A Festive Red Wine Jelly
This is really good with cold meats and cheese, spooned on a hot sausage roll or to accompany a lovely roast dinner. See here in beautiful Sicily we can't get redcurrant jelly and suchlike so making something similar is the only option. It's really, really easy! Quantities below will give you about 200 ml of finished jelly.
They don't seem to have jam sugar either, if like me you're in Italian waters this is what you need
A small rant about cooking wine, if it ...
Easy Potato Rosti
Delicious and so simple, bonus point is that you can make a batch and stick them in the fridge then just gently reheat in a pan or the oven. They keep well for at least three days.
I made four rosti, for which I used 2 medium sized potatoes. Half an apple and half an onion. Just roughly grate these things and pop them on a clean cloth. Then squeeze as much of the liquid out of the ingredients. You'll be amazed how much comes out and if the mixture is too wet you won't get a good result...
Shredded Stir Fried Sprouts
Who remembers the soggy over cooked Brussