Thursday, November 29, 2012

Warming Winter Curries



From Japan, China, Thailand, India, Phillipines, Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia etc.

Curries have to be the best warming winter food, they can be extremely easy to prepare and cook or you can take some time to ground up spices and herbs to create your own variations.   

Dried spices – Ensure they are in date with lids on correctly in store cupboards,  in many Asian countries people buy their spices on a daily basis in the markets therefore ensuring they produce the freshest tasting curries. 

Look out for The Organic Herb Company – a Wicklow based company producing fantastic dried herbs and spices!

Curry powder is a British invention from the era that Britian occoupied India, the British wished to recreate the Indian Spice Taste and hence developed a range of curry powders.  Today there are many variations of curry powder on the market – if you are going to use a spice blend choose good brand and be prepared to add some additional spices yourself..

Curry Spice Blends 

2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds, toasted
2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, toasted
1/4 cup ground turmeric
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne

Directions
Place all ingredients in a container with an airtight lid. Shake to combine. Store in a cool dry place for up to 6 months. When ready to use, grind and add to dishes according to taste.


Chicken, Beef, Prawns, Combination of Veggies 

Cook off  1 onion finely chopped, 1 clove of garlic, add 2 tbls of curry powder, then add the meat & veggies… 2 cups of stock.  Bring to the boil then simmer for 10 mins until meat is cooked – serve as is or add 2 tablespoons of  natural yoghurt or half a cup of ittle coconut milk.


Curry Pastes

A curry paste is a combination of spices and herbs blended to form a paste
There are many great variations of curry pastes from Indian to Thai on our shelves today these are a great stand by to have in your cupboard or once opened in your fridge…


Thai Green Curry Paste

  • 1 stalk lemongrass, minced OR 3 Tbsp. frozen or bottled lemongrass (available at Asian stores)
  • 1-3 green chilies, sliced (Thai green chilies OR jalapeno)
  • 1 shallot, sliced, OR 4 Tbsp. minced red onion
  • 4-5 cloves garlic
  • 1 thumb-size piece of galangal OR ginger, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander stems
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
  • 3 Tbsp Fish Sauce; Vegetarians: substitute 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 tsp. Shrimp Paste (available at Asian stores)
  • 2 Tbsp. lime juice
  • 1 tsp. brown sugar
  • 3-4 Tbsp. coconut milk (enough to blend ingredients together)
Preparation:
  1. Place all ingredients in a food processor, chopper, or blender.
  2. Process well to form a fragrant Thai green curry paste. Taste-test it for salt and spice. If too salty, add a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice. Add more chili for more heat. You can bottle up any leftovers and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Freeze thereafter. ENJOY!


Pop the paste into a non stick saucepan, cook for 2 mins until fragrant and then add the coconut milk gradually stirring all the time to make a smooth sauce…


Side Dishes:

Steamed Rice, Vegetable dish, Natural Yoghurt, Yoghurt & banana, 

Indian – Breads - 
Channa Masala, Spicy Lentil Dahl, 


Vietnamese Beef Curry

1kg – 2lb of stewing beef 3 carrots cut into chunks
1/2 teasp of five spice powder 1 red pepper cubed
1 teasp of curry paste – green 2 toms roughly chopped
2 tbls of lemongrass finely chopped 600ml /1pt of water
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped 2 handfuls of basil leaves
2 tbls of soy sauce
2 tbls of peanut oil

Mix the five spice powder, curry paste garlic, soy. 1 tbls of lemongrass and 1 tbls of oil in a small bowl or cup with a little spoon…. Then combine this mixture with the beef in a bowl and leave to marinate for about 1 hour at room temperature.

Heat the oil in a non stick pot and when hot pop in the beef and brown it off this should take you about 5 – 7 mins.   Then add the water, carrots, pepper & tomatoes & the remaining lemongrass, bring to the boil – reduce to a simmer and cook with the lid off for about 1 ½ hours or until beef is very tender.  Pop in 1 handful of basil leaves 10 mins  before serving and combine with the beef.

To Serve – garnish with the remainder of the basil leaves and some finely chopped red chilli  & serve with basmati rice.


Red lentil & Sweet Pepper Curry

2 teasp sunflower oil 1 red pepper cubed
1 onion chopped 1 yellow pepper cubed
2 garlic cloves 1 orange pepper cubed
2 tbls of curry powder  1 courgette diced
150g (5oz) red lentils 1 carrot cubed 
600ml 1pt veggie stock   2 tbls fresh coriander
1 can chopped tomatoes - whizzed

1 ½ tablespoons almond flakes toasted
Salt & ground black pepper 

Heat the oil in a non stick pot and cook the onion for about 2 mins then pop in the garlic & stir in the curry powder,  cook for about another min.  Now toss in the all veggies and combine with the onion mixture ensuring you get all the veggies coated with the onion mixture. 

Add your stock, tomatoes & lentils, & cook on a medium heat until lentils are soft which takes about 20 mins, Season with a little salt & pepper, fold in the coriander and continue to simmer until sauce has reached the consistency you like!!

If you would like dress up this dish why not pop a handful of flaked almonds on a non-stick pan for about 2 mins until toasty… serve curry in a bowl with flaked almonds scattered on top.

