Chicken With Grainy Mustard Sauce

This was one of the best home cooked meals lately and thouroughly recommended.

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts
6 rashers of unsmoked streaky bacon without rind
250g spinach (frozen or fresh)
60g goats cheese
200ml chicken stock
200ml dry white wine
200ml creme fraiche
1 heaped tsp wholegrain mustard







Method

1. Flatten chicken breasts. Overlap and stretch 3 bacon rashers on a board. Lay breast on top and cover with spinach (serve spinach separately if frozen) and the cheese in the middle. Season with pepper. Roll up and secure. You can use cocktail sticks to keep in place if needed.
2. Heat olive oil in frying pan and coook chicken until bacon is golden on either side. Add stock and wine. Simmer for 20 minutes, turning chicken over half way.
3. Remove the chicken and stir in creme fraiche and mustard.
4. Serve with (roast) potatoes and sauce.

Roast Duck With Wine Sauce

Lou's made a few delicious dishes lately so thought I'd update the food side to the blog and recommend some great food to try.

This one is good for Sunday evening with a glass of wine since the recipe calls for a 1/4 bottle anyway!

Ingredients

2 duck legs
Rosemary sprigs
2 Garlic cloves
1/4 tsp five-spice powder
1/4 bottle of red wine
1 tbsp redcurrent jelly








Method

1. Heat oven to 170c. Place duck legs on a bed of rosemary sprigs in a roasting tin. Sprinkle with slt and five-spice. Roast for 1 hour.
2. Bring the wine and jelly to a simmer and stir until dissolved.
3. Remove the duck from the oven and spoon off most of the fat (using it for the potatoes!) and then pour over the wine sauce and return to the oven for another 15 minutes to finish.

Easy and delicious!

Shepherds Pie

I know from my photo that this might not look like anything special but it tastes bloody good and it's easy to make even if it takes a little over an hour from start to finish - plus the recipe requires red wine so it's a good excuse to crack open a bottle and drink the rest as an accompaniment!
Feel free to add in some carrots and celery or whatever floats your boat but I stuck with pretty basic but satisfying base of ingredients.



Serves 4


Ingredients

2 onions
500g mince beef
100g smoked bacon
2 tsp plain flour
250ml vegetable stock
150ml red wine (I used Merlot)
700g potatoes
butter
4 tbsp red pesto
25g parmesan or other cheese (I used mature cheddar)


Method

1. Preheat oven to 200c and chop the onions and bacon.
2. Cook the mince in pan until the juices start to flow and add the onions (and other vegetables if you have any) along with the chopped bacon and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Sprinkle over the flour and stir in until disappeared. Stir in the vegetable stock and wine.
4. Simmer for 30 minutes covered, stirring occasionally.
5. Cut the potatoes into chunks and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and return to the pan adding enough butter to cover the potatoes and season.
6. Stir in the pesto to the meat and spoon into a shallow ovenproof dish. Spoon over the potatoes, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 30 minutes until ready.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

This is a great meal for something during the week - easily made but satisfying to eat. I'm hoping to do more in this series of quick dinners over the next while so watch this space. This one only takes about 30 minutes to serve so definetly something to cook if you're in a hurry or don't want to spend too long in the kitchen!

As you can see, I used a red chilli to increase the heat. Feel free to improvise on this from added heat to type of sausage and let me know how you get on. This should serve around 4 people.






Ingredients

Olive oil
6 delicious sausages (I chose beef)
1 onion
1 garlic clove
Can of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
350g rigatoni pasta
1 tbsp red pesto

Method

1. Grill the sausages until nicely browned. You can fry them but I prefer grilling as it gets rid of excess fat.
2. Chop the sausages into bite-sized chunks.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan and add the chopped onion and garlic. After they begin to turn brown add the chopped tomatoes, sausage and oregano. Season to taste, cover and simmer for around 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.
4. Whilst the food is simmering, cook the pasta in salted water until ready.
5. When the sauce is thickened, add the pesto and stir throughout. Drain the pasta and mix with everything together.

Serve immediately and enjoy. You can also add some grated cheese and garnish to finish.

Garlic Flat Bread

There's a great programme that BBC2 run on Saturday mornings if I'm unlucky enough to be up that's half cookery show, half documentary about the food. So not only do you get great recipes, you learn about the food that goes into it.

A few weeks ago, the show was about garlic and the obvious side dish was garlic bread. It looked delicious and I couldn't wait to try it out which I did but I forgot to photograph it until I remade it last night so here's the recipe and picture of my flat breaded garlic.



Ingredients

Bread

* 250 g strong flour
* 28 g yeast
* 1 tablespoon (15 ml) soft brown sugar
* 150 ml water
* 30 ml olive oil.
Garlic butter

* 110 g unsalted butter
* 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
* Cracked black pepper
* Rock salt.

Method

Bread

1. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, water and olive oil together to form the dough. This works best if you have a mixer.
2. Using your hands, knead the dough well for about 10 minutes. Set aside in a bowl and cover loosely with cling-film. Leave to prove for approximately 20 minutes at room temperature. The dough should almost double in size. The cling film prevents a skin forming on the surface of the dough.
3. Knock back the dough. To do this, push some of the air out of the dough by gently punching the dough in the bowl a few times. Put the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll it out to form a thin base. Dust your fingers with flour and then lightly press them into the dough to make dimples that will hold some of the garlic butter while it cooks.
4. Allow this to prove again (approx 20 minutes) – if you want to keep a thin base do this slowly in the fridge.
Garlic butter

1. Melt the butter in a pan and add the chopped garlic.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and add the salt and pepper.

