It was a proper autumn day today - warmish, but drizzly and grey. There were soggy leaves everywhere on the way back from nursery - which weren't much fun to swish through. So we left the lamb and olive stew to cook in the oven, and went for a swim.
You'll need:
a few lamb pieces, preferably on the bone (we had about 400g of large bits of lamb in some very odd cuts)
one onion, sliced
2 green peppers, sliced
1/2 a jar of green olives
a tin of tomatoes
dried thyme, oregano and black pepper
Stick the oven on at about 160 degrees C.
Brown the pieces of lamb in a large ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish - you may need to add a little olive oil so it doesn't stick. Chuck in the onion and green peppers, and cook for a couple of minutes.
Tip in the green olives, tomatoes, and some water (about a can-ful). Season liberally with thyme, oregano and black pepper. You probably won't need much salt, especially if your olives were packed in brine.
Stick the lid on, and cook in the oven for 2-3 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone, and the tomatoes have cooked down to a beautiful red sludge. Check on it every now and again- you may have to add a little more water half an hour before the end.
We ate this with couscous and a spinach salad.
13 October 2009
12 October 2009
Smoked haddock, potato and sweetcorn chowder
Not many posts recently, as there haven't been many new recipes - when I'm snowed under with work tea tends to head towards the family classics.
This one was new though, and inspired by the lovely Nigel's suppers on BBC1.
Makes enough for 4 greedy adults. You'll need:
a large fillet or two of smoked haddock (undyed is probably nicer, but day-glo yellow means it looks pretty...)
a large onion, finely chopped
a large tin of sweetcorn, or a mugful of frozen sweetcorn (defrosted)
lots of potatoes - 4 or 5 large ones, peeled and diced
milk - about a pint
First of all, poach the fish in the milk. Bung both into a large pan, and gently heat the milk until it's almost boiling. Turn down, and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Drain the fish (keep the milk!), and flake into large chunks (removing any bones, and discarding the skin).
Fry the onions in a little olive oil until they're translucent. Add the potatoes, and swish round in the oil. Add a mugful of boiling water to the potato/onion mixture and the rest of the fishy milk. Season with lots of black pepper, and simmer until the potato chunks are cooked.
Add the sweetcorn/fish, and warm through.
Serve with lots of fresh crusty bread, maybe topped with a little cream cheese.
This one was new though, and inspired by the lovely Nigel's suppers on BBC1.
Makes enough for 4 greedy adults. You'll need:
a large fillet or two of smoked haddock (undyed is probably nicer, but day-glo yellow means it looks pretty...)
a large onion, finely chopped
a large tin of sweetcorn, or a mugful of frozen sweetcorn (defrosted)
lots of potatoes - 4 or 5 large ones, peeled and diced
milk - about a pint
First of all, poach the fish in the milk. Bung both into a large pan, and gently heat the milk until it's almost boiling. Turn down, and simmer for 4-5 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Drain the fish (keep the milk!), and flake into large chunks (removing any bones, and discarding the skin).
Fry the onions in a little olive oil until they're translucent. Add the potatoes, and swish round in the oil. Add a mugful of boiling water to the potato/onion mixture and the rest of the fishy milk. Season with lots of black pepper, and simmer until the potato chunks are cooked.
Add the sweetcorn/fish, and warm through.
Serve with lots of fresh crusty bread, maybe topped with a little cream cheese.
28 September 2009
Banana skewers
I should have photographed these because they were fantastic, and you were so proud of them. Next time...
Makes enough for 3. You'll need
a couple of bananas, roughly cut into large slices
straws (or skewers - but straws are easier if you're only small)
100g (ish) of chocolate, preferably dark
a couple of tablespoons of dessicated coconut on a small plate
Break the chocolate into small pieces, and place in a small bowl. Stick in the microwave for short intervals (eg 15s) until the chocolate is melted - it helps if you keep stirring it in between the bursts.
Thread your banana piece on a straw/skewer. Drizzle over the melted chocolate, then roll the whole thing over the coconut so it sticks to the chocolate.
Stand each straw/skewer in a glass, and leave to harden. Eat as quickly as possible, so no one can pinch yours.