Serve with basmati rice.. or Indian breads…



Donelli's..…Thai Chicken & Lemongrass Curry

Serves 4

3 Lemon Grass Stalks, crushed & sliced thinly
Or 2 tbls of prepared lemongrass (in a jar)
10 Kaiffir Lime leaves
2 cloves of garlic crushed & chopped
2 tbls of Thai Fish sauce
1 can of coconut milk
½ small cup of chicken stock (maybe)
2 teasp of Thai red curry paste
3 handfuls of veggies… mixture, carrots, peppers etc.
use whichever veggies you have to hand… that’s whats great about a curry…. 
4 chicken breasts or Chicken Thigh Strips 
1 tbls of peanut oil..



Garnish
2 tbls of crushed roasted peanuts
1 handful of coriander or basil..


Method

Heat the peanut oil and pop in the garlic &  lemongrass, cook on low heat for about 1 min and then add the fish sauce & curry paste… cook for a further 2 mins on low heat.. this allows the flavours to develop and is an important step in establishing the complexity of flavours in this very simple but delicious curry… 

 When you can smell the aroma of the paste begin to add in the coconut milk.. make sure you shake the coconut milk before opening to homogenise the milk…  stirring until all the coconut milk in combined with the paste…

 (you may or may not need to top up with the chicken stock at this point… as some coconut milks are thicker than others, you can be the judge of this)  pop the kaffir lime leaves into the curry sauce and bring to a simmer adding in your choice of veggies (if they take time to cook eg peppers)  Add the sliced chicken to the curry and cook for a further 12 mins on a simmer with the lid off if you like a nice thick curry or lid on if you like it quite saucy!!   

Transfer to either one large bowl (or individual serving bowls) topped with coriander or basil & crushed peanuts… & a Thai Jasmine rice.  

Thai Jasmine rice goes wonderfully with this curry as its flavour compliments it…  Jasmine rice is traditionally produced in Thailand … it’s a very easy rice to cook as it’s a soft rice and benefits from steaming… simply pour in measured rice to measured water  & bring to the boil, simmer with the lid on …. For about 15 mins… 


Thursday, November 15, 2012

Thanksgiving Feast



Thanksgiving is the single biggest holiday in America, where families from all religions and nationalities come together to celebrate.  Thanksgiving has been celebrated for a long time in America however it was not until 1941, that congress declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday, to be celebrated the 4th Thursday in November.
Turkey is the traditional dish for the Thanksgiving feast. In the US, about 280 million turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving celebrations. There is no official reason or declaration for the use of turkey. They just happened to be the most plentiful meat available at the time of the first Thanksgiving in 1621, starting the tradition.

Sweet Pumpkin, Nutmeg & Pecan Pie 

1kg of pumpkin or butternut squash
100ml milk
100ml cream
3 eggs
200g brown sugar
500g short crust pastry
1 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp caster sugar
200g soft brown sugar
Grating of Nutmeg
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 handful of chopped pecans

You need a 23cm pie dish for this recipe.

  1. Peel & Chop the pumpkin bite sized chunks.  Pop the pumpkin into a pot with the milk, sugar, cinnamon and a grating of nutmeg, cover and cook over a gentle heat for about 45 mins to 1 hour, ensuring the pumpkin is soft.
  2. Drain and leave to cool in a sieve over a bowl for a few mins.
  3.  Meanwhile butter the pie dish with a little butter.  Roll out the pastry & line the pie dish with 2/3 of the shortcrust pastry .  
  4. Pop the pumpkin into a bowl and mash well, combine with cream, 2 eggs and the cornflour.  
  5. Pop the pumpkin mixture into the pastry case and scatter the pecan nuts over the top.  Roll out the remainder of the pastry into a circle to fit the pie dish.  
  6. Use a fork to press the sides down.  Pop the remaining egg into a cup, whisk with a fork until frothy, and brush the top and sides of the pie case with the egg mixture.  
  7. Use a fork to make an air hole in the centre.  Bake in a preheated oven @ 170 for about 45 mins or until golden brown.   

Serve with freshly whipped cream…….



Lisa’s New York Style Wacky Sweet Potatoes 

Cut 2 large sweet potatoes into cubes pop into a roasting pan
Pour a small glass of orange juice over the potatoes
1 Tablespoon of brown sugar, mix well and cook @ 200 for 15 mins
Pop into a bowl and scatter with baby marshmallows!!!! 

Roasty Sweet Potatoes

6 Sweet Potatoes 
2 tbls of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp of cumin
Salt & Cracked black pepper

Cut the sweet potatoes into large cubes, pop into a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil, cumin salt & black pepper.  

Transfer to a baking tray and place into the oven with the turkey for the last 30 mins.

