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Aromatic Soy Poached Chicken 醬油滷雞 (豉油雞）
One thing most people overlooked when they visit a Chinese BBQ restaurant is the soy poached chicken. Why have a second look at the not overly attractive brown chickens when one is being seduced by the glistening char siu (bbq red pork), the seductive siu yuk (crispy pork belly) and the much loved crispy skin roast ducks? 醬油滷雞 (pronounced jiang you lu ji in mandrarin) or 豉油雞 (pronounced si yew kei in Cantonese) is another ancient Chinese dish that managed to stand the test of time. The ingenious poaching technique will produce the most moist and delicious chicken time and time again. A successful poached chicken should possess what the Chinese would refer to as 皮滑肉嫩 (pronounced pi hua rou nen) smooth silky skin with tender flesh. Cooling the chicken a little before cutting will ensure the delicious jelly to form between the meat and skin too.
Serves
4 to 6 as part of a Chinese meal you'll need;
1 free range chicken* (1.2 to 1.5 kg bird)
1 spring onion julienne
for the aromatic soy poaching liquor;
1 cup of light soy
1/2 cup of dark soy
6 cups of water
1/2 cup of rock sugar
1 cup of chinese cooking wine
5 cm knob of ginger, sliced
3 garlic cloves
1 spring onion (white part only)
1 cassia bark or cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1 tsp of Sichuan peppercorns
* Only
good quality chicken should be used for this dish
Marinate chicken with soy and aromatics for 20 mins or more.
First prepare the poaching liquid by simmering everything in a pot for 30 mins.
Place chicken breast side down and bring it back to a simmer, cover and simmer on the lowest heat for 30 minutes. Turn the chicken over half way through the cooking. Strain and keep the cooking liquor for other uses. If time is on your side; place the chicken in, simmer for 10 minutes then turn off the heat, cover and let the chicken steep till the liquor has cooled down. The result is a chicken that is coloured more evenly all over.
Remove chicken and brush some sesame oil over the bird and roast for crispness.
Cover and let it rest for at least 15 minute before cutting.
Cut Chinese style and arrange neatly in a shallow bowl or platter. Ladle some of the hot strained liquor over. Place julienne spring onions on top of the chicken and pour 1/3 cup hot cooking oil.
Make some garlic, lime and chilli sauce to go with the dish.
Boboutie
8oz minced Beef1 small onion, chopped
½ib small cooking apple, chopped
2 cloves Garlic
½oz Butter
10 whole almonds, roughly chopped
2 level tsp Curry Powder
½tsp brown sugar
1 dessertspoonful Lemon juice
1 Large Egg
5fl oz Milk
1oz bread without crusts brown or white
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt some butter in a heavy based frying pan, then add the onion and the apple and cook gently for 10 minutes to soften. After that stir in the chopped almonds, turn the heat up and add minced beef. Cook for 5 minutes or so cooking evenly then add further ingredients and season.
Leave the mixture to cook for a few more minutes. Meanwhile add the egg to the milk in a basin and whisk well together. Now pour half of the egg to the milk onto the bread and let it soak for 5 minutes, and when it's soft beat it well and add to the meat mixture.
Transfer the whole lot into the meat mixture in a 1 pint ovenproof dish, pour the rest of the egg-and-milk mixture over the top and bake for 45 minutes at Gas mark 2 (150degC).
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Bucatini alla Matriciana
Dried or fresh Spaghetti3 tins cherry Tomatoes
1 pkt Lardons or matchstick trimmed Streaky Bacon or a Chorizo sausage
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Medium Onion, chopped
Glass Wine to de-glaze
1 Tbsp crushed Black or Rainbow Peppercorns
6 Sun-dried Tomatoes
12-16 quartered and stoned black Olives
Add olive oil in a large frying pan with onion and crushed garlic. Cook until just turning brown, place to one side in bowl, brown lardons or bacon, again remove to bowl. Then de-glaze with spare wine, return ingredients, add dried, chopped tomatoes, olives and black pepper.
Cook at 180degC for ½-1 hour.
Top with Parmesan or Pecorino cheese and garnish with fresh Basil.
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Butterfly Leg of Lamb
1 Leg of LambLemon zest
2 chopped red Chillies
Plenty Thyme and Rosemary
Chopped Bay leave
Chopped Garlic
Plenty cracked Peppercorns
Juice of ½ Lemon
Olive Oil
Lots of Sea Salt
De-bone the Leg of Lamb, cut to press to 1-1½in thick. Cover in ingredients and work into the surface, marinade for an hour. Barbeque on indirect heat until medium rare, just pink (69degC) about 1hour.
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Cajun Chicken
8 good Chicken joints3 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp Smokey Paprika
Plain Flour
Salt
Mix together all the ingredients, coat all over, leave for ½ hour.
Set oven 200degC on a cooling wire or a baking tray. 25-30mins, turning
half way.
Mango Chutney to accompany
1 large Mango
1 finely chopped shallot
3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp Malt Vinegar
Sprinkle ½tsp black mustard seed on
1 Star Anise
Simmer down together with a pinch of salt.
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Cheese Fondue
1 clove Garlic, halved 500ml dry white Wine
1 tbsp Lemon juice
230g Emmenthal cheese, grated
230g Gruyere cheese, grated
2 tbsp plain Four
3 tbsp Kirsch
Salt and white pepper, to taste
Nutmeg, to taste
To serve crusty bread, cut into bite-sized cubes.
Rub the inside of the fondue pot with the garlic clove and discard the garlic.
Add wine and lemon juice to the pot and bring just to a simmer over moderate heat. Do not boil.
Gradually add the cheese to the pot and cook, stirring constantly in a zigzag pattern (not a circular motion) to prevent cheese from balling up, until cheese is just melted and creamy. Make sure the mixture does not boil.
Stir the flour and Kirsch together in a cup and then slowly add over the fondue and stir.
Add salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Bring the fondue to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, for 5 to 8 minutes. If the fondue is too loose add more cheese, if it is too stiff add more wine.
Transfer to a fondue pot set over a flame and serve with bread for dipping.
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Chicken Tikka
6 Chicken breasts or thighsGood bunch Coriander
1 Tbsp Fried Onions
2 Tbsp Ginger and Garlic paste
4 Green Chillies
1 pt Yoghurt
¼ pt single Cream
Juice from 1 Lime
Sprinkle of Garam Masala
Clarified butter or Ghee
Sea Salt
Process all the above until a thick amalgamated creamy paste is formed. Cut the chicken into pieces or leave as joints.
Marinade all pieces or joints of chicken, mixed with Garam Masala, preferably overnight covered in a fridge. Before cooking pour small amount of ghee over chicken to avoid sticking and aid cooking. Place in oven at 180degC for 15mins or Bar-b-q on indirect heat.
[Credit to Delhi Belly]
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Chilli Con Carne
1pkt Lardons/Bacon½ Kg Cubed Beef
½ Kg Cubed Venison
1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
1 Tbsp Hot Chilli Powder
2 Tbsp Crushed Chillies
1 Tbsp Smokey Paprika
2 Chillies
1 Large Onion, chopped
3 sticks Celery, chopped
2 chopped Peppers Red & Green
12 cloves roasted Garlic
4 Tbsp sun-dried Tomato paste
1 pint Lager
2 Tins chopped Tomatos
300ml Chicken stock
1 Tin Pinto Beans
1 Tin Kidney Beans
Chopped Coriander
6-8 cubes dark Chocolate
Fry off the meat in oil, butter and lardons in batches to brown. Keep in large pot, add all spices, stirring then onion, celery. Add the Chillis chopped and Peppers, roasted garlic cloves with tomato paste. Then add the Lager and tins of Tomato with the Chicken stock. Finally add Pinto and Kidney beans. Drop in dark Chocolate and Coriander near the end.
Serve with Rice, Tortillas or Bread.
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Chicken in Peppers and Olives
4 Chicken breasts8oz chopped Shallots
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 bot Passata
Fresh Thyme
Pitted black Olives
2 Coloured Peppers
Sea Salt and Pepper
Quickly fry the chicken breasts to light brown in half the Shallots. Transfer to casserole with Olive Oil add the rest of the Shallots and season, add Passata and some Thyme.
Place uncovered dish in oven 180degC then add sliced Peppers after 30mins, then back in oven for further 30mins.
When ready sprinkle over remaining Thyme and serve with herb bread.
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Country Captain
3 Tbsp Ghee or Vegetable oil½ Large Onion, finely sliced
1kg Chicken thighs, without skin
500ml Water
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Cider Vinegar
Masala Paste:
75g Cashew nuts
50g Golden Sultanas
2 large cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tsp Paprika
20g Ginger, peeled and chopped
2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1 tsp Cumin powder
2 tsp Turmeric powder
150ml Water
For the masala paste, boil the nuts for 5 minutes in a little water, then drain. Put these, plus all the other ingredients, into a blender and whizz to a fine paste.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion on a medium heat until nut brown about 15 minutes. Add the Chicken, sear on all sides, then add the paste and sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring all the while. Add 2 table spoons of the water to make sure the masala does not stick to the pan.
Now pour in the rest of the water, along with the salt and paprika, cover and simmer on low for 20 minutes. Add the vinegar, cook for 3 minutes more, then taste, adjusting as necessary for salt, vinegar and consistency of sauce.
[Original credit to the Cooks of the dak postal bungalows]
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Devilled Chicken
1 free range Chicken (1.2 to 1.5 kg bird)Crushed black peppercorns
Crushed dried Chilli
Crushed Garlic, 5 cloves
Olive Oil
Lemon juice
Sea Salt
First spatchcock the Chicken by cutting through the breastbone, then flatted out (butterfly) the bird with a good bashing with a cleaver or mallet. Mix marinade, oil, plenty black peppercorns, 1 tbsp chillis, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Pour over the spatchcocked Chicken and leave for at least an hour.
