Today was the first day of the year that felt, at least for a while, nice enough to go down to the shed/greenhouse. We were joined by Fitz and Latte who enjoyed our presence and the warmth out of the wind. While Liz pruned the rampaging blackberry brambles I sorted through the seeds we had left over from the last century and swept the greenhouse floor.
When the wind got up and the rain swept in with a vengeance we returned to the warmth of the house to enjoy a tasty Cook and Butcher pork pie and a tasty winter salad.
Ingredients (for two)
3-4 Shredded Sprout tops (the tops of the Brussels Sprout plant, tasty tender, peppery leaves)
2 grated carrots
1 small red onion finely sliced into half moons
1 handful of cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 a red pepper (finely sliced)
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons of olive oil (I used a mix of plain and lemon infused oils)
Salt and pepper
Toss everything together and serve in a big bowl. Some finely sliced radishes, watercress or raw button mushrooms would be nice additions perhaps with some sautéed new potatoes or croutons to give a bit of extra yum.
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Sunday, 6 February 2011
Cottage Pie
The endless dilemma: Cottage Pie or Shepherds' Pie. Common wisdom is that the former is made with minced beef the latter with minced lamb and I'm not going to argue with that. In any case my version would shock any cottager or shepherd! Amounts serve four with enough left over to make a pasta sauce for my next two lunches!
For a vegetarian option replace the mince with more beans or cooked lentils.
Ingredients:
400g minced beef
1 can tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 large onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 courgette
1/2 red pepper
1 bay leaf
2 carrots finely chopped
4 chestnut mushrooms chopped
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper
For the topping:
1 large parsnips
3-4 small potatoes
2 small Jerusalem artichokes (or more parsnips, potatoes, swede)
Knob of butter
Grated cheese
Grated nutmeg
Fry the mince in a little oil then add the onion, pepper, courgette and mushrooms. Fry for a bit longer then add the remaining ingredients bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes.
Cook the vegetables for the topping in plenty of salted water until soft then mash with the butter, cheese and nutmeg.
Put the sauce in a oven proof dish then cover with the mash and dot with butter and perhaps a little extra grated cheese.
Cook in hot oven until the top is golden brown and crispy.
Serve with green veg or a crispy salad.
For a vegetarian option replace the mince with more beans or cooked lentils.
Ingredients:
400g minced beef
1 can tomatoes
1 can kidney beans
1 large onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 courgette
1/2 red pepper
1 bay leaf
2 carrots finely chopped
4 chestnut mushrooms chopped
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper
For the topping:
1 large parsnips
3-4 small potatoes
2 small Jerusalem artichokes (or more parsnips, potatoes, swede)
Knob of butter
Grated cheese
Grated nutmeg
Fry the mince in a little oil then add the onion, pepper, courgette and mushrooms. Fry for a bit longer then add the remaining ingredients bring to the boil then simmer for 30 minutes.
Cook the vegetables for the topping in plenty of salted water until soft then mash with the butter, cheese and nutmeg.
Put the sauce in a oven proof dish then cover with the mash and dot with butter and perhaps a little extra grated cheese.
Cook in hot oven until the top is golden brown and crispy.
Serve with green veg or a crispy salad.
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Oxtail Stew
This was inspired partly by my visit to the Imperial War Museum's Ministry of Food exhibition as well as imbibing a double espresso before going shopping in a fine butcher. Canned oxtail soup is one of my favourite lunchtime treats so I was hoping this would come out as rich and tasty. I wasn't disappointed. Serves 2-4 with some mashed root vegetables (parsnips, potatoes and carrots) and some steamed savoy cabbage.
Ingredients
3 large chunks of oxtail trimmed of excess fat
2 carrots cut into chunks
1 onion cut into chunks
Few peppercorns
Few juniper berries
Few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon of dried
2 bay leaves
2-3 tablespoons of red current jelly
1/2 a bottle of red wine
Zest of one small orange
Brown the oxtails all over in a little oil in a casserole pan. Add the carrots, orange zest, peppercorns, juniper berries, thyme and onion then cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then cover and put in a low oven (130-140C) for 3 hours or so. Remove the oxtails from the stock and leave to cool. Strain the stock and discard the stock vegetables etc. Add 1/2 a bottle of red wine to the cooking liquor and reduce to a thick gravy like consistency. Shred the meat from the bones and add to the
gravy along with the the red current jelly.
Ingredients
3 large chunks of oxtail trimmed of excess fat
2 carrots cut into chunks
1 onion cut into chunks
Few peppercorns
Few juniper berries
Few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon of dried
2 bay leaves
2-3 tablespoons of red current jelly
1/2 a bottle of red wine
Zest of one small orange
Brown the oxtails all over in a little oil in a casserole pan. Add the carrots, orange zest, peppercorns, juniper berries, thyme and onion then cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then cover and put in a low oven (130-140C) for 3 hours or so. Remove the oxtails from the stock and leave to cool. Strain the stock and discard the stock vegetables etc. Add 1/2 a bottle of red wine to the cooking liquor and reduce to a thick gravy like consistency. Shred the meat from the bones and add to the
gravy along with the the red current jelly.
