because my Dad can never remember what he puts in his dishes, he just cooks it!

I love spicy food, so my chilli lives up to its reputation! Try it if you dare, or you can always cut down the chilli content if you have a more delicate palette.

Ingredients

500g minced meat
1 large onion, chopped
1 tin red kidney beans, drained
1 tin sweet corn, drained
1 litre passata
1 small tin chopped tomatoes and beef
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
2 tblsp olive oil
½ glass red wine
2 heaped tsps cocoa powder (60% - 90% cocoa)
4 heaped tblsps chilli powder
2 heaped tsps cayenne pepper
2 heaped tsps chilli purée / 2 red chillis chopped finely
1 ½ tsps salt

Method

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil gently
2. Add onions and chilli purée, stir until soft and well mixed
3. Add the minced meat, salt, cayenne pepper and 2 tblsps chilli powder
4. Stir constantly until meat is cooked through and spices well mixed
5. Add the rest of the ingredients
6. Simmer over a low heat for 20 mins, stirring occasionally

Serves : 6 - 8

Preparation time : 5 - 10 mins

Cooking time : 20 - 30 mins

Serve with rice, pasta, baked potato or tortilla wraps. Add grated cheese and/or crème faiche to soothe the bite of the spice!

Cooking with your Dishwasher!

2009-03-25T19:17:00.005+01:00

No I haven't gone completely mad! I have just discovered this interesting fact and apparently people have been doing this for years!

Have a look at www.winexmagazine.com for a great salmon recipe à la dishwasher! Which is also a very good foodie website in my opinion.

Profound Apologies for my Long Absence

2009-03-25T19:09:00.003+01:00

I have a good excuse, I've been house hunting. After 5 years of living in apartments in urban areas, a friend and I have to decided to move out to the sticks. We've found a 3 bedroom country house only half an hour from work and 10 minutes from the nearest big town. Far enough out to enjoy country living but close enough to civilisation!

If all goes well I shall be moving at the end of april and the best bit, it has a huge kitchen AND a pantry! My lifelong dream come true!

Offal, Is it that awful?

2009-02-25T00:39:00.004+01:00

No, it’s delicious.

I must do some research into why offal has become so taboo. Nowadays the furthest people will go is liver, kidneys and maybe a bit of tongue. I know people who won’t even eat lamb because they can’t stop thinking how cute they are.

What is wrong with these people? I’m sure if you didn’t tell them what it was they would adore the tenderness of lamb’s heart or the kick of sweetbreads. But because of these stupid people who pass their silly psychological food fears down to their children, the agricultural industry is crippling. Animals are being reared at the same cost but the consumers now only want 60% of the animal, hence why some farmers have no choice but to over-produce their livestock.

So if you are the head chef in the household then consider these off cuts. They are cheap, full of iron and protein, and you’ll feel good about helping out the poor farmers of this world.

You don’t have to tell the family exactly what it is, just tell them the animal. Tonight we’re having beef. As simple as that.

They’ll eat chicken nuggets that contain less than 1% chicken content, I won’t go into exactly what they put in those disgusting fried things, but say it’s chicken and they’ll eat it!

Here’s a great recipe to help you fall back in love with the « underdog » of meats.

Veal/Lamb Heart & Sausage Casserole

Ingredients

1 veal/lamb heart (prepared by your butcher), sliced
8 thick pork sausages (good quality), chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 carrots, peeled & chopped
5 large potatoes, peeled & chopped into quarters
2 sticks celery
1 cup of peas
1 red pepper
2 hot red chillis, chopped (or 2tsp pured chilli)
4 tbslp olive oil
1 pint beef stock
1 pint veal stock
1 tblsp sugar
3 tblsp rosemary
3 tblsp sage
½ bottle red wine
Salt & pepper

Method

1. In a large saucepan, par boil the potatoes (max 10 mins)
2. In a large casserole dish, heat the oil gently
3. Add onion, garlic, celery, red pepper, sugar, chilli and heart
4. Cover and sweat for 20 mins
5. Add the chopped sausage, 1 tblsp of rosemary and 1 tblsp sage
6. Re cover and sweat for a further 10 mins
7. Add the rest of the ingredients
8. Cook in the oven (100°C) for min 6 hours

Serves : 6

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 6 1/2 hours +

Pasta and Meat « Balls »

Sorry couldn’t resist the pun! Meatballs with a twist on the menu for tomorrow night. This is my made up recipe of what could be tasty. I’ll let you know if it was tomorrow!