Cook slowly over charcoal, say 40mins, grey ash not flames, basting and turning occasionally to keep moist.
A few spicy sausages
alongside are heavenly, with salad and a variety of breads.
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Dry Lentil Curry
8oz Lentils (soaked overnight)¾pt Water
1 Green Chilli
1 tsp Tumeric powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
Curry paste or powder to taste
Sea Salt and Pepper
In an iron pot simmer lentils in the water for 20mins approx until tender. Mash/liquidise mixture, add the other ingredients and cook in oven for an hour at gas mark 4.
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Excessively Slow Roast Shoulder of Pork
Large (4Kg) Shoulder of Free Range Pork1 Clove Garlic cut into thin slivers
Zest of ½ Lemon or ½ Orange
8 Sage leaves cut into strips or leaves from a sprig of Rosemary
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt and Pepper
Preheat the oven to 220degC, Gas mark 7 score the skin ½in apart. Make small slits in the meaty side of the joint and slip in the garlic, lemon or orange and sage or rosemary. Rub the olive oil all over and season with salt and pepper. Roast the pork, skin side up for 30 mins, then turn down to 100degC, Gas Mark ¼ and turn the pork skin side down. Then leave for 23hrs. Actually baste every 1-2hrs. Cover with tin foil overnight then in the morning return to basting mode. The next day when time is up remove from the oven and turn crackling side up, turn up the oven to 230degC, Gas Mark 8 when it reaches temperature return for 30-40minutes. Let the pork rest for 20mins in the oven with heat off and the door open. Don't try and carve just remove the crackling and crumble off. Wonderful with Hot Pepper-Vinegar Sauce. Put the cider, white wine vinegars, caster sugar, chilli flakes and Tabasco in a saucepan. Bring to the boil simmer for 10mins until reduced by one third, season to taste and put aside, but keep warm.
[Credit to Sophie Grigson]
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Hot Pepper-Vinegar Sauce:
6 Fl Oz Cider Vinegar
6 Fl Oz White Wine Vinegar
2 Tbsp Caster Sugar
½ Tbsp Chilli Flakes
½-1 tsp Chilli Sauce/Tabasco
Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Fish Sauce for Pasta
1lb Flaked Fish½ pint dry White Wine or Vermouth
2 Onions
4 Cloves Garlic
2 tins of Tomatoes
Tomatoes puree
Basil
Oregano
Dill
Cayenne
Sea Salt and Pepper
1 lemon, juice
Celery
Fry off fish in Olive Oil, garlic and a little Onion. Bone, skin and flake fish. Return to large pot. Add all the rest of the ingredients to the pot and simmer very slowly for up to one hour, if too much liquid remove for soup. Good for supper with Garlic bread.
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Grilled Scallops with Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce
16 Scallops 2 Lemons
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Preheat the griddle pan or barbeque.
Season the Scallops very generously on both sides with Salt and Pepper. Place on the grill until lightly brown and crisp, then turn over and grill on the other side. The Scallops should be tender on the inside, crisp on the surface.
Serve with lemon and a drizzle of Olive Oil.
Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce also goes well with all kinds of grilled fish.
Finely chop the anchovies and put into a bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice and finely chop the the rosemary.
Mix the lemon juice into the anchovies to 'melt' them, then stir in the rosemary and season with black pepper. Add the olive oil and mix well.
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Anchovy and Rosemary Sauce:
10 Anchovy Fillets
1 Lemon
2 Tbsp Rosemary leaves
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Vegetable oil, for deep frying
225g/8oz powdered milk
110g/4oz plain flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
200ml/7fl oz double cream
25g/1oz butter, melted
For the syrup
75ml/3fl oz water
200g/7oz caster sugar
1 lemon, juice only
To serve
150g/5oz strawberries, hulled
150g/5oz raspberries
4 tbsp icing sugar
1. Preheat the vegetable oil in a deep fat fryer to 170C/350F.
2. Place the milk powder, flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl and mix to combine with a little melted butter.
3. Add 100ml/3½fl oz the cream and mix well.
4. Add the butter and as much extra cream as necessary to form a soft, slightly sticky dough.
5. Roll the dough into small balls and carefully place into the deep fat fryer. Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden and completely cooked through. Carefully remove the cooked balls with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
6. For the syrup, place the water, sugar and lemon juice into a pan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes.
7. Carefully place the jamun balls into the syrup and roll around to completely coat. Remove from the heat and leave to absorb the syrup for 10-15 minutes.
8. Alternatively, to serve, place the strawberries and raspberries into a bowl and sprinkle with the icing sugar, stirring gently to coat evenly.
9. Place the strawberries and raspberries onto a large serving dish and top with the gulab jamun.
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Honey-Glazed Duck
1 good-sized Pekin Duck3-4 cloves Garlic
Zest of 1 Orange (Clean-off wax)
Several sprigs fresh Rosemary
Several sprigs fresh Thyme
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
½ cup Clear Honey
Lemon Juice
Immerse the Duck in salted boiling water, turning if necessary for around 5 minutes, subject to size, then plunge into ice-cold water. Break up in a mortar and pestle the Garlic, Orange Zest, Thyme and Rosemary, then fill the breast cavity with the mixture. Mix the Honey, Olive Oil and Lemon Juice and coat the Duck after drying. Place into a 180degC oven for 5 mins before basting in honey mix, then continue every 10-15 mins through cooking of 40mins for pink and probably 1 hour for well-done. Finally prick to ensure juices are not too pink.
Good with red cabbage.
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Jerk Chicken
3 tablespoons dark rum2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup malt vinegar
10 green onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 Scotch bonnet chiles or habanero chiles with seeds, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 teaspoons ground allspice
4 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1 cup tomato ketchup
2 limes
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 1/2lb chicken, halved lengthwise, rinsed, patted dry
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
Boil rum and 2 tablespoons water in small saucepan for 3 minutes. Transfer rum mixture to blender; add vinegar and next 12 ingredients and blend until almost smooth. Transfer 2 tablespoons jerk seasoning to small bowl; mix in ketchup and soy sauce to make sauce. (Jerk seasoning and sauce can be made 1 day ahead; cover separately and refrigerate.) Arrange chicken in large roasting pan or baking dish. Pour lime juice over; turn to coat. Spoon jerk seasoning over chicken and rub in. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, turning occasionally. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Preheat oven to 350°F or prepare barbecue (medium heat). Remove chicken from jerk seasoning marinade; sprinkle with salt and pepper. If roasting chicken in oven, arrange chicken, skin side up, on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with fork, about 50 minutes. If grilling chicken, place chicken, skin side down, on grill rack, cover, and grill until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, about 50 minutes. Cut each chicken half into pieces and serve with sauce.
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Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 1 – 1½ hrs
Serves 6
By Rick Stein
1-2lb Beef or Lamb
Flat-leaf
Parsley
Cumin to taste
1 tsp hot smoked Paprika
2 cloves
Garlic
1 Large chopped Onion
Chopped tin Tomatoes
Handful chopped Coriander
Eggs(6)
Crusty Bread
Mix the meat with Cumin,
Paprika and parsley into balls. Fry off until brown in oil add
more Cumin & Paprika, garlic and onion to sauce cook through
then add tomatoes cook to taste adding meat balls.
Break Eggs on top, place
lid on and allow to cook. Arrange in bowls with salad and bread
as accompaniment.
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Mix the meat with Cumin, Paprika and parsley into balls. Fry off until brown in oil add more Cumin & Paprika, garlic and onion to sauce cook through then add tomatoes cook to taste adding meat balls.
Break Eggs on top, place lid on and allow to cook. Arrange in bowls with salad and bread as accompaniment.
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Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 1 hr
Serves 6
1
Lemon, juice of
3 tbsp Finely chopped coriander, stalks included
50g Fresh breadcrumbs
6 tbsp Grated Parmesan
500g Minced lamb
2 tsp Garam masala
½ tsp Ground cinnamon
1 tsp Grated fresh root ginger
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp Plain flour
275ml Lamb stock
1 tbsp Tomato purée
½ tsp Dried red chilli flakes
Baking potatoes, scrubbed
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Large onion, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, 1 chopped, 2 whole, with skins on
Place
the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a pan of cold water; bring to the
boil and cook for about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1½
tbsp oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the
onion and fry on a high heat for 3 minutes to get it nice and
browned. Reduce the heat, add the chopped garlic and fry for
another minute. Add the mince, turn the heat back up a bit and
brown it all over.
Once the mince is browned, reduce
the heat again; season and add 1½tsp garam masala, the
cinnamon, ginger, worcestershire sauce and flour, stirring well.
Slowly add the stock, then the tomato purée. Give it all a stir,
then turn the heat to very low, cover and cook gently for 30
minutes.
Turn on the oven at 200˚C/gas 6.
Brush the remaining 2 garlic cloves with
½tbsp olive oil,
place on a baking tray and put in the oven while it is heating
up, for about 15–20 minutes, until soft in the middle.
When the potatoes are cool, peel
them and mash the flesh with the peeled garlic cloves, the
butter, chilli flakes, remaining
½tsp garam masala, lemon
juice, all the coriander and a little salt.
Place the cooked mince in a
casserole or baking dish and top with the potato mixture.
Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake
at 200˚C/gas 6 for 20–30
minutes, until golden.