Garlic bread

1. Place a baking tray in the oven and pre-heat the oven to 220°C/Gas Mark 7 (this will help create a crispy base to the garlic bread).
2. Paint the surface of the proven flat bread with a little of the garlic butter.
3. Carefully slide the bread onto the tray in the oven and bake it for approximately 10 minutes, until cooked through and looking golden.
4. Remove it from the oven and immediately pour over the remaining garlic butter. Serve warm.

Banana Loaf

After being cooped up in the house over my "summer" vacation due to the constant rain, I turned to indoor activities to keep me occupied which inevitably led me to baking again which hasn't been undertaken since the closing down of the weekly food gatherings. This is such a simple recipe to put together that can become a great dessert or snack depending what you do with it.






Ingredients

3 large ripe bananas
225g self-raising flour
175g Castor sugar
100g unsalted butter
2 eggs
2 tbsp syrup
Pinch of salt

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 160C and grease a 450g (2lb) loaf tin. Peel then mash the bananas in a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Beat vigourously until they are well combined.

You might also like to add other ingredients into the mix to make this recipe your own such as spices, walnuts or raisins to add flavour and texture.

Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and bake in the oven for 75 minutes until risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool for 15 minutes and then turn on a cooling rack.

This can be served cold or warm as pudding alongside some (double) cream to make it moreish.
Simple and delicious and a great way to use up any left-over bananas.

Enjoy!

Green Chicken Curry

I made this some time ago but never got around to posting the recipe. It's a delicious spicy chicken curry which is ideal for warming the cockles on a winter evening. Enjoy.

Ingredients

[Serves 4]

1 tbsp vegetable/groundnut oil
1 onion, sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped finely
2-3 tbsp green curry paste
400ml coconut milk
150ml chicken stock
4 kaffir lime leaves
4 skinned boned chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp thai soy sauce
Grated rind of 1/2 lime
1 tsp of soft brown sugar
4 tbsp fresh coriander, chopped to garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a wok and add the onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes until soft. Add the curry paste and stir for a further 1-2 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, chicken stock and lime leaves and bring to the boil and add the chicken and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is tender.

Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, lime rind and its juice and the sugar. Cook for 2-3 minutes and serve immediately with rice and garnish with the coriander.

Tedford's Restaurant

It was our 4 year anniversary on Friday so Lou and I decided to head to Tedford's restaurant for a meal. It's been on our "must go there" list for some time and I have heard nothing but good reviews about it.

We were seated upstairs in a nicely decorated long narrow room. Soft upbeat modern pop music wafted from the speakers and we were presented with the wine menu. I have to say they were all a little pricey for what they were so I settled for a bottle of house red.

We shared the salted chilli squid for our starter and it was the best I have ever tasted. The coating was light and crispy and the inside was perfectly cooked. I highly recommend it.

I had the turbot for main course which was beautiful and one of the best meals I've had in a long time. The service and timing of the dishes were faultless and we really enjoyed ourselves.

Tedford's has long been called a hidden gem of Belfast restaurants and I certainly agree that it is a gem among a lot of rough. Treat yourself and make a booking.

Rating

Menu ***1/2

Value ****1/2

Service *****

Decor ****

Disabled *

Parking *

Roasted Fillet Of Monkfish Wrapped In Parma Ham With A Pesto Mash, Fine Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

Last night Colin bammed up a delicious meal of roasted fillet of monkfish wrapped in Parma ham with a pesto mash, fine beans and cherry tomatoes. For dessert we had roasted pineapple chunks infused with star anise's and vanilla pods and covered with natural yoghurt. Here's the low-down:

Roasted Fillet Of Monkfish Wrapped In Parma Ham With A Pesto Mash, Fine Beans & Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients

[Serves 2]

2 monkfish portions pieces,
Salt and ground pepper,
A little lemon juice,
2 slices Parma ham.

Method

Season the monkfish with salt, pepper and the lemon juice, then wrap a slice of Parma ham around each fillet of monkfish and set aside.

Meanwhile make hot mashed potato and stir in 1 tablespoon green pesto. Boil the beans in salted water, toss in butter and set aside

Place the cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, then roast in a hot oven for 5-10 minutes

To cook the monkfish drizzle the monkfish parcels with olive oil and roast in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes. Remove and set aside.

To serve, spoon the pesto mash in the centre of each plate, using a pastry cutter for neatness. Place the monkfish parcel on top of the mash then put the green beans and cherry tomatoes around the plate and drizzle with any juice from the cherry tomato roasting tray.


Roasted Pineapple Chunks Infused with Star Anise's & Vanilla Pods
Ingredients

[Serves 4]

Pineapple, sliced into chunks
Star Anises
Vanilla pods
2 Oranges

Method

Cut the pineapple into chunks and put in a roasting dish and squeeze the juice of two oranges over the top. Mix in a few star anise and two vanilla pods and place in a pre-heated oven at 200C for 30 mins. Serve with greek yoghurt or ice cream.

Spinach Soup, Stilton & Walnut Tartlets, Sticky Toffee Pudding

Last night I bammed up some spinach soup, stilton & walnut tartlets and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. The spinach soup was tasty after some seasoning and accompanied by crusty bread. It could have been a little more creamy but for a starter, it did the job. Next up were the stilton and walnut tartlets which didn't turn out as I wanted because the muffin tins were not as big as I'd hoped so if you're going to make this, check the size of your tin. Therefore they were a tad pastry heavy but erstwhile totally edible and was served alongside a salad. Finally there was the sticky toffee pudding which, modesty aside, was faultlessly delicious and the favourite of the 3 dishes.

Here's the science:

Spinach Soup

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 Large Onion, peeled and chopped
5 Garlic Cloves, peeled and chopped
2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and chopped
750ml cold water
450g Spinach, stems removed
50g Butter
3 tbsp Flour
750ml Milk
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
8 tbsp Creme Fraiche
Warm Foccacia Bread

Method

Place the onion, garlic and potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with the cold water. Add half the salt and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat and add the spinach. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.

Slowly melt the butter in saucepan, add the flour and cook over a low heat for about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the milk, a little at a time, stirring continuously. Return to the heat and cook, stirring continuously, for 5-8 minutes, or until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Add the freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste.

Blend the cooled potato and spinach mixture in a food processor or blender to a smooth purée, then return to the saucepan and gradually stir in the white sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper and gently reheat, taking care not to allow the soup to boil. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with spoonfuls of creme fraiche or soured cream. Serve with foccacia bread.


Stilton & Walnut Tartlets

Makes 12 tartlets

Ingredients

Walnut Pastry:

225g plain flour
Celery salt
100g butter
25g walnut halves, chopped

Filling:

25g Butter
2 Celery Sticks
1 Leek
200ml Double Cream
200g Stilton Cheese
3 Egg Yolks
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Parsley

Method

Grease the 12 hole muffin tin. Sift the flour with celery salt into a food processoe, add the butter and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Tip into a large bowl and add the walnuts and a little cold water, just enough to bring the dough together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and cut the dough in half. Roll out the first piece and cut out 3 1/2 inch rounds. Roll out each to 4 1/2 inches in diameter and use to line the muffin holes. Repeat with the remaining dough. Line each hole with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C. Bake the tartlet cases for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the paper and beans.

To make the filling, melt the butter in frying pan over a medium heat and add the celery and leek and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes until very soft. Add the 2 tablespoons of cream, crumble in the cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Put the remaining cream in a saucepan and bring to simmering point. Pour onto the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl, stirring constantly. Mix in the cheese mixture and spoon into the tartlet cases. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the tin around in the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes. Serve garnished with fresh parsley.


Sticky Toffee Pudding

Serves 4

Ingredients

Pudding:

75g sultans
75g currants
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tbsp butter
200g brown sugar
2 eggs
200g self-raising flour

Sticky Toffee Sauce:

2 tbsp butter
175ml double cream
200g brown sugar
zested orange rind
whipped cream to serve

Method

First place the fruits and bicarbonate of soda into a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water and leave to soak.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a round cake tin, 8 inches in diameter with butter. Put the butter in a separate bowl, add the sugar and mix well. Beat in the eggs, then fold in the flour. Drain the soaked fruits, add to the bowl and mix. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. The pudding is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

About 5 minutes before the end, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Stir in the cream and sugar and bring to the boil, stirring constantly. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Turn out the pudding on to a serving plate and pour over the sauce. Decorate with zested orange and serve with whipped cream.

Zen Restaurant

A group of us headed out to Zen last month in between Xmas and NYE as Lou's Scottish friends were over on a visit and it's one of our favourite restaurants which serves Japanese and Asian cuisine with a Western fusion.

We were seated upstairs in a secluded wooden booth which is perfect for an intimate private meal amongst friends and it would be great if other restaurants adopted this seating style. The room layout is also well designed with a mirrored glass catwalk running the length of the room in between the booths although I would imagine it might cause a bit of a headspin if you had to traverse the length after too many drinks!

I ordered the Japanese dumplings [gyoza] for starters and they were delicious. Everyone was happy with their first dish and I was on my last dumpling when the waiter began taking everyones dishes away which I found quite rude and incompehensible as the main course was not served for another ten or fifteen minutes.

I had the squid with green chillis for my main course which was also delicious although there was no dipping sauce which could have complimented it alongside the boiled rice. This time none of us were hurried along despite being told that the next party was due at 9pm.

Despite the rude service of which I have read about in other reviews, the dining experience and quality of food is of a high standard and it remains one of my favourite restaurants in Belfast.

Rating

Menu *****

Value ****1/2

Service ***1/2

Decor *****

Disabled *

Parking ***

Brie Soup, Cheese and Parsnip Roulade with Sage and Onion Stuffing with Stoved Potatoes

Last night Keith made a Brie soup followed by cheese and parsnip roulade with sage and onion stuffing with stoved potatoes. The soup was a since but delicious and very filling so we took a while to kick back and relax until making the main course. We were worried that the roulade woudn't roll but it did and it looked and tasted great although I would make 50% more breadcrumbs and a 1/3 amount less onions next time. They were served beside stoved potatoes which were a cinch to make and I recommend them alongside any dish especially a nice steak or braised lamb or something like that. Here's the knorr-how:

Brie Soup

Ingredients

20g cream cheese with garlic and herbs
200g very ripe vegetarian Brie cheese cut into cubes.
400ml vegetable stock
100mls single cream
2tsp cornflour
2tbs dry white wine
1 tbs chopped parsley









Method

Put all soup ingredients into a liquidizer and blend until smooth. Strain through a sieve. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.