Makes enough for 3. You'll need
a couple of bananas, roughly cut into large slices
straws (or skewers - but straws are easier if you're only small)
100g (ish) of chocolate, preferably dark
a couple of tablespoons of dessicated coconut on a small plate
Break the chocolate into small pieces, and place in a small bowl. Stick in the microwave for short intervals (eg 15s) until the chocolate is melted - it helps if you keep stirring it in between the bursts.
Thread your banana piece on a straw/skewer. Drizzle over the melted chocolate, then roll the whole thing over the coconut so it sticks to the chocolate.
Stand each straw/skewer in a glass, and leave to harden. Eat as quickly as possible, so no one can pinch yours.
Apple upside-down cakes
We spent all day at the allotment digging up the potatoes, so we needed a pudding for tea.
Makes 4 muffin-sized cakes. You'll need
1.5 apples, cored and sliced
a good knob of butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
65g sugar
65g butter
65g flour
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C, and fish out a muffin tin.
Put the apples, knob of butter and brown sugar into a saucepan on a low heat, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the apples are tender, and the butter and sugar has formed a golden sauce.
Grease the muffin tin, and then place the apples (and a small drizzle of the sauce) at the bottom of four of the holes. Keep the rest of the sauce!
In a food processor, blitz together the sugar and butter, until it's soft and fluffy. Add the egg, and whizz until it's incorporated. Add the baking powder, flour and cinnamon, and blitz again until it all comes together. My egg was on the small side, so I had to add a little extra milk to stop the sponge mixture from being too stiff.
Dollop the sponge mixture onto the apples, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the sponge has gone golden brown. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, loosen round the edges, and then turn upside down to turn out.
Drizzle over a little extra sauce, and serve with a little creme fraiche or ice cream. Perfect for Sunday tea!
Makes 4 muffin-sized cakes. You'll need
1.5 apples, cored and sliced
a good knob of butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
65g sugar
65g butter
65g flour
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C, and fish out a muffin tin.
Put the apples, knob of butter and brown sugar into a saucepan on a low heat, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the apples are tender, and the butter and sugar has formed a golden sauce.
Grease the muffin tin, and then place the apples (and a small drizzle of the sauce) at the bottom of four of the holes. Keep the rest of the sauce!
In a food processor, blitz together the sugar and butter, until it's soft and fluffy. Add the egg, and whizz until it's incorporated. Add the baking powder, flour and cinnamon, and blitz again until it all comes together. My egg was on the small side, so I had to add a little extra milk to stop the sponge mixture from being too stiff.
Dollop the sponge mixture onto the apples, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the sponge has gone golden brown. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, loosen round the edges, and then turn upside down to turn out.
Drizzle over a little extra sauce, and serve with a little creme fraiche or ice cream. Perfect for Sunday tea!
26 September 2009
Chicken and rice in a chard parcel
One of the more random meals we've had recently, inspired by the fact there was a load of Swiss/rainbow chard in the fridge after a trip to the allotment.
Makes enough for 4. You'll need:
2 chicken breasts, sliced into chunks
1 onion, finely sliced
10 large leaves of chard
dried thyme
about half a mugful of rice (or whatever cooked rice you've got lurking in your fridge)
1 small courgette, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 tin of tomatoes
a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C.
First of all make your tomato sauce - it's a doddle. Simply tip the tin of tomatoes into a large frying pan, add a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
While that's going on, cook your rice (or extract it from the fridge). Sling it into a large bowl.
Add a slug of olive oil to a frying pan, and brown your chicken. Tip it into the bowl of rice. Add the onion, pepper and courgette to the chickeny pan (you may have to add a little extra olive oil), and cook on a low heat until they've softened. Tip this lot into the bowl, and season with salt and black pepper - you should now have everything you need for the filling.
Plunge the large leaves of chard into a pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes, until they've softened. You're now ready to wrap...take each leaf, and plonk a good spoonful of the filling in the middle. Fold over the edges of the leaf to make a parcel, and place in an ovenproof baking dish.
Once you've done all the parcels, drizzle the tomato sauce on top, until they're nicely covered. You could top it with a little cheese too, before you sling it in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until everything is heated through and piping hot.
Makes enough for 4. You'll need:
2 chicken breasts, sliced into chunks
1 onion, finely sliced
10 large leaves of chard
dried thyme
about half a mugful of rice (or whatever cooked rice you've got lurking in your fridge)
1 small courgette, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 tin of tomatoes
a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C.