Place
the whole, unpeeled potatoes in a pan of cold water; bring to the
boil and cook for about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1½
tbsp oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the
onion and fry on a high heat for 3 minutes to get it nice and
browned. Reduce the heat, add the chopped garlic and fry for
another minute. Add the mince, turn the heat back up a bit and
brown it all over.
Once the mince is browned, reduce
the heat again; season and add 1½tsp garam masala, the
cinnamon, ginger, worcestershire sauce and flour, stirring well.
Slowly add the stock, then the tomato purée. Give it all a stir,
then turn the heat to very low, cover and cook gently for 30
minutes.
Turn on the oven at 200˚C/gas 6.
Brush the remaining 2 garlic cloves with
½tbsp olive oil,
place on a baking tray and put in the oven while it is heating
up, for about 15–20 minutes, until soft in the middle.
When the potatoes are cool, peel
them and mash the flesh with the peeled garlic cloves, the
butter, chilli flakes, remaining
½tsp garam masala, lemon
juice, all the coriander and a little salt.
Place the cooked mince in a
casserole or baking dish and top with the potato mixture.
Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and cheese. Bake
at 200˚C/gas 6 for 20–30
minutes, until golden.
Marinara Sauce
6 garlic cloves, chopped2 medium onions, chopped
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 450g cans tomatoes in juice
1 glass white wine
Sun-dried Tomato and or paste
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil
2 Tbsp minced fresh oregano
Alternatives;
Oil-cured olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
Capers
Red wine
Cream
Grated cheeses
Sugar (just a touch, if your sauce is too acidic)
salt to taste
Marinara derives from the Italian word for sailor, marinaro. Due to these origins I have seen many people say that marinara sauce must contain something from the sea, usually anchovies. Actually this is not the case, the origins of marinara sauce are that it is the sauce that they made in Naples for the sailors when they returned from the sea. It is very important to master making a good marinara sauce. Not only is it delicious on it's own over pasta, but as you will see by browsing this site it is a good starting point for many other recipes.
Variations: Mussels Marinara: Add mussels to the sauce; cover and steam until mussels open. Lobster pieces may also be cooked in the sauce. Poach your favourite fish in the sauce. Sauté chicken, veal, pork or sausage; add sauce to make a cacciatore. Add fresh chopped chorizo, jalapeno pepper, fresh cilantro; serve over corn pasta giving the meal a slight Mexican twist. Add cooked eggplant with small pieces of Mozzarella. Place under grill for a few minutes to melt cheese before serving.
In a heavy saucepan over medium low heat, cook garlic and onions in olive oil until softened, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. De-glaze or add wine at this point. Add tomatoes, paste and juice, along with a little salt and half the herbs, if desired. You may mash the tomatoes with a fork (although some of us prefer to squash them with our bare hands before adding them to the pot) and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until thickened, about 1 hour. Add the other half of the herbs 5mins before serving.
Add to spaghetti
1 1/2 oz finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Parmesan (2/3 cup)
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Meat Balls
(peter's)
2lb or 1Kg Best Beef mince
1lb Lamb or Pork mince
2 Small Onions, grated
3 cloves Garlic
Sprinkle Chilli flakes
Small handful finely-chopped
flat-leafed Parsley
Sea Salt and fresh ground black Pepper
1 Chorizo Ring, piccenta
1 large Onion, sliced fine
1 red Pepper, sliced fine
1 tsp smoked Paprika
1 good handful fresh Oregano, bound
5 tins or equivalent Tomatoes, chopped
½ bottle red or white dry Wine
3 large Tbsp Tomato puree
Sea Salt and fresh ground black Pepper
to tastePlace all the meat, grated Onion, Garlic, Chilli and flat-leafed Parsley into a bowl and mix thoroughly by hand. Form into small balls to your taste, chill in fridge if weather warm. Then deep fry for 3mins until light brown. Drain and place on kitchen paper. Chop Chorizo into ½in chunks, fry off in large pot, with onion, peppers, add paprika, wine and Tomatoes with tomato puree. Warm through, then add drained meat balls. Add bouquet of Oregano. Season and taste. Cook slowly on the hob or in the oven for 1½ hrs. Lift lid after an hour to thicken sauce. Mix thoroughly with cooked spaghetti or taglietelle. Serve with peels of Parmigiani Reggiano Parmesan.
Mushroom Sauce for Pasta
½lb Mushrooms (can be dried)Dry White Wine, Vermouth, Calvados or Brandy
1 Egg yolk per ¼lb Mushrooms
2 Cloves Garlic
½ Shallot
2oz Parmesan
Nutmeg
Cream
Melt butter in a large frying pan with olive oil and garlic. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté. Remove; then sauté chopped shallot. Mix egg yolk, cream, parmesan and nutmeg and add to mushrooms, shallot return to low heat. Add 1 Tbsp Calvados etc per ¼lb Mushrooms.