Stoved Potatoes

Ingredients

1½ tbsp light olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
600g miniature new potatoes scrubbed (or any waxy ones cut into approx 3 cm dice)
300ml light vegetable stock
12 small cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
2 tbsp chives, chopped







Method

Heat the oil in a large deep frying pan. Add the paprika and rosemary and then the potatoes. Take to a high heat and stir the potatoes for 2 or 3 minutes to make sure they are coated with the spices.

Add the stock and the whole garlic and bring to the boil. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.

Take off the cover and boil rapidly until the liquid has evaporated, stirring the potatoes occasionally to ensure they don’t stick. Once cooked they will have an almost “roasted” appearance.


Cheese and Parsnip Roulade with Sage and Onion Stuffing

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the roulade

* 110g Cheese, Sage Derby, grated
* 40g butter
* 25g plain flour
* 275ml Milk, cold
* 3 large eggs, seperated
* 40g Hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
* 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano
* 1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the stuffing

* 1 tsp large fresh sage leaves, chopped
* 225g Onions, chopped
* 40g butter
* 1 tbsp Parsley, chopped
* 75g white breadcrumbs
* 1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the filling

* 350g Parsnips
* 25g butter
* 2 tbsp double cream
* 1 pinch freshly grated nutmeg
* 1 pinch salt and fresh ground black pepper

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C.

2. Make up the stuffing by melting the butter in a small heavy-based saucepan, then add the onions and cook them for about 6 minutes or until they are transparent. Next add the herbs, breadcrumbs and seasoning, stirring well to combine everything, then sprinkle the mixture evenly all over the lined tin.

3. Make the roulade by placing the butter, flour and milk in a saucepan and whisk them together over a medium heat until thickened, then season with salt and pepper and leave the sauce to cook over the gentlest possible heat for 3 minutes. After that draw the pan off the heat to cool slightly, then add the egg yolks, whisking them really well in. Next add the grated Sage Derby cheese and taste to check the seasoning.

4. In a large bowl beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gently fold one spoonful of the egg white mixture into the cheese mixture - to loosen it - then spoon this mixture, a little at a time, into the rest of the egg white. Now spread the whole lot evenly into the prepared tin over the stuffing mixture, and bake on the top shelf of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until it feels springy and firm in the centre.

5. Meanwhile cook the parsnips in a steamer for 10-15 minutes until they're soft, then cream them together with the butter, double cream and a seasoning of nutmeg, salt and pepper in a food processor. When they're ready, keep them warm while you lay a sheet of greaseproof paper (slightly longer than the roulade) on a work surface and sprinkle the hazelnuts all over it.

6. When the roulade is cooked, turn it out on to the hazelnuts and carefully peel off the base paper. Spread the creamed parsnip evenly all over the sage and onion stuffing. Then roll up the roulade along the longest side, using the greaseproof paper underneath to help you pull it into a round. Transfer the roulade to a serving plate and sprinkle the surface with a dusting of grated Parmesan.

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil, Mushroom Risotto, Cheese Board

Last night Colin served up a triple Italian meal of bruschetta with tomato and basil, mushroom risotto and a delicious selection of cheese and grapes. I honestly couldn't fault any of it so without furher ado, here comes the science:

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

Ingredients

1 ciabatta loaf
1 clove garlic, peeled and rubbed in a little salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Topping

6 plum tomatoes
Basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Method

Prepare the tomatoes by placing them in a bowl, pour boiling water over them and leave for exactly 1 minute before draining them and slipping off the skins. Then chop them finely.

Pre-heat the griddle over a high heat for about 10 minutes. When it's really hot, place the slices of bread – on the diagonal – and grill them for about 1 minute on each side, until they're golden and crisp and have charred strips across each side. Take a sharp knife and quickly make about 3 little slashes across each one, rub the garlic in and drizzle about half a tablespoon of olive oil over each one.

Top with the sliced tomatoes and basil leaves, season with salt and black pepper and sprinkle a few more drops of olive oil over before serving.


Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

10g dried porcini mushrooms
225g fresh dark-gilled mushrooms
60g butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
175g Italian carnaroli rice
150ml dry Madeira
2 level tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 1 pint of boiling water. Leave them to soak and soften for half an hour. Meanwhile, chop the fresh mushrooms into 1cm chunks. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the onion and let it cook over a gentle heat for about 5 minutes, then add the fresh mushrooms, stir well and leave on one side while you deal with the porcini.

When they have had their half-hour soak, place a sieve over a bowl, line the sieve with a double sheet of kitchen paper and strain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Squeeze any excess liquid out of them, then chop them finely and transfer to the pan to join the other mushrooms and the onion. Keep the heat low and let the onions and mushrooms sweat gently and release their juices – this will take about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, put the dish in the oven to warm.