Succotash

An American veggie dish using corn & butter beans

1 onion diced
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
2 red peppers diced
2 courgettes diced
1 cup of frozen corn kernels
1 cup of frozen petit pois
1 can of butter beans drained
1 cup of passata (sieved tomatoes)
Salt & Pepper
1 tbls Extra virgin olive oil 

In a non stick pan heat the olive oil cook the onion until translucent, then add the garlic cook for 1 min.
Now pop in the peppers & courgettes, cook for about 5 mins and  then add the corn, peas, beans & pasata. 
Continue to cook for about 10 mins until the veggies are tender.  
Season with salt and cracked black pepper


Maple Roast Turkey Breast w Riesling Gravy

1 Turkey Breast 
3 tbls of butter
3 tbls of pure maple syrup
1 cup of Riesling wine
1 cup of stock

Oven @ 200C  gas 6

  1. Season the turkey breast with salt, pepper and rub with 1 tbls of butter.
  2. Pop the Turkey into a baking pan and place in the oven to cook
  3. About an hour before the end of cooking gently melt the maple syrup and butter pour mixture over the turkey breast and continue to cook.
  4. Remove the turkey from the oven and place on an carving board to rest, (as it better to carve) covered completely with a clean cloth
  5. Reserve the pan juices to make the Riesling wine gravy

Riesling Wine Gravy

Drain excess fat from the juices of the pan, transfer to a small pot.  Pop the wine, salt & pepper into the pot and bring to the boil.  Leave to simmer and transfer to a sauce boat or if you wish to thicken it with a teasp of gravy granules.

Turkey Guidelines

2.2 kg – 5 lbs – 1.5 hours
4.4 kg – 10lbs – 3 hours

Friday, October 26, 2012

Irish Halloween Traditions


Barmbrack or Bairin Breac --   Bairin means loaf and Breac – speckled due to the fruit…  
Is a great fun part of the Irish Halloween custom. The Halloween Brack traditionally contained various objects baked into the bread and was used as a sort of fortune telling game.   In the barnbrack were: a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin (originally a silver sixpence) and a ring. Each item, when received in the slice, was supposed to carry a meaning to the person concerned: the pea, the person would not marry that year; the stick, would have an unhappy relationship; the cloth or rag, might have bad luck; the coin, would enjoy good fortune or be rich; and the ring, would be wed within the year. Other articles added to the brack include a religious coin to symbolise going into the priesthood or to the Nuns.  

Why not create your own little fortune game…

A Very Quick Barmbrack

1 ½  cups of mixed fruit
8oz/225g self raising flour
1 egg beaten
2 teasp cinnamon 
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of milk
300ml/1 good sized mug of cold tea
Honey or golden syrup

Some rings wrapped in parchment paper.

Soak fruit overnight in the cold tea, strain next morning
Whisk egg, milk, cinnamon, and mix in strained fruit.  Stir in the brown sugar until well combined ensuring there are no lumps.    Sieve in the flour and fold into the mixture   Grease a loaf tin and pop the mixture into it.   
Transfer to oven and cook at 180 for 40 minutes -  (Cover with tinfoil after 20 mins)  and cook until when skewer is inserted it comes out clean (which is about 40 mins)

Melt a tablespoon of honey or golden syrup and brush over the brack when nearly cool.  Wrap in greaseproof paper and keep in a sealed container.  


Some fun stuff for kids…

Toffee Apples

6 dessert apples
6 lollypop sticks for holding apples
225g brown sugar
25g butter
110ml water
2 tbsp golden sugar
½  tsp vinegar
Sprinkles

Pop the sugar and water into a saucepan together, stir over a moderate heat until sugar is dissolved (its not cloudy)  add the vinegar, golden syrup and butter.

Bring to the boil and cook without stirring until it reaches whats 
called (hard crack stage) 138c or hardens into a ball when dropped into a jug of cold water.  This takes about 10 mins of boiling time.

Pierce each apple with its wooden stick , once the toffee is ready dip each apple into the hot toffee, swirl it round to coat it fully.  Scatter a few sprinkles over the top..

Leave to set on a lightly oiled tray.  If you’re not going to eat immediately wrap in cellophane to keep.

Also a great idea for pressies is to wrap in cellophane with ribbons.


Chocolate Dipped Apples

6 Irish eating apples
225 grams  chocolate
2 tbls of butter
Sprinkles,  or whatever decorations  you fancy..

Simply melt the chocolate & butter over a pan of simmering water

Spike the apples with lollipop sticks
Twirl them around in the hot chocolate mixture
Have the sprinkles on a plate ready to dip the choc apples into... simple but very delicious.

Wrap in cellophane with ribbon for a great pressie.....


As well as carving pumpkins why not try some really easy pumpkin dishes that will have you buying pumpkins at any time of the year…

Pumpkins have become extremely easy to buy, here are some great dishes to help you get cooking with pumpkin… have a look in the shops at the different varieties and don’t forget the beautiful butternut squash, from the same family but really sweet and delicious..

Some quick ideas…. 

Salty Pumpkin Seeds, scoop out the seeds, wash, dry pop on a non stick baking tray for about 7 mins @ 180, remove sprinkle with sea salt and use as a snack or sprinkle over soups & salads....

Roast pumpkin as a side dish – cut pumpkin in half scoop out the seeds, chop into large sized chunks drizzle with olive oil, pop onto a baking tray in a preheated oven for 15 mins or until tender.

Creamy Pumpkin & Sweet Potato Mash – cut pumpkin in half, scoop out the seeds, quarter and peel. Chop into bite sized cubes. Peel sweet potato cut same sized as pumpkin, steam for 15 mins or until tender.  Mash until smooth with 2 tbls of warmed cream & salt & pepper.