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Pepper Crusted Fish
1lb Cod or white Fish fillets1 Tbsp crushed Peppercorns
1 Tbsp Plain Flour
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
For the vinaigrette:
1 Clove of Garlic
2 Tbsp Coarse Mustard
2 grated rind and juice of a Lime
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
Fresh Coriander leaves
Mix flour and peppercorns, coat the fish.
Vinaigrette: Crush Garlic, stir in the mustard, lime and juice, add olive oil, seasoning and coriander.
Heat olive oil in pan fry fish 3mins each side. Keeping the heat high add the vinaigrette around the fish and maintain heat to reduce.
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Peperonata
1oz Butter2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion
6 Large red and yellow Peppers
8 large Tomatoes
1 Clove Garlic
2 tsp Caster Sugar
Sea Salt and Pepper
Prepare vegetables; skin Tomatoes or use tins and slice and deseed Peppers, sweat together in a pan until soft not brown. Add and season to taste with Salt and Pepper and Sugar. Put the lid back on and continue cooking over a very low heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 mins. The mixture should be soft and the juices from the tomatoes all but evaporated. Serve hot or cold.
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Rabbit Casserole with Dumplings
1 Rabbit jointed2 belly of Pork strips
1 ltr Chicken stock
2 medium Onions, sliced
1 bottle Beer
1 Turnip, diced
1 Swede, diced
2 Parsnips, diced
2 Carrots, sliced
2 Leeks, sliced
Handful Lentils, Pearl barley and split Peas
Tin of Butter Beans
2oz seasoned Flour
Sprig Sage
Sprig Thyme
Oil to sear meat
Sea Salt and Pepper
Goodly portion of Ele's dumplings
Heat the oil, flip the meat in the flour and sear it, place sliced onions in bottom of casserole.
Layer the meats that have been browned on the onions, add the stock and beer and vegetables. Season, add herbs and recover later. Mix in the pulses.
Cook in the oven at 180degC for an hour, check remove any sediment and then cook for 3 hours at 150degC or until tender enough for the meat to be leaving the bones. Best cook the dumplings in a separate saucepan of it's own stock. Add some flour to thicken.
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Ragù Bolognese
Over 1 hour preparation timeOver 2 hours cooking time
Makes 8 x 225g/8oz portions
450g/1lb lean minced beef
450g/1lb minced pork
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1x225g/8oz tub chicken livers
2 medium onions, finely chopped
4 fat garlic cloves, chopped
2 x 70g packs (or 140g/5oz) pancetta or streaky bacon
2 x 400g/14oz tins Italian chopped tomatoes
2 x 200g/7oz tubes double concentrate tomato purée
1 x 37.5cl half bottle red wine (or 400ml/14fl oz)
2 x 15g packs or 30g/1oz fresh basil
½ whole nutmeg grated
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1.
First take a large frying pan, the largest you have, heat 3 tbsp of the oil and gently fry the onion and garlic over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, moving it around from time to time.
While the onion is softening, chop the pancetta: the best way to do this after opening the pack is to roll the contents into a sausage shape, then using a sharp knife slice it lengthways into four, then slice the lengths across as finely as possible. After 10 minutes, add this to the pan to join the onions and garlic and continue cooking them all for another 5 minutes.
Now transfer this mixture to the casserole. Add another tbsp of oil to the pan, turn the heat up to its highest then add the minced beef and brown it, breaking it up and moving it round in the pan. When the beef is browned tip it into the casserole. Heat another tbsp of the oil and do exactly the same with the minced pork. While the pork is browning, trim the chicken livers, rinse them under cold running water, dry them thoroughly with kitchen paper and chop them minutely small. When the pork is browned, transfer it to the casserole, then heat the remaining tbsp of oil and brown the pieces of chicken liver. Add these to the casserole.
Now you've finished with the frying pan, so get rid of that and place the casserole over the direct heat, give everything a good stir together, then add the contents of the tins of tomatoes, the tomato purée, red wine and a really good seasoning of salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Allow this to come up to simmering point. Then strip the leaves from half the basil, chop them very finely and add them to the pot. As soon as everything is simmering, place the casserole on the centre shelf of the oven and leave it to cook slowly, without a lid, for 4 hours. It's a good idea to have a look after 3 hours to make sure all is well, but what you should end up with is a thick, concentrated sauce with only a trace of liquid left in it, then remove it from the oven, taste to check the seasoning, strip the leaves off the remaining basil, chop them small and stir them in.
Sea Bass
Fillets of fresh Sea BassSoy sauce
Saki
1 clove crushed Garlic into a paste
1 knob of fresh Ginger into a paste
Chopped Spring Onion
Chopped Red Chilli
Noilly Prat
Black pepper
Sea Salt
To make the oriental marinade add all the ingredients to a small bowl or saucer and lay the fillets of Sea Bass in to marinade for up to 1 hour. Any more than this and the marinade takes over. Then grill or fry these leaving the pan juices to be de-glazed in Noilly Prat. Pour over and serve on warm not hot plate.