Now add the rice and stir it around to get a good coating of butter, then add the Madeira, followed by the strained mushroom liquid. Add a level teaspoon of salt and black pepper, bring up to simmering point, then transfer the whole lot from the pan to the warmed dish. Stir once, then place it on the centre shelf of the oven without covering. Set a timer and give it 20 minutes exactly.

After that, gently stir in the grated Parmesan, turning the rice grains over. Now put the timer on again and give it a further 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and serve immediately with a sprinkling of shavings of Parmesan.


Cheese Board

Gorgonzola, Pecorino, Talleggio and Provolone.

Fried brie, Chicken Cordon Bleu & Mushroom-Stuffed Tomatoes

Last night Brian knocked up Fried brie, Chicken Cordon Bleu & Mushroom-Stuffed Tomatoes served with garlic bread.

Whilst the meal was delicious the only complaint was that it was very cheese heavy and therefore very moreish and filling to the point where I felt absolutely stuffed half way through the main course. The sauce for the brie was delicious as was the fried brie itself and would be ideal along with a salad as a main course in itself. The cordon bleu was delicious with the sauce and didn't need to be served alongside the mushroom stuffed tomatoes as the garlic bread was sufficient.
Therefore whilst each dish was pretty scrummy it was just too much as a whole. However, pick something that you like and make it yourself as it's totally worth it. Here's the science.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Ingredients

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices ham
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.


Garlic Butter

Ingredients

Loaf of crusty bread
1 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
Directions

In a small bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic and Parmesan cheese. Season with garlic salt, Italian seasoning, pepper and paprika. Mix until smooth.


Fried brie

Here's some admittedly low quality footage of us shuffling some brie around in the pan.

Ingredients

4 slices thick white bread, crusts removed and torn
handful of fresh herbs, including parsley and chives
110g/4oz brie, cut into 3 pieces
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
½ red onion, peeled and finely diced
1 tomato, diced
squeeze of tomato ketchup
1 tsp caster sugar
splash of red wine vinegar

Method

Place the bread into a food processor with the fresh herbs and blend together to form fine breadcrumbs.
Tip the herb breadcrumbs into a bowl.
Dip the brie chunks into the whisked egg and then coat in the breadcrumbs.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the brie pieces for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden brown.
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a frying pan and gently saute the onion for 1-2 minutes.
Add the tomato and heat for a further 1-2 minutes. Stir in the ketchup with the caster sugar and vinegar and heat gently for 2-3 minutes.
Remove the fried brie from the heat and transfer to a serving plate. Serve with the tomato sauce alongside.


Mushroom-Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients

4 large tomatoes
Dash salt
1 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half cream
2 tablespoons soft bread crumbs
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
Directions

Cut tomatoes in half; scoop out and discard pulp, leaving a thin shell. Sprinkle lightly with salt; invert on paper towels to drain for 15 minutes.
In a large skillet, saute mushrooms in butter until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; stir in cream. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Remove from the heat. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley and 1/3 cup of cheese. Spoon into tomato cups; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 200C for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Lamb Shanks with Roasted Onions

This is a great meal for a Sunday dinner which is what I made it for and I have to say it certainly hit the spot. Feel free to swop red onions for shallots which are also great in the oven.


[Serves 4]

Ingredients

4 x 350g lamb shanks
6 garlic cloves
2 tbsp olive oil
1tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
4 red onions
350g carrots, cut into thin batons

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Using a small knife make incisions in each shank. Cutting the garlic cloves into small slices insert them into the incisions.

Place the shanks in a roasting tin, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with rosemary and season with pepper. Place in the oven for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile wrap each of the onions in foil. After 45 minutes is up, remove the roasting tin from the oven and season with salt. Return to the oven with the onions on the shelf beside the roasting tin and cook for a further 60-75 minutes until the lamb is ready.

In the meantime bring a saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the carrots for 1 minute, drain and wash under cold water.

When the lamb shanks are ready, transfer them to a warm serving dish and pour the fat from the roasting tin into a saucepan and cook the carrots for 2 minutes adding boiling water and cooking until ready.

Transfer the shanks and carrots to the plate. Remove the onions from the oven and unwrap the foil. Cut off and discard the ends of the onions removing the outer layer and serve.

You can create a gravy with any excess fat from the roasting tin forextra flavour.

Hot Cheese Soup, Chicken Vindaloo, Sticky Ginger Marmalade Loaf

Last night I made a three course meal of Hot Cheese Soup, Chicken Vindaloo and Sticky Ginger Marmalade Loaf. The Hot Cheese Soup was simple and delicious - not too heavy and just the right consistency and great for dipping some rustic bread into. However the vindaloo was a bit of a let down as it was in no way hot. In fact it was very mild and could have been fed to a small child without them batting an eyelid. I think this was to do with the type of chillis so if you're making this make sure they're the hot fiery ones so you're not disappointed. Also the diced potato, despite simmering in a wok for an hour was still a little hard so while it was still pleasant to eat, it did not live up to it's name. Nevertheless, saviour came in the form of Sticky Ginger Marmalade Loaf. It looked and tasted beautiful and was served with a little double cream for added moreness.