Make a delicious risotto w roast Pumpkin, fresh sage, mushroom &  parmesan

Add cubed pumpkin to a veggie curry in lieu of potatoes.

Small varieties include the Orange Minikin, Golden Nugget & Gem Squash are delicious roasted whole or stuffed with rice, nuts & spinach..

Make a delicious soup heart warming pumpkin & potato soup – use 4 potatoes & 1 medium pumpkin cubed & peeled.. you can either use veggie stock our  how about spicing it up with chilli, coriander & coconut milk...


Baked pumpkin with penne & basil butter

Serves 4

1kg pumpkin 
100g real butter
600g penne pasta
80g pinenuts
¾ cup shredded basil
4 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

Cut pumpkin into big bite size pieces, place on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and cook @ 220 until tender… 
Meanwhile cook the pasta in lots of boiling ½ teasp of salted water until just al dente.   Heat butter over medium heat in a small pan until foaming add garlic, cook for 2 mins then add pinenuts, cook till golden be careful not to burn
Remove from heat, add basil.  
Drain pasta, add the basil butter, pumpkin & 2 tablespoons of parmesan combine and serve immediately… with the extra parmesan in a little bowl  on the side...

Asiany Butternut Squash Ginger & Coconut Soup 

Serves 6

1 large butternut squash peeled and roughly chopped
3 medium sized potatoes peeled & chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
2 inch piece fresh ginger grated
1 large onion chopped
1 litres veggie stock or about 5 cups
1 cup of coconut milk
1 tablespoon of peanut oil
pinch of nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste
Season with chopped coriander

Heat the peanut oil and pop in the onion & garlic cook until tender.
Pop in the squash, potatoes & half the grated ginger.. cook for a few mins. 
 Add ½ the veggie stock allowing the veggies to soak up the liquid then add the remaining stock and simmer until veggies are tender. 
 Blend soup and then gradually stir in coconut milk and pinch of nutmeg..  
Season to taste and serve with scattered coriander on top..

Served with crusty bread…..


Warm Roast Squash Spinach & Feta Salad

1 medium butternut squash
1 red onion thinly sliced
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
2 tbls of pinenuts
1 orange juiced
1 handful of feta cheese cubed
1 tsp of paprika
2 tbls of olive oil


Slice the butternut in half, scoop out the seeds, chop into cubes without the skin on.  Heat the oven to 200 pop the squash on a tray and drizzle with olive oil.  
Pop the pinenuts onto a baking tray and cook for about 5 mins until golden.  Remove from tray pop on a plate.
Heat a pan with the remainder of olive oil and cook the onion for about 2 mins then add the paprika and pumpkin.
Leave to cool
Combine the butternut mixture with the spinach, transfer to a bowl
Scatter the pinenuts and feta gently thru the spinach.
Lastly squeeze over the fresh orange juice

Colcannon

Comfort food at its best – this recipe differs depending on where you come from in Ireland… 

6 medium sized potatoes 1 cup boiling milk
1 medium green cabbage Salt & Pepper
3 tablespoons butter

Cook potatoes in their jackets in cold salted water bring to the boil and after 10 mins strain off most of the water.  

Place lid on pan and allow to steam until fully cooked, this method steams the potatoes and prevents them from getting too mushy…  

Remove dark leaves from cabbage and cut into quarters, and then slice finely.  Barely cover cabbage in water add a little salt and cook until tender.  Mash potatoes, cabbage butter, salt & pepper, and boiling milk until combined nicely… just delicious..

Variations…  
  • Add some finely sliced onions boiled in milk
  • Cook 2 parsnips and combine into potato & cabbage mixture
  • Ulster Champ, 2 cups of peas & 4 tablespoons of chopped parsley
  • Top with a fried or poached egg.

To serve you just place a few good heaped tablespoons onto the centre of the plates, place a knob of butter on top and scatter with chopped parsley..   


How about cooking some fab ham to go with the Colcannon?

I’ve found the best way to cook a ham is to first steep it for a couple of hours in cold water, then change water and  bring to the boil..   

If you don’t have time to do this then bring ham to the boil in cold unsalted water..  strain once boiled and refill with cold water bring back to the boil and repeat the process before settling down to a simmer… this method rids the ham of excess salt.

Cooking times vary a little however if you allow 20 mins per pound and then check by inserting a a skewer into the centre  if it comes away easily when inserted into centre its perfectly cooked if not allow another 10 mins and try again.

Drain all the water from ham, transfer to a baking dish, leave to cool a little and then trim ham of excess fat..  

Meanwhile make a Honey Mustard Glaze

6 tablespoons of brown sugar
4 tablespoons of honey
2 heaped tablespoons of wholegrain mustard

Combine the above ingredients in a bowl, coat the entire ham with the glaze and roast @ 180 for 20 minutes… cool  a little before slicing..  

Quick but tasty alternatives 
  • Butcher Thick Smokey bacon rashers
  • Butcher Gammon steaks

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Back to basics stocks, soups & the best brown bread..



Stocks are really easy and cheap to make… all you need is a little time.  
Stocks are basically the flavour base that make sauces, soups, casseroles & risottos taste fantastic!