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Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Preparation time less than 30 mins
Cooking time 10
to 30 mins
125g/4oz smoked bacon or
pancetta, diced, pan juices reserved
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
300-350g/11-12oz dried spaghetti
2 very large eggs (or 3 small)
140ml/5fl oz single cream
5 tbsp parmesan cheese, freshly grated
To serve green salad
Fry the
pancetta and garlic in olive oil until crisp.
Set to one side and leave to cool.
Cook the spaghetti according to the packet instructions.
In a bowl, mix the eggs, single cream and two tablespoons of
grated parmesan.
Once combined, add the cooked bacon and pan juices.
Drain the cooked spaghetti, return to the pan and immediately
pour in the carbonara sauce.
Toss to coat and allow the egg to 'set' slightly.
Serve with a green salad and the remaining parmesan sprinkled on top.
Spare Ribs
1.8kg Pork spare ribs2 Tbsp Soy sauce
2 Tbsp Saki Rice Wine, white Wine or even Cider
5 crushed cloves of Garlic into a paste
2 Tbsp Sugar
3 Tbsp Hoi Sin Sauce
½ Tbsp 5 Spice Powder
1 tsp Sea Salt
Mix ingredients together pour over the spare ribs or chops and marinade for an hour or more.
Cook slowly; Gas Mark 3 for 1½ hrs or barbeque to taste.
Drain the unused liquid and thicken in a saucepan with 1 tsp cornflour.
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Spiced Beef
1-3 Rib Beef on the bone or top Rump½ tsp powdered Cloves
1 tsp powdered Mace
½ tsp Peppercorns
½ tsp powdered Allspice
1 tsp Thyme
½lb moist dark brown Sugar
Sea Salt
Bay leaves
12 Juniper berries
2 wine glasses Port
Mix the Port, Sugar and dried spices together and place in a bowl over the Beef for 24hrs, add Bay and Juniper, marinade for 3-5 days. Season with Salt and Pepper. Barbeque on indirect heat until medium rare (65degC). Reduce marinade 3 or 4 times until syrupy, serve as wine sauce.
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Spiced, slow-cooked Lamb Shanks
4 Lamb shanks1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
1 small dried red Chilli (or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh Chilli)
1 Tbsp fresh Rosemary
1 tsp dried Marjoram or Oregano
1 Tbsp Flour
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 clove of Garlic, finely chopped
1 large Carrot, quatered and finely sliced
6 sticks of Celery, quartered and finely sliced
2 medium/large Onions, quartered and finely chopped
2 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 70m1/6fl of dry white Wine
6 Anchovy fillets
2 x 400g/l4oz tins of plum Tomatoes
1 handful of fresh Basil, Marjoram or flat-leaf Parsley
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
This is one of the cheapest and tastiest cuts of Lamb. Cooked this way, the sauce is very tasty and the meat will just fall off the bone. Served with potato mash, polenta, couscous or rice, it is a wonderful dish.
Season the Lamb with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Smash up the coriander seeds and roughly chopped dried chilli and mix with the chopped rosemary and dried marjoram. Roll the lamb in this mixture, pressing it in well. Dust the lamb with the flour. Heat a thick-bottomed casserole pan, add the oil, brown the meat on all sides and then remove from the pan. Add the garlic, carrot, celery, onions and a pinch of salt and sweat them until softened. Add the balsamic vinegar and allow it to reduce to a syrup. Pour in the white wine and allow to simmer for 2 minutes. Add the anchovies (these really seem to intensify the lamb flavour) and then add the tinned tomatoes, kept whole. Shake the pan and return the lamb to it. Bring to the boil, put on the lid and simmer in the oven at 180degC Gas 5 for 1½ hours or 120degC Gas 2 on a low shelf for 6-8 hours until tender, then remove the lid and cook for a further ½hour to reduce if needed. Skim off any fat and taste for seasoning. Finally, stir in a handful of roughly chopped fresh basil, marjoram or flat-leaf parsley.
[Credit to Jamie Oliver]
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Steak & Kidney Pie
2lb feather blade of Beef, diced and floured½lb sliced Mushrooms
2 Kidneys, lamb or pigs
Dash Worcester Sauce
Dash Soy Sauce
1 chopped Onion
1 Oxo cube
1 Tbsp Mushroom ketchup
8oz Puff Pastry
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove excessive fat from beef and dip in flour before flash frying along with trimmed and cubed Kidney. Add this and all other ingredients to casserole and cook for ½hr on Gas mark 5(180degC) until tender, check seasoning. Add to individual bowls and cover with ½in puff pastry, cool before freezing. After defrosting. Egg wash before ½hr on Gas mark 4.