Ingredients

400g sweetbreads
50g butter
100g breadcrumbs
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
500g chopped tomatoes
1 tblsp tomato purée
2 tblsp basil
2 tbslp parsley
1 tblsp Dijon mustard (2 tsps English mustard)
3 tsps truffle oil

Method

1. In a blender, add the sweetbreads, butter, breadcrumbs, half the onion, half the garlic, 1 tblsp basil, 1 tbslp parsley, mustard and truffle oil
2. Blend together until thick
3. Roll the mixture into balls
4. Cook in the oven (180°C) until golden brown
5. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil gently
6. Add the rest of onion & garlic, when starting to brown
7. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, rest of basil & parsley,
8. Pour tomato sauce over the meatballs
9. Mix together gently

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 20 - 30 mins

Serve with pasta and grated cheese.

Have You Ever Wondered?

2009-02-24T21:40:00.001+01:00

Why things are called what they are?

Flicking through the Good Housekeeping’s Cookery Encyclopedia I had a number of ‘Ah yes, that makes sense’ moments. Such as chips are chipped potatoes as crisps are crispy potatoes. As well as realising that we no longer say Hen’s eggs, they are now more commonly known as chicken’s eggs.

I studied English Language and the origins of words but it never occurred to me to extend that into the cookery world.

I shall make this my new hobby and report back with my interesting findings.

In the meantime give me a few of yours.

Smile, Say Cheese!

2009-02-24T04:16:00.003+01:00

I am a huge fan of cheese. A chap I work with can’t even smell cheese without wanting to throw up, something I cannot comprehend, especially from a French person! My favourites are cheddar (the real stuff not the squeezable stuff you buy in a tube), gorgonzola, edam and generally all stinky cheeses. My sister throws cheese in the bin at the slightest hint of mould forming whereas I scrape it off and keep on munching, the older the better.

So if you’re a cheese lover like me, here are a couple of recipes to satisfy your frommage cravings.

Cheesy Carbonara

Ingredients

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
500g lardoons, uncooked
500g crème fraiche
100g grated emmental
100g grated cheddar
2 large tblsp gorgonzola
2 triangles of Laughing Cow
Salt & pepper
2 tsp basil (dried or fresh chopped)
2 tsp parsley (dried or fresh chopped)
2 tblsp olive oil

Method

1. In a large saucepan heat the oil gently
2. Add onion and garlic, cook on a low heat
3. Meanwhile in a mixing bowl, mix together the cheeses and crème fraiche until smooth and creamy
4. When onions start to brown add lardoons, basil and parsley
5. Cook until the fat on the lardoons start to crisp slightly
6. Add cheese and crème fraiche mix, salt & pepper
7. Simmer over a medium heat for 5-7 mins

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 20 mins

Served traditionally with pasta, but as this is a thicker version of the Carbonara sauce it’s great over a baked potato and served with a fresh salad.

Baked Balsamic Tomatoes & Mozzerella

Ingredients

200g buffalo mozzerella, sliced thinly
3 large tomatoes, sliced
3 tblsp balsamic vinegar
5 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp truffle oil (optional but recommended!)
6 fresh basil leaves, shredded
1 small red onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
50g grated parmesan/emmental

Method

1. In a medium sized oven proof dish, line the bottom with half the sliced mozzerella
2. Cover the mozzerella with the sliced tomatoes
3. In a mixing bowl, mix together the olive oil , vinegar, onion, garlic and basil
4. Pour evenly over the tomatoes
5. Cover with the rest of the mozzerella
6. Sprinkle over the parmesan
7. Drizzle over the truffle oil
8. Bake at 180°C for 10 mins

Serves : 4

Preparation time : 5 mins

Cooking time : 10 mins

This is great as a hot hot starter or double the ingredients to serve as a side dish for a main meal. However, the success of this recipe relies wholly on the freshness of your ingredients. So make sure you use juicy tomatoes and fresh basil otherwise all you’ll have is cheesy water!