Veggie Stock

1 large carrot, chopped
1 large parsnip, chopped
2 medium onions chopped
6 sticks of celery chopped
1 bunch of mixed herbs for example - thyme, bay, parsley
1 tablespoon of black peppercorns
3 litres of water

Pop all of the above ingredients into a large saucepan, simmer, uncovered for 1 ½ hours, strain through a large colander. Discard the veggies and leave liquid to cool before popping into the fridge or containers in the freezer.

Chicken Stock

2kg chicken bones
2 medium onions, chopped
2 sticks of celery chopped
2 medium carrots chopped
1 bunch of mixed herbs
2 teasp of black peppercorns
5 litres of water

Pop all of the ingredients into a large saucepan, simmer uncovered for 2 hours, strain through a large colander, and discard the chicken bones and veggies.  Leave liquid to cool and store for 1 week in the fridge or in containers in the freezer.

When you’ve made the soup why not get cracking at brewing up some batches of Heartwarming Soups..

A soup is basically Soup is basically a warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as veggies or meat + veggies with stock, juice or water. Traditionally, soups are classified into two main groups: clear soups and thick soups. So you’ve got the French Classification of clear soups buillion and consommé. 
Thick soups are more filling soups and in some cases there is little to distinguish soups from a stew except a soup will have more liquid, therefore making soups extremely good on the pocket.
Some ingredients used to thicken & make more robust soups include, potatoes, rice, eggs, lentils, beans, grains, pasta, milk, cream, coconut milk.
Soup or Chowder - Chowder is a generic name for a wide variety of seafood or vegetable stews and thickened soups, often fortified with diced potatoes, milk or cream however some healthier varieties use a mixture or cream and tomatoes. 
Were not sure where the name ‘chowder’ came from, however it is possible it came from the French Chaudière, the type of pot in which the first chowders were probably cooked.

Examples: Seafood Chowder, a mixture of diced potatoes, sauted onions, mixed seafood, milk & cream
Smoked Haddock & Leek Chowder – mixture of leeks, butter sautéed, with a little flour, milk, cream and smoked haddock…
Trivia…   The Campbell Soup Company invented condensed soup in 1897, in the US..  Americans consume 2.4 billion bowls of Tomato, Cream of Mushroom, & Chicken Noodle each year!!

But we are going to make our own satisfying homemade healthy & thrifty soups!

Heartwarming Soups

The great thing about making soups is that you do not have to follow any recipe you can make it up as you go along with the ingredients & leftovers you have at hand…

The Very Basics..  Mixture of Veggies +  Liquid which can be water or stock or tomato juice+ flavourings = herbs, spices, seasoning.

Pop the mixture of veggies into a pot completely cover with a liquid, bring to the boil, simmer until tender, blend with a hand blender.  Soups can be lumpy, very thick in consistency or simply very drinkable.. its your choice, just add some more stock or water if you want it to be thinner in consistency…..

Additional Flavourings – honey, ginger, fresh chilli, chilli powder, cumin, coriander fresh & ground, 

·        Carrots, potato, veggie stock, honey, salt & pepper
·        Leeks, 2 potatoes, veggie stock, salt & pepper
·        Sweet Potato, carrots, veggie stock, pinch of chilli.
·        Thai Curry Paste, coconut milk, leftover chicken
·        Can of tomatoes, 3 cups of water, 1 pinch of chilli powder, 1 cup of pasta, 1 cup of Bolognese meat

Dress them up….

Croutons, toasted pita bread, a scattering of chopped herbs, roasted pine nuts, toasted almond, a spoon of yoghurt, or crème fraiche and serve with our fantastic brown bread for an extremely economical dinner. 

Soups have great keeping properties, in the fridge for 4 days or freeze and have anytime….simply heat and serve.



Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Back to Basics Sauces & Stocks...


Basic Tomato Sauce

2 cans of tomatoes
OR
12 medium ripe tomatoes skinned
3 cloves of garlic chopped finely
1 medium red onion finely chopped
1 cup of red or white wine or veggie stock
1 teaspoon of sugar (optional taste)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Heat a little oil in a non stick pan, add the onion & garlic, cook over medium heat until the onion is soft, add the wine or stock and simmer under reduced, pop in the tomatoes, simmer uncovered for 20 mins or until it begins to thicken.
Season with salt & pepper, taste and if a little bitter add the teaspoon of sugar.

This sauce can be made in advance and stored, covered in the fridge for 1 week, it is also suitable for freezing.

Variations on this basic sauce are endless...

·         Chilli Tomato Sauce, chop 1 red chilli and cook with the onion & garlic
·         Tomato & Basil Sauce, tear 1 handful of fresh basil leaves, add half the basil leaves with the tomatoes and reserve the remainder until the seasoning stage.
·         Tomato & Red Pepper, Grill 2 red peppers, remove their skin and chop finely add the peppers at the tomato stage.
·         Creamy Tomato, add 3 tbls of fresh cream when the sauce has been simmering for 10 mins, continue to simmer for a further 15 mins or until the sauce has thickened.  Add some fresh basil leaves for a great taste.
·         Provencal Tomato Sauce, 1 handful of chopped black olives, 1 handful of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley.  Add the black olives and  flat leaf parsley when the sauce has been simmering for 10 mins.
·         Pizza Sauce, add another 3 cloves of garlic and 1 tbls of tomato paste, continue to cook until sauce has thickened to a paste like consistency.


