Maple Syrup Glazed Chicken
This was delicious, apologies for the exceptionally retro style rice timbale...I watched a 70's programme earlier, you might get a gateau next, oops! So marinade:
2 heaped tblsp maple syrup, 2 of fresh lemon juice, 1 of light soy sauce, knob of grated garlic, 3 cloves of grated garlic and some black pepper
marinate 2 trimmed chicken breasts for up to 3 hours. Take chicken out, don't throw the marinade away please!
Sear the chicken off then wrap loosely in ...
Cottage Pie with Cauliflower Purée top
For me cottage pie is like a warm hug, just wholesome comfort food at its best. This is lighter and better for you plus upping vegetable intake, perfect! Don't like cauliflower? Try parsnip and butternut squash purée instead.
Gently sweat diced vegetables: onions, carrots, leeks, celery, squash until softened. Use whatever veg you like in the quantities you want.
Brown 500g of ground minced meat, I used beef. Add a tblsp of tomato paste, 200ml of stock and about half a wine glass ...
Espresso Black Treacle Chilli
Or perhaps a title of "I may be losing the plot"...The plan was for a smokey flavour paired with a touch of sweetness, usually a couple of squares of dark chocolate works but I wanted a change. Very happy with the result!
2 onions, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 de seeded red chilli all finely diced. A heaped tsp of ground cumin, hot paprika (more if you like it hot) and black pepper.
Gently sauté in a little oil for a few minutes. Add 250g of minced beef, sauté. ...
Salmon, hash & poached egg..it’s a miracle!
Seriously I'd never successfully poached an egg in my life so I quickly made another one to make sure it wasn't a fluke! Organic fresh egg at room temperature, crack into a pan of rolling simmering water with a tsp of vinegar and a pinch of salt. Gently shape the egg and simmer for 4 minutes.
For the hash I parboiled diced sweet potato then fried it up with onion, courgette and red pepper. Season to taste.
Season and pan fry the salmon fillet, just a couple of ...
Tomato Consommé with Teeny Tiny Meatballs
The teeny tiny bit? Ok, I always start with the best intentions but gradually my meatballs get bigger as I lose patience...today will be different! Hey, I tried!
You don't have to make consommé, just blend the soup if you prefer. It is very pretty if you do decide to strain through cheesecloth and DON'T through the tomatoes away, use them for a pasta sauce or anything else you like. Haha so really if you follow my plan you've got the basis for another meal, bonus! (My ...
Creamy Roasted Pumpkin Soup
Just a simple delicious bowl of comfort. Roasting the pumpkin first intensifies the flavour, almost nutty if that doesn't sound daft? (Alternatively just peel and chunk pumpkin, it'll take longer to simmer obviously)
Oven set at 180 degrees, chunk the pumpkin up and remove the seeds. Try not to scrape away the lovely strands, they're packed with flavour! Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, add a few cloves of garlic, some bay leaves and drizzle generously ...
Japanese Beef Bowl
So simple, chopsticks at the ready, feel free to swop the beef for chicken, pork or maybe prawns? Ooh salmon would be lovely but I think I've leave the mushrooms out?
300g thin slices of beef, cut into strips. A couple of cloves of garlic and a knob of ginger, grated. Finely diced de seeded chilli depending on your "hot" radar. A tin of mixed water chestnuts and bamboo shoots. Some Chinese mushrooms soaked in hot water for 2 hours. A couple of spring onions, ...
Gorgonzola Beef Burger
Easy Friday night supper and, bonus, I had too much meat so made double and froze the other 2 for another day.
To make 4 burgers:
500g good beef mince. 1 large onion, grate half and very finely chop the other half. Approximately 70g blue cheese, roughly chunked. I happened to have Gorgonzola left from the chicken recipe a few days ago. As much freshly ground black pepper as you like.
Mix together well, really squeeze the ingredients together and shape into ...
Spiced Chocolate Cupcakes
Made these yesterday as a thank you gift. I'm weird as don't like cake really but these smelled incredible and the Boss scoffed one as soon as they were cool enough to handle. My friends emailed asking for the recipe so here it is!
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
Cream together 200g of softened butter and 200g of sugar. Beat 4 eggs and add gradually (if the mixture curdles just add a spoon of flour and be more patient adding the rest of the egg!). Gently fold in 200g of self ...
The Best Beef Stew, melt in the mouth good..
I'm pretty critical about food, food I cook anyway, often wondering what I could have done differently. Wow this was amazing, personally I wouldn't change a thing and the whole lot was devoured by just three of us last night.
Ingredients and method:
800g beef shin (I thought we'd have leftovers, boy did that meat shrink!) Dust the whole joint in seasoned flour and sear until browned evenly. Remove from pan.
2 large onions, 4 decent sized carrots, 4 sticks celery all ...