Friday, 31 December 2010
Left Alone In The Butchers...
My wife made the mistake of leaving me alone in a great butchers today after I'd been drinking coffee. By the time she had come back I'd bought a kilo of diced venison, 1/2 a kilo of minced beef and three large pieces of oxtail - all organic and looking very tasty.
The mince and the venison have been put in the freezer leaving the oxtail for tomorrow night's supper.
Watch this space!
The mince and the venison have been put in the freezer leaving the oxtail for tomorrow night's supper.
Watch this space!
Turkey and Vegetable Soup
Yes we are still working our way through the Turkey - despite the best efforts of our three cats. This soup is refreshingly light and tasty. Serves 2 generously.
Ingredients
Large handful of cooked turkey chopped into bite sized pieces
1 parsnip, pealed, cored and diced
1 carrot, pealed and diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
A small bunch parsley chopped
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
750ml vegetable or chicken stock
Fry the onions and vegetables in a little olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add the turkey and tarragon. Add stock, bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but not collapsing.
Add the parsley and check the seasoning. Serve with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Large handful of cooked turkey chopped into bite sized pieces
1 parsnip, pealed, cored and diced
1 carrot, pealed and diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
A small bunch parsley chopped
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
750ml vegetable or chicken stock
Fry the onions and vegetables in a little olive oil for a couple of minutes. Add the turkey and tarragon. Add stock, bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft but not collapsing.
Add the parsley and check the seasoning. Serve with crusty bread.
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Two More Pies
To cater for varying tastes at last night's games evening I made two varieties of pies; Fish and Game. Each of the recipes below fill 4 large ramekins and are topped by shop bought puff pastry.
Game Pie
Ingredients
8 Pheasant Thighs cut into chunks
3 small carrots cut into small diced
1 medium onion finely diced
150g mushrooms finely diced
1/2 glass of wine
1tbsp seasoned flour
4 crushed juniper berries
2 sprigs of rosemary (chopped)
Fry the onion in a little oil until softened, add the mushrooms and fry briefly. Coat the pheasant in seasoned flour and add to the pan and fry until coloured. Add the wine and the remaining ingredients and enough stock to make a thick gravy. Put in a moderate oven for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before topping with puff pastry. Cook in a hot oven for 20 minutes until golden brown and puffed up.
Fish Pies
Ingredients
2 salmon stakes skinned and cut into chunks
1 small haddock loin skinned and cut into chunks
250ml single cream
Large handful of chopped parsley
1 bayleaf
2-3 shallots finely chopped
2 tspn flour
100g mushrooms chopped
large knob of butter
Salt and pepper
Fry the shallot and mushroom in the butter add the flour to make a roux then add the cream and a little milk if the sauce is too thick. Add the fish and herbs and stir to combine. Cool then add to the ramekins and top with the pastry. Then remember you have left the bayleaf inside shrug and hope that someone notices before they eat it. Cook in a hot oven for 20 minutes until golden brown and puffed up.
I served these pies with potato wedges and green vegetables (green kale and purple Brussels spouts) from the garden.
Game Pie
Ingredients
8 Pheasant Thighs cut into chunks
3 small carrots cut into small diced
1 medium onion finely diced
150g mushrooms finely diced
1/2 glass of wine
1tbsp seasoned flour
4 crushed juniper berries
2 sprigs of rosemary (chopped)
Fry the onion in a little oil until softened, add the mushrooms and fry briefly. Coat the pheasant in seasoned flour and add to the pan and fry until coloured. Add the wine and the remaining ingredients and enough stock to make a thick gravy. Put in a moderate oven for 30 minutes. Allow to cool before topping with puff pastry. Cook in a hot oven for 20 minutes until golden brown and puffed up.
Fish Pies
Ingredients
2 salmon stakes skinned and cut into chunks
1 small haddock loin skinned and cut into chunks
250ml single cream
Large handful of chopped parsley
1 bayleaf
2-3 shallots finely chopped
2 tspn flour
100g mushrooms chopped
large knob of butter
Salt and pepper
 |
| Frozen Veg from the garden with assistant |
I served these pies with potato wedges and green vegetables (green kale and purple Brussels spouts) from the garden.
Christmas Games Evening Menu
Had a fab evening with my wife and some good friends last night. Lots of good food and drink as well!
To start with we had Peach Fizz (Cava and peach nectar) served with smoked salmon and sour cream blinis. This was followed by minted pea soup with pan fried scallops. The main course was a choice of individual pies - game (in this case pheasant) or fish (salmon and haddock). Pudding was cardamom and orange chocolate pots with a selection of British and European cheeses to finish. All washed down with more Cava and copious volumes of mulled wine.
Surprisingly we still had room for a full English this morning!
Recipes to follow
To start with we had Peach Fizz (Cava and peach nectar) served with smoked salmon and sour cream blinis. This was followed by minted pea soup with pan fried scallops. The main course was a choice of individual pies - game (in this case pheasant) or fish (salmon and haddock). Pudding was cardamom and orange chocolate pots with a selection of British and European cheeses to finish. All washed down with more Cava and copious volumes of mulled wine.
Surprisingly we still had room for a full English this morning!
Recipes to follow
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