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Sweet Spiced Beef
1-3 Rib Beef on the bone, or 500g Fillet2 Tbsp sunflower oil
Marinade:
170g light brown muscovado sugar
1½ tsp finely chopped ginger
3 cloves garlic
1½ tsp ground star anise
150g Coarse Sea Salt
Grated zest 2 Lemons
1-2 red chillies
100ml soy sauce
100ml roasted sesame oil
Mix the marinade ingredients in a dish just large enough to fit the beef. Add the beef, coat in the marinade, cover and chill for at least 36hrs turning the meat and rubbing every 12hrs.
Preheat the oven to 200degC/Gas 6. Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan. When hot, add the beef and brown on all sides. Transfer to a baking dish, pour over the oil from the pan. Roast for 12 minutes, then cool and chill.
Slice for best results.
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Tandoori Chicken
Skinned Chicken jointsGarlic & Ginger Puree
Garam Masala
Lemon Juice or Vinegar (Balsamic also)
Sea Salt
Saffron
Natural Yoghurt
Once joints are skinned slice ½in diagonally across with a sharp knife. Rub all the spices and juice well into every crevice, then leave for an hour in the fridge. Add yoghurt, stir, then add saffron water from infusion for colour. Marinade in fridge overnight. Cook on indirect Weber barbeque heat for approximately ½hr. Great with Mint Ratia and Naan bread.
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The Fish Pie
1kg floury potatoes2 tbsp Noilly Prat
500ml fish stock
4 sliced shallots
1 cored and sliced fennel bulb
250g white fish fillets e.g cod or haddock, skinned and into 3cm chunks
150g peeled raw prawns
2 tbsp chopped mixed herbs i.e parsley, dill and chives
30g butter
a little milk
20g fresh breadcrumbs
20g grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 180degC/gas 4. Boil the potatoes in their skins for about 20mins or until tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly, then peel.
Meanwhile in a large pan, bring the stock and vermouth to the boil, add the onion and fennel and cook gently for 8mins. Add the fish and prawns and poach gently for 2mins. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid and leave to cool.
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a heavy-based pan over a low heat, stir in the flour and cook gently for a minute. Gradually add the reserved fish cooking liquid, stirring till it has all been incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20mins. Add the cream and simmer for 10mins or so until thick. Stir in the mustard and anchovy essence. Season with pepper (salt is not req'd) and leave to cool for 15mins.
Fold the fish, prawns fennel and onion into the sauce with the available herbs. Spoon into a large pie dish or several individual ones, filling to within 3cm of the rim. Leave to set for 30mins.
Take the peeled, cooked potatoes, mash with butter and just enough milk to get a soft consistency. Season. Pipe or spread with a spatula onto the fish mixture.
Bake for a further 20mins scatter on the breadcrumbs and Parmesan and bake for 10-15mins more until golden. Serve hot.
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Sauce:
50g butter
50g plain flour
175ml double cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp anchovy essence
Sea Salt and Black Pepper
Thai Tuna and Mango Salad
Salad:5oz Egg Noodles
20oz fresh Tuna cubed
1 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 Mango, peeled then cut into strips
1 Red Pepper, thin strips
1 Small red Onion, finely sliced
Mint leaves
Coriander, chopped
Place all the noodles in a bowl, pour boiling water over them and leave for 5 minutes. Drain.
Whisk all the dressing ingredients together or whizz in a blender. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan or wok until very hot and cook the Tuna, medium rare.
Pour half the dressing over the noodles and toss to coat evenly. Arrange noodles on 4 plates. Combine Tuna, with the rest of the salad ingredients and the remaining dressing then toss until well coated.
Spoon on top of the noodles and serve.
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Dressing:
1 Clove Garlic peeled and finely chopped
1 Red Chilli seeded and finely chopped
4 Tbsp light Soy Sauce
2 Tbsp fish sauce
4 Limes, juice
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
Tuna Bake
8oz Tuna or tin½ chopped Onion
½ chopped Pepper
8oz Pasta shells
½ pint Milk
1 Tbsp Cornflour
2oz Sweetcorn
1 Garlic clove
Grated Cheese to taste
Sea Salt and Pepper
Boil the pasta and lay in a 1½ pint oven-proof dish. Meantime cook the onions and pepper in a little butter, add corn and milk and some grated cheese. Place the flaked Tuna in amongst the pasta. Then thicken the sauce with cornflour. Pour over pasta shells. Then put the rest of cheese over and grill having microwaved for 8 mins on a high setting.
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Turkey Koftas
1lb Turkey (or Lamb) Mince½lb Pork mince
1 small grated Onion
1tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garam Masala
Chopped flat-leaf Parsley
1 Garlic clove
1 Egg
Sesami seeds
Sea Salt and Pepper
Combine all the above ingredients then roll into chunky sausages. Coat with sesami seeds on 2 sides or roll. Put 4-5in ones on wooden, water-soaked skewers. Coat the griddle with olive oil or shallow fry and finish in the oven for 15 mins. Cook until brown. Best with Tzatziki and salad. Great in pittas'!
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