Basic Red Wine Sauce

30g butter
3 shallots finely chopped
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
1 ½ tbls of plain flour
1 cup of beef stock
1/3 cup 80ml of red wine
1 sprig of thyme (optional)

Melt butter in a non stick saucepan, add the shallots and garlic, cook until shallots are soft.  Stir in flour for 1 min and then add the wine and stock.  Stir over heat until sauce thickens.  Pop through a strainer if you would like a smooth sauce. 


Classic Beurre Blanc

2 shallotts, finely chopped
2 tbls of fish or veggie stock
2 tbls of white wine vinegar
¼ cup of dry white wine
250g cold butter chopped

Boil the shallots, stock , vinegar and wine in a small pan until reduced to 2 tbls.  Strain and reserve the liquid.  Return liquid to the pan, Whisk in the butter cube by cube over a low heat, until the sauce has thickened.

Here is another novel way to make this sauce, pour some boiling water into a Thermos flask to preheat and clean it. Pour the water away and then sieve the flavoured wine into the thermos, adding all of the butter. Put the lid on tightly, place a tea towel over the lid and shake the thermos around for a few minutes. Open it very carefully (in case of any hot steam escaping) and you should have a nice beurre blanc sauce. The best thing about this method is that you can keep it in the flask and it will keep warm until you’re ready to serve the food.

Stocks are really easy and cheap to make to make you just need a little time!   They are the flavour base that make sauces, soups, casseroles & risottos taste fantastic!

Veggie Stock

1 large carrot, chopped
1 large parsnip, chopped
2 medium onions chopped
6 sticks of celery chopped
1 bunch of mixed herbs
1 tablespoon of black peppercorns
3 litres (about 12 cups) of water

Pop all of the above ingredients into a large saucepan, simmer, uncovered for 1 ½ hours, strain through a large colander. Discard the veggies and leave liquid to cool before popping into the fridge or containers in the freezer.

Chicken Stock

2kg chicken bones
2 medium onions, chopped
2 sticks of celery chopped
2 medium carrots chopped
1 bunch of mixed herbs
2 teasp of black peppercorns
5 litres of water

Pop all of the ingredients into a large saucepan, simmer uncovered for 2 hours, strain through a large colander, and discard the chicken bones and veggies.  Leave liquid to cool and store for 1 week in the fridge or in containers in the freezer.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Eat your Veggies..!!!


We eat a lot of meat in Ireland, however our European neighbours view vegetables a little different than us.  We have been brought up with the idea that a meal is meat and 2 veg, however many of our European neighbours take a different approach and see meat and vegetables  as equals.   They will eat whole meals based on vegetables because they like them and have cooked this way all their lives.

We have access to a fantastic array of vegetables in this country.  Vegetables combined with a carbohydrate like Pasta, Noodles, Rice or Potatoes is an extremely economic way of putting a meal on the table.

We are also fortunate that many of our supermarkets, vegetable shops and markets stock Organic Vegetables. 

The veggies that are in season at the moment are...
September – October 

Artichokes, Aubergines, Beetroot, Broccoli, Butternut squash, Carrots, Courgettes, Cucumber, Fennel,  Kale, Garlic, Leeks, Mange tout, Onions, Parsnips, Peas, Peppers, Radishes, Sweetcorn, Turnip, Mushrooms.

Let’s look at Beetroot... 

Beetroot is a fantastic vegetable but many of us steer away from it because of the bad experiences we have had with beetroot in jars sitting in the rather nasty vinegar.
Fresh beetroot is totally different experience (it is now possible to buy freshly cooked vac packed beetroot in supermarkets)

Why buying beetroot buy beets that are the same size and no bigger than a tennis ball, they will cook evenly if the same size.  Also make sure you buy beets that are intact and not bruised or have broken skin.

In Italy they often cook beetroot in a wood fire they pop it covered in its own leaves into the ashes for about 1 hour.  However, probably the easiest way to cook it at home is to pop them into salted water bring to the boil and simmer until it is slightly separated from the root; the skin should then simply slip off.

What can I do with Beetroot...?

Served beetroot sliced with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of parmesan.

Beetroot Salad
Slice and combine with crème fraiche and sprinkle with flaked almonds.

Roast Beetroot & Warm Goats Salad
Roast Beetroot on a baking tray drizzled with olive oil and serve warm with grilled goats cheese & rocket salad

Beetroot & Red Cabbage
Finely shred a small red cabbage, cover with some veggie stock with 2 tbls of red wine vinegar and 1 tbls of sugar  cook for 1 hour.  Add a pinch of salt and pop in 3 cooked and finely shredded beetroot, simmer for 5 mins.

Simple Ideas with Vegetables in season right now..

  • Make a risotto with mushrooms, peas & roast butternut squash.
  • Toss grilled courgettes & peppers through penne pasta with a little basil butter
  • Make a filling aubergine bake by layering fried aubergines between layers of cheese & tomato sauce, top with breadcrumbs and bake for 30 mins.
  • Noodles tossed with steamed sweetcorn, peas, broccoli & mange tout sprinkle some sesame seeds & a little soy.
  • Make a veggie lasagne – roast a tray of peppers, courgettes, aubergines, mushrooms, onions & garlic – make a simple white sauce and layer sheets of lasagne with veggie mixture, sauce and top with grated mozzarella cheese..
  • Thai Green Curry – Combine 1 tbls spoon of Thai Curry Paste with 1 can of coconut milk heat gently stirring until well combined , chop some butternut squash, potato, carrots, pop into the curry mixture cook on medium heat for 10 mins, toss in some peas or mange tout and if you happen to have basil or coriander or even unsalted peanuts are fab with this curry... this is such a quick,  tasty, warming, and economical dinner to make... serve with steamed rice..