Overall, two of the dishes I was very happy with and I intend to remake the vindaloo again next month as winter intrudes further into our lives and it will be a welcome meal on a dark and cold night. Here's the recipes for everything:

Hot Cheese Soup

[Serves 4]

Ingredients

55g butter
55g plain flour
425ml chicken stock
300ml milk
2 carrots, grated
175g cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper
crusty bread to serve








Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan and sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring constantly until disolved. Stir in the chicken stock and milk and bring to the boil for 3-4 minutes until the soup is smooth and thickened. Add the grated carrot and simmer for 3 minutes and then add the grated cheese.
When the cheese has melted, saeson with salt and pepper and serve.

Chicken Vindaloo

[Serves 4]

Ingredients

1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp dried mustard
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cayenne pepper
5 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
150ml vegetable oil
8 garlic clove, crushed
3 red onions, sliced
4 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized chunks
2 red chillis, deseeded and chopped
450g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
800g canned chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato purée
Red Food colouring
salt and pepper
Rice, to serve

Method

Mix the cumin, cinnamon, mustard, corriander and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Add the vinegar and sugar and mix well.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic and onions and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for a further 3 minutes adding the chilli, potatoes, chopped tomatoes and tomato purée and a few drops of red food colouring.
Stir in the spice mixture, season generously with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Serve with rice.


Sticky Ginger Marmalade Loaf

[Serves 6]

Ingredients

175g butter
125g ginger marmalade
175g muscovado sugar
3 eggs, beaten
225g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
100g pecan nuts, roughly chopped



Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease the loaf tin. Place 1 tablespoon of the ginger marmalade in a small saucepan and reserve until later.
Place the remainder of the marmalade in a bowl with the butter, sugar and eggs.
Sift in the flour and add the baking powder, ground ginger and beat until smooth. Stir in 3/4 of the nuts. Spoon the mixture in the loaf tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle the remaining nuts over the top and place in the oven for 1 hour or until ready.
Leave to cool for 10 minutes and turn out until warm. Set the reserved marmalade to a low heat until warm and brush over the loaf. Serve in slices. Add double cream for extra decadence if you wish.

Halloween Cook Night

I'm only getting around to this now but last week Keith created a Halloween twist on cook night by gore-ing up the meal to make it more festive and gruesome. Here's the results of our dinner creation or as we called it, 'corpse crunching':

Fresh Pea and Mint Soup with Croûtons [aka 'Snot Soup']

This is probably the least looking Halloween versions of the meal but its moniker of 'Snot Soup' speaks for itself. It's probably best I don't mention our discussion of what the single cream could represent...

Ingredients

25g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
225g leeks, finely shredded and washed, keeping as much of the green as possible
225g potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1.2 litres light vegetable stock
225g fresh or frozen peas
1 small bunch of mint, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Single cream
Mint sprigs, to garnish

Croûtons:

2 slices white bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped mint

Method

Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently fry the onion until soft. Add the leaks and cook for a further five minutes. Add the potatoes and stock, bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes. Add the peas and mint and simmer for five minutes.

Allow the soup to cool, then liquidize in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Return to a clean saucepan, reheat gently and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup garnished with a swirl of single cream, a mint sprig and croûtons.

For the croûtons: mix the mint and the olive oil together and season. Brush the bread on both sides with the oil and bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 10-15 minutes, until crisp. Remove the crusts and cut into cubes.


Roasted Tomato and Goats’ Cheese Tart with Thyme [aka 'Road Kill']

This took some extra time in the oven due to the juices in the tomato so you may want to increase the tomatoes and remove the centre to reduce cooking time. That aside it was a tasty section of the main course.

Ingredients

725g ripe plum tomatoes
150g soft goats cheese
4 level teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus a few small sprigs
375g pack fresh, ready-rolled puff pastry
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

Unwrap the pastry and place it on the baking tray. Then, using a sharp knife, carefully score a line on the
pastry, about 1cm in from the edge, all the way around, but be careful not to cut it all the way through.

Place the goats cheese into a small bowl, add the crushed garlic, chopped thyme and a good seasoning of salt and freshly milled black pepper. Then give it all a good mixing and, using a small palette or other round-bladed knife, carefully spread the cheese mixture evenly all over the surface of the pastry, right up to the line.

Thinly slice all the tomatoes and arrange them on top of the goats’ cheese in overlapping lines lengthways; overlap one line one way and the one next to it the other way. After that, season the tomatoes and then drizzle the olive oil and scatter the sprigs of thyme all over them.

Bake in the pre-heated oven on the middle shelf for 55 minutes or until the pastry is golden-brown and the tomatoes are roasted and slightly charred at the edges. If you are going to serve the tart warm, leave it to settle for about 10 minutes before cutting into squares.


Baked Potato Skins with Cheese Topping [aka 'Open Wounds']

Probably the most disgusting looking of the tonights dinner/autopsy given the red food colouring added to the potato and green colouring added to the sour cream to give that open wound/gangrene effect. Frightfully good.

Ingredients

4 Medium Russet Potatoes
1/3 Cup Sour Cream
1 TBSP. Fresh Chives, snipped
1/4 Cup Margarine, melted
1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded


Method

Preheat oven 200c. Bake potatoes for 1 hour. Combine sour cream and chives. When potatoes are cook. Slice length-wise and scoop some potato from skins and save for other use. Brush entire surface of each potato with melted butter and broil for 6-8 mins. Sprinkle cheese on each skin. Broil for 2 mins. Place on small scoop of sour cream mixture on top of each skin and serve.


Butternut Squash Wedges [aka 'Dead Man's Fingers']

It's difficult to go wrong with butternut squash and talking to some people, it's a vegetable that isn't as popular as it should be - I think there is a barrier in that people don't know how to open it never mind cook it. Which is a shame, but not for us. Finger lickin' good.

Ingredients
¼ butternut squash, peeled
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
knob of butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 220C
Remove the seeds from the squash and cut into thick chip-shaped chunks.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the butternut squash for 2-3 minutes.
Add the thyme leaves, seasoning, garlic and butter and fry for a further 1-2 minutes, to give the squash some colour.
Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, or until the squash is tender.
Remove from the oven and transfer the wedges to a plate to serve.


Apple Crumble

This was quite simple to make and with a little green food colouring and props it turned out to be the best looking of tonights meals in terms of style. It was a shame to break the surface on this thing. Best clicking to zoom in and take a closer look.

Ingredients

Crumble:

300g plain flour, sieved pinch of salt
175g unrefined brown sugar
200g unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature
Knob of butter for greasing

Filling:

450g apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm pieces
50g unrefined brown sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
1 pinch of ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Place the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.

Butter a 9in ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.

Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling. Serve with thick cream or custard.

Molly's Yard

It was Lou's birthday yesterday so we went along to Molly's Yard for dinner. We had both wanted to go there for a while and had heard good reports. It also has a micro-brewery and I yearned to sample the chocolate stout.

We arrived around 7pm and were led upstairs. It has a simple country house rustic layout with red velour curtains and sparse furnishings.

I ordered the Bodegas Lan Rioja 2001 and perused the menu. There were around 5-6 dishes in each category of starter, main and dessert with a two course for £20 or three course for £25. As we are a two course couple and the dessert menu looked a lot more appetising I ordered some bread for starters as we waited on our main courses of chicken and fawn.

The fawn came on a bed of noodles and a red onion and jam compote I believe although I could be totally wrong. It was however delicious with the meat flaking off the bone. Lou's chicken came with a creamy mash potato and sauce which also looked and tasted beautiful.

For dessert I had the chocolate brownie which was extremely filling and sumptuous and Lou had the hazelnut cream sundae and we washed it down with a glass of chocolate stout which was the only let down of the meal as it was a little watery and lacking the full body that is stout.

Nevertheless, the meal was fantastic and I would certainly recommend it although if you're a vegetarian you'll have to look elsewhere as there's only one meal on the main menu to choose from.

Rating

Menu ***1/2

Value ****1/2

Service *****

Decor ***1/2

Disabled **

Parking ***

Cassoulet, Stuffed Jacket Potatoes with Leeks, Cheddar and Boursin & Chocolate Mousse

Last night Colin served Cassoulet, Stuffed Jacket Potatoes with Leeks, Cheddar and Boursin & Chocolate Mousse. The Cassoulet was made on Wednesday night as it takes hours of slow stewing so it was reheated last night and served up with creamy mashed potatoes and mange tout and it was absolutely devine. Keith had the Stuffed Jacket Potatoes with Leeks, Cheddar and Boursin which were also delicious and after letting all that settle for a while we tucked into the chocolate mouse which was a little hard but still scrummy. We took some pictures of the meals but they're still in the camera so here's some someone made earlier and I'll put the originals up for next week but to be honest they're very identical.

Have a great weekend whatever you're up to and I'll catch you on Monday.

Cassoulet

Serves 8

Ingredients

500g home-salted belly pork
65g duck fat
1 head garlic, broken into cloves, peeled and sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1kg dried haricots, soaked overnight
Large bouquet garni made from leek, celery, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and parsley stalks
6 good quality Toulouse sausages
4 legs duck confit, cut into two at the joint

Method

1. Cut the piece of belly pork lengthways into three thick slices, then cut each piece across into two.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C.
3. Heat 50g duck fat in a six-litre flameproof casserole dish.
4. Add the garlic and onion and fry gently until soft but not browned.
5. Add the beans and the pieces of salted belly pork, cover with 3 pints water and push in the bouquet garni.
6. Bring to the boil, skimming off any scum as it rises to the surface, then cover, transfer to the oven and bake for one hour or until the beans are just tender (this will depend on the age of your beans).
7. Heat the remaining duck fat in a frying pan and brown the sausages all over.
8. Lift them onto a board and slice each one sharply on the diagonal into three pieces.
9. Remove the cassoulet from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 220C.
10. Add the sausages and the pieces of duck confit to the casserole and push them down well into the beans.
11. Return the casserole to the oven and bake uncovered for a further 45 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the cassoulet is covered in a dark golden crust.
12. Serve straight from the pot at the table.


Stuffed Jacket Potatoes with Leeks, Cheddar and Boursin

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 large baked potatoes
1 leek, trimmed and cleaned
40g mature Cheddar
80g Boursin
1 tablespoon single cream
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Method

Cut leek into four lengthways, then into ¼ inch slices. Put the Boursin into a medium-sized bowl and cut the potatoes in half lengthways. Scoop out the centres of the potatoes into the bowl containing the Boursin, add the cream and season well with salt and freshly milled black pepper. Now quickly mash everything together, then pile the whole lot back into the potato skins. Now scatter the leeks on top, followed by the grated Cheddar then place on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until the leeks are golden brown at the edges and the cheese is bubbling.






Chocolate Mousse

Serves 6

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate broken into pieces
3 large eggs, separated
40g golden caster sugar

Method

Place the broken-up chocolate over warm water in a large heatproof bowl, which should be sitting over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Then, keeping the heat at its lowest, allow the chocolate to melt slowly. Remove it from the heat and give it a good stir until it's smooth and glossy, then let the chocolate cool for 2-3 minutes before stirring in the egg yolks. Then give it another good mix with a wooden spoon.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to the soft-peak stage, then whisk in the sugar, about a third at a time, then whisk again until the whites are glossy. Now, using a metal spoon, fold a tablespoon of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then carefully fold in the rest. You need to have patience here – it needs gentle folding and cutting movements so that you retain all the precious air, which makes the mousse light. Next divide the mousse between the ramekins or glasses and chill for at least 2 hours, covered with clingfilm.

Sun-dried Tomato In Avocado, Leek and Stilton Quiche, Couscous, Greek Salad & Knickerbocker Glory with Chocolate Sauce

Last night Brian made a starter of Sun-dried Tomato In Avocado with Leek and Stilton Quiche for main course served with broccoli and smoked cheese, couscous and Greek Salad followed by a Knickerbocker Glory with chocolate sauce for dessert.

I have to say I wasn't overally fussed with the starter as the leek and stilton quiche was delicious and filling as the main course. As a compliment to the quiche there was just too much going on in the plate and the quiche would have been perfectly served alongside the broccoli and smoked cheese without adding the couscous and greek salad which was overkill. No fault with the dessert though - you can't go wrong with a well made Knickerbocker Glory.

Conclusion: Too much food in one sitting especially with the main course. Perhaps a different or no starter and the quiche served with only the one compliment would have made a good rounded meal finishing off with Knickerbocker Glory.

Here's the big ol' list of recipes:

Sun-dried Tomato In Avocado

Ingredients

Half an avocado, ripe
Low-fat Mayonaisse
Paprika
1 sun-dried tomato, finely chopped

Method

Put sundried tomato into space for stone, lining cavity
Add Mayonaisse
Top with Paprika


Leek and Stilton Quiche















Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
25g butter
350g onions, finely sliced
675g leeks, shanks only, sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
2tsp soft thyme leaves
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
3 eggs
290ml double cream
100g stilton cheese, cubed
2 tbsp fresh grated parmesan
300g short crust pastry
seasoning

Method

Line a 10in flan tin or dish with the pastry. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
Heat the oil and the butter in a pan until melted. Add the onions, leeks, sugar, garlic and thyme and cook gently until they have started to turn golden brown and are soft. Allow to cool slightly. Fold in the flour and add seasoning.
Beat the eggs and cream together and add to the onion mix. Fold in half the parmesan and the stilton cheese.
Spoon the mixture into the flan case and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan. Bake in a preheated oven at 190C for about 50 minutes until golden brown and set.


Broccoli and Smoked Cheese

Ingredients

Olive Oil
1 onion
Broccoli - depends how many people you are feeding
Austrian Smoked Cheese - one or two
1 Stock Cube
Black pepper

Method

Chop and fry onion for a few minutes.
Chop broccoli stalks and fry for 2 minutes.
Add broccoli florets and fry for 2 minutes.
Add half pint of stock and reduce at a medium heat so that mixture is not too runny.
Cut smoked cheese into rounds and add to mixture.
Reduce heat and cook for about ten/fifteen minutes ensuring that mixture does not dry out.
Season with black pepper.
Serve with pasta.


Greek Salad

Ingredients

½ tomato, diced
30-55g feta cheese, diced
¼ red onion, peeled and diced
small handful of fresh basil, torn
½ lemon, juice only
1-2 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Place the tomato and feta cheese into a large bowl.
Add the onion, basil, lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste.
Toss the ingredients together in the bowl to coat.
Transfer to a serving plate and serve.


Couscous

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked couscous
1 cup water
1 medium tomato
1 small pepper
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/4 cup of raisins
1 small lime
3 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
dash of apple cider vinegar (optional)

Method

Pour water into a small pot and put over stove on high heat.
Once water is boiling, turn off stove. Pour uncooked couscous into the pot, stir a few times and place lid over pot.
Wash and chop all of your veggies.
Cut lime in halves and squeeze juice into a large salad bowl.
Put raisins and chopped veggies into the salad bowl.
Uncover your pot of now-cooked couscous. Gently fluff couscous with a fork before pouring into the salad bowl.
Drizzle olive oil over your couscous salad and add salt and pepper to taste.
Mix, mix, mix.
Add olive oil, salt and pepper, or apple cider vinegar to taste.
Put couscous into the fridge. For maximum flavour and outta the roof results, leave overnight before enjoying!


Knickerbocker Glory with Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

For the chocolate sauce
3 tbsp double cream
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp honey
For the knickerbocker glory
3 scoops ice cream
35g/1½oz hazelnuts, toasted







Method

To make the chocolate sauce, mix all the ingredients in a saucepan and warm through to create a smooth sauce.
Take a large glass and place some ice cream into it. Drizzle the chocolate sauce, repeat the process till the glass is full, sprinkle with toasted nuts and serve