First of all make your tomato sauce - it's a doddle. Simply tip the tin of tomatoes into a large frying pan, add a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
While that's going on, cook your rice (or extract it from the fridge). Sling it into a large bowl.
Add a slug of olive oil to a frying pan, and brown your chicken. Tip it into the bowl of rice. Add the onion, pepper and courgette to the chickeny pan (you may have to add a little extra olive oil), and cook on a low heat until they've softened. Tip this lot into the bowl, and season with salt and black pepper - you should now have everything you need for the filling.
Plunge the large leaves of chard into a pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes, until they've softened. You're now ready to wrap...take each leaf, and plonk a good spoonful of the filling in the middle. Fold over the edges of the leaf to make a parcel, and place in an ovenproof baking dish.
Once you've done all the parcels, drizzle the tomato sauce on top, until they're nicely covered. You could top it with a little cheese too, before you sling it in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until everything is heated through and piping hot.
22 September 2009
Coleslaw
This one's dead easy, and a good winter recipe. It's also the sort of thing you make in your first cookery lesson at school.
You'll need:
a couple of carrots, thinly sliced (you could also grate them)
a good wedge of white cabbage, very finely sliced
a tablespoon or so of mayonnaise (Hellman's will do fine)
a couple of tablespoons of Greek yoghurt
salt and black pepper
Mix the carrots/cabbage together in a bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, yoghurt, salt and pepper, and drizzle over the top of the carrot/cabbage mixture. Done!
You'll need:
a couple of carrots, thinly sliced (you could also grate them)
a good wedge of white cabbage, very finely sliced
a tablespoon or so of mayonnaise (Hellman's will do fine)
a couple of tablespoons of Greek yoghurt
salt and black pepper
Mix the carrots/cabbage together in a bowl. Whisk together the mayonnaise, yoghurt, salt and pepper, and drizzle over the top of the carrot/cabbage mixture. Done!
Fishcakes
Perfect for a quick tea, after a busy afternoon jumping on beds and playing with Playmobil dinosaurs.
Makes 10 fishcakes
6 or 7 small/medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (or whatever leftover mash you have in the fridge)
a little milk
a good couple of knobs of butter
1 tin of tuna, drained
1 onion, finely diced
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
a handful of fresh chives, chopped
a couple of tablespoons of flour
Stick the chopped potatoes in a pan of hot water, and simmer until soft. Mash together, adding a little milk to get a smooth texture. Tip into a large bowl, and add the tuna, parsley and chives.
Fry the onion in a little olive oil, until it's translucent. Chuck into the potato/tuna mixture. Mix everything together gently, and form into smallish fishcakes (about the diameter of digestive biscuits, but a lot thicker).
Melt a little butter in a frying pan over a gentle heat. Coat each fishcake in a little flour, and let sizzle in the pan - it'll need a couple of minutes each side.
We ate our fishcakes with some homemade coleslaw, and a green salad.
Note: If you want to do this properly with fresh fish, you'll need to poach your piece of fish in simmering milk to start off with. Flake the fish (taking off the skin, and removing any bones), and use the milk in the mash.
Makes 10 fishcakes
6 or 7 small/medium potatoes, peeled and chopped (or whatever leftover mash you have in the fridge)
a little milk
a good couple of knobs of butter
1 tin of tuna, drained
1 onion, finely diced
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
a handful of fresh chives, chopped
a couple of tablespoons of flour
Stick the chopped potatoes in a pan of hot water, and simmer until soft. Mash together, adding a little milk to get a smooth texture. Tip into a large bowl, and add the tuna, parsley and chives.
Fry the onion in a little olive oil, until it's translucent. Chuck into the potato/tuna mixture. Mix everything together gently, and form into smallish fishcakes (about the diameter of digestive biscuits, but a lot thicker).
Melt a little butter in a frying pan over a gentle heat. Coat each fishcake in a little flour, and let sizzle in the pan - it'll need a couple of minutes each side.
We ate our fishcakes with some homemade coleslaw, and a green salad.
Note: If you want to do this properly with fresh fish, you'll need to poach your piece of fish in simmering milk to start off with. Flake the fish (taking off the skin, and removing any bones), and use the milk in the mash.
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