Heart of the Home is the British Pauper’s Kitchen

2009-02-06T15:27:00.003+01:00

I’ve been on a much needed holiday, nothing fancy like a sun-coated beach in the Bahamas, but a nice trip back to my hometown in England. This time though I took a French friend and her little 1 year old boy with me so they could experience real English life.

I have spent the last two weeks relaxing and eating. Breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and supper everyday! I am now only wearing tracksuit bottoms as they are the only things that fit! But aside for the expanded waistline, this trip was special to me in many ways.

2009-02-06T15:25:00.003+01:00

With the credit crunch, Britain has been one of the worst places hit but I think it has had a more positive effect on the country than negative. People are going back to basics and for the first time since emigrating to France, I didn’t find myself yearning to get back.

Britain is no longer the materialistic, commercial hungry country it has been for the last two decades. It can no longer afford to be. I found this extremely evident in their now outlook on food.

People are no longer spending their money on going to restaurants or ordering in every night. The purse strings have been tightened so people are rediscovering cooking and thankfully are suddenly aware of all the crap they’ve been eating.

The TV is non stop programmes about organic farming and going local such as using your local butcher who sources from local farmers.

A sense of community is coming back to the British.

2009-02-06T15:18:00.004+01:00

When man rubbed two sticks together and created fire for the first time this, in my opinion, was what started our ascent to becoming the dominant species on this planet.

Suddenly being able to cook meat made man realise there was more to life than surviving, there was pleasure to be had.

Imagine how excited those first tribes would have been to finally being having hot meals, eventually discovering that by adding herbs such as wild thyme or rosemary would enhance further this new found joy.

Two million years later we are still striving to make our dishes tastier and find new flavours.

Food brings people together and is ever present in our lives. Sayings such as the kitchen is the heart of the home, a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, a full tummy makes for a happy bunny, are all so true.

What makes us different from the animal kingdom is that we don’t just survive, we live.

2009-02-06T15:14:00.004+01:00

Cooking smells are the best triggers of happy memories.

On the day of my arrival back home my Mum had made a beef casserole. She put it in the oven at 6.30 am and walking into the house around 6pm the smell transported me instantly back to my childhood. I felt cosy and nostalgic.

A couple of days later I took my French guests to the seaside to experience the great British tradition of fish & chips in paper by the sea. Walking into the chip shop a flood of memories came back of carefree days at the beach amongst family and friends.

Even bad food experiences bring a smile to my face. Whenever I see Andouillette on a menu I chuckle at as an 8 year old on a family trip to Paris being wholly repulsed by this Frenchified excuse for a thick pork sausage, much to the amusement of my parents!

2009-02-06T15:12:00.003+01:00

Another thing I noticed on this trip back is how despite the crippling economy and constant threat of mass unemployment, the British were quite chirpy. Some might put this down to the British Stiff Upper Lip or how they are simply appreciating what they’ve still got.

But as an educated foodie, I beg to differ.

This cheerfulness in the face of adversity has a lot to do with their diets. No longer being able to afford the convience foods and 5 nights a week binge drinking has had a huge positive impact on their health and humours.

Family values are coming back into fashion.

In times of trouble people stick together and what better way to do this than around the dinner table savouring a home cooked hot pot, talking to each other instead of watching the telly, candles instead of halogen lights and a log fire crackling in the background instead of heartless central heating.

2009-02-06T15:10:00.004+01:00

As long as the British recession doesn’t spiral into a depression I hope they continue this concept of going back to basics and they realise that the long term effects of what they consume can be ground breakingly beneficial to the human race.

For example, less fatty fast foods = less obesity and diabetes = less money spent on these particular health services = more money free to spend on cancer and AIDs cures.

Less binge drinking = less drink driving accidents and drink related violence = less horrific deaths and accidents = less strain on the emergency services = more time to do their real job and protect the safety of the citizens.

My friend thoroughly enjoyed her visit, she thought the people were very friendly and the food was fabulous. The luscious countryside, the freshness of the produce, the traditional pubs, Sunday dinners and tastes of India. Cups of tea and fish pie. Cooked breakfasts and afternoon tea. The heartfelt welcomes and sincere goodbyes.

Through the eyes of someone who has never set foot on the British Isles and see them fall in love with my heritage, culture and cuisine.

I am once again, proud to be British.