Make a Filling Satisfying Vegetarian Chilli

Serves 4
2 courgette thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped very finely
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans kidney or mixed beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of chopped tomatoes
Salt & Ground Pepper
1 good glug of olive oil

Directions
Pop a good glug of olive oil into a heavyish pot and heat oil over medium-high heat. 
Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes.
Add carrots, chilli powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add beans, courgettes, tomatoes and 1 cup water. Simmer for about another 6 minutes until it begins to thicken.
Serve with steamed rice, tortilla chips or tortilla wraps
You could also add some side dishes of grated cheese, sour cream avocado & tomato salsa

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Quick, Easy & minced beef, turkey, lamb, pork…


Minced meat has to be one of the most versatile of ingredients,  its very easy to cook with, easily absorbs flavours and can cook for a long period or a shorter quick cook without loosing flavour or texture… 

Tip:  Buy good quality lean minced meat – use within 24,hours of purchasing an if you are going to freeze cooked product do so within 24 hours to keep the flavours..

Some of my tried and tested favourites..

Last nights dinner @ my house – Asiany Turkey Mince roll ups.. babycorn, sugarsnaps, beansprouts, chilli, garlic, coriander splash of soy & teriyaki beansprouts & iceberg..

A Mexican variation using Turkey mince either for nachos, or tortillas…  fry off with garlic, chilli, cumin, coriander, add the turkey mince and a few chopped fresh tomatoes with coriander… 

Asian Turkey patties… Fab flavours of kaffir lime leaf and lemongrass….  Turkey mince, egg, kaffir lime leaf, lemongrass, garlic, chilli … mix up and form little patties..Pan fry and transfer to the oven to finish for 10 mins.

Serve with a Asian salad, beansprouts, grated carrot and cucumber with sweet chilli fres lime coriander dressing

and more.....

Minced pork or a mixture of minced pork and beef make very tasty meatballs…. Add a bit of spice or herbs to mixture.
Minced Lamb very tasty burgers, meatballs,  Lamb lasagne with feta, chilli & olives.. & of course I love this  fab moussaka…

I got this idea from a friend of mine I worked with while living in Australia (many years ago)  her family were originally from Macedonia and this is a variation of their Friday night meal.  At the end of a working week the extended family would come together to eat and share stories …

This one has lots of aubergines, minced lamb, potatoes, topped with natural yoghurt mixed with 3 eggs sprinkled with breadcrumbs and baked till just bubbling hot…

Serve with a salad….

Chilli Beef in nachos, tacos, wraps, or jacket potatoes, vary it with different topping for example salsa, cheese, guacamole, lime juice, coriander.

Meatloaf – spice it up with chilli or add some fresh herbs and serve with tossed salads.

Cottage pie – top with carrot & parsnip mash or potato & parsnip with horseradish

Lasagne  - forget the béchamel and use cottage cheese & fresh basil pesto.

Meatballs, serve with a tomato & basil sauce, arabiatta or do them Moroccan style add some ground cumin, coriander & chilli serve with couscous
Last Night’s Dinner @ my house…

Asiany Turkey Mince Roll ups…

500g Turkey mince – lovely and lean
6is Baby corn chopped
1 handful Sugar snap peas
3 handfuls of mushrooms
1 red pepper cubed into small pieces
1 red chilli chopped very finely
2 cloves of garlic chopped very finely
1 red onion chopped very finely
Small piece of ginger
1 bunch of coriander chopped
3 handfuls of beansprouts
8 iceberg lettuce cups
Couple of  Splash of soy & teriyaki sauce
Splash or spray of oil

Heat a wok, add the onion, pepper, chilli, garlic& ginger cook for 3 mins, add the mince stir fry with a splash of soy and teriyaki, add half the coriander, cook for 5 mins. Meanwhile  Steam the chopped baby corn for 5 mins, chop the sugar snaps into small pieces add to the mixture with the baby corn , stir to combine cook for another 5 mins add the remaining coriander with another splash of soy & teriyaki.

Pop the beansprouts on top of the mixture just as you are about to serve.. combine and pop mixture into a bowl.  Serve in cups of iceberg… roll up and eat… just delicious!!


 Sophie’s Macedonian Moussaka

500g minced lamb
500g natural yoghurt
3 raw eggs
2 red onions finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 glass of red wine
2 large aubergines in big cubes
4 rooster potatoes sliced
2 cans of chopped tomatoes
1 large handful of basil


Fry the aubergine in oil remove and place on kitchen paper.
Heat a little oil and cook the onion & garlic for 3 mins, add the mince cook until browned add the wine and tomatoes cook for 10 mins, pop the aubergine and basil into the mixture and bring to a simmer.
Meanwhile Steam the rooster potatoes for 5 mins just to remove the big bite…  

Combine the yoghurt with the eggs..  Layer the lamb mixture with potatoes and top with the yoghurt mixture on top…. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake for 45 mins @ 190… serve with a green salad… 


Homemade Burgers…

Everyone loves a good homemade burger…  here’s a few variations that will satisfy everyone..

Basic ingredients..

500g minced good quality beef,  1 egg, 1 handful of fine breadcrumbs, salt & ground pepper.
(you don’t have to use breadcrumbs, however do pop them into the fridge for at least 30 mins to set before cooking)

This is a simple plain recipe however, you could top with melted cheese & bacon or why not top with a little with mixed pepper sauce..

These variations will keep everyone interested..

Mexican – 1 teasp chilli powder, 1 handful of coriander, juice of 1 lime

Italian inspired – add some sunblushed tomatoes,
basil pesto into the mixture

Aisany – grate ginger, garlic & sweet chilli sauce into the mixture

Spanish – chopped chorizo sausage & carmelized red onions



Delicious Chilli Beef..

This chilli con carne is ready to go in the pan in a few mins.. then it will bubble away happily until dinner time

Ingredients

500g good-quality beef mince
1 glass of red wine
onions, diced
garlic cloves, crushed
carrots, diced
celery sticks, diced
2 red peppers, diced
1 heaped tsp chilli powder
1 heaped tsp ground cumin
1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 x 400g/14oz can red kidney beans, drained
2 x 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes


To serve
sour cream
chopped fresh coriander leaves
lime wedges
nachos

Preparation method

Heat two tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over
a medium heat. Add the mince and fry until golden-brown all over.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over a medium to high heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery and peppers and fry until softened.
Add the chilli powder, cumin and cinnamon and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Fry for a further 4-5 minutes, stirring well.
Remove the mince from the pan using a slotted spoon and add to the vegetable mixture.
Add the drained kidney beans and the chopped tinned tomatoes and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, then half-cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about an hour, stirring every now and again to stop it from catching on the bottom of the pan.
To serve, ladle the chilli into four serving bowls. Drizzle over the soured cream. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander. Garnish with the lime wedges and serve with nachos or steamed  alongside

Penne Pasta with Meatballs & Tomato Sauce

500g beef minced
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 red onion chopped finely
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
Sprinkle of chilli flakes (if you like spicy food)
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1 carrot grated
2 eggs beaten
Olive oil
2 tbsp of warm water

500g Penne Pasta

Tomato Sauce

2 cans of tomatoes 
2 cloves of garlic
1  red onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 glass of white wine
Sprinkle of chilli flakes (only if you like spicy food)
1 handful of chopped basil

Cook off the onion and garlic for a few mins, then add the wine and cook for 3 min, pop in the tomatoes,& chopped basil.  Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins.

Meatballs

Place the mince, tomato puree, egg, onion mixture breadcrumbs, carrot and warm water into a large bowl and mix well with your hands.

Using your hands shape the meat into bit sized meatballs, roll in flour and place on a tray while you finish rolling all the shapes.

Cook the meatballs on a hot pan in small batches until browned.  Keep warm in the oven while cooking the remaining meatballs.. 

Cook the pasta according to the instructions on pack.
Pop the meatballs into the hot tomato sauce mixture for 15 mins until cooked through..  serve scattered with fresh basil & grated parmesan cheese.


Oven baked Lasagne

Using cottage cheese instead of béchamel

Ingredients

500g lean beef mince
onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped
2 generous handfuls of chopped mushrooms
1 tbls of tomato purée
1 large glass of red wine
10 fresh basil leaves shredded
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
salt and freshly ground pepper
Approx 15 dried pasta sheets
300g cottage cheese
150g/5oz grated mozzarella cheese
Olive oil to cook..

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and grease a medium sized oven proof baking dish.
Heat a dash of oil in a large heavy-based frying pan over a high heat. Fry the mince until browned all over. Remove the mince from the pan.
Add another dash of oil to the pan over a medium heat. Gently fry the onion, peppers and mushrooms until soft.
Add the mince back into the pan together with the tomato purée and wine.  Cook for a further five minutes.
Add the tomatoes and herbs, and bring to the mixture to the boil. Simmer for at least 30 minutes and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Line the base of the baking dish with pasta and cover with about one-third of the mince mixture.  Pop  teaspoonfuls of cottage cheese evenly across the mince, using up about 1/3 of the cheese.

Repeat this in layers once or twice depending on the size of your dish…finally cover the lasagne with the grated mozzarella. Bake in the over for 45 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling on top.  Serve with a fresh baby leaf salad.. enjoy..


Best Shepherds Pie

Ingredients

1 large onion chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
500g beef mince
400g can tomatoes
290ml beef stock
bay leaf
fresh thyme leaves from 1 sprig
2 tbsp tomato purée
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the topping
8 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
1 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of butter
Olive Oil for cooking
Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onion and carrot and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until soft.

Add the minced beef and cook for 3 minutes to brown.
Add the tomatoes, purée, beef stock, bay leaf and thyme.
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Season.

Meanwhile, to make the topping, boil the potatoes, carrots and parsnips in water until soft. Drain and mash with the butter and milk.
Spoon the meat into an ovenproof dish. Top with the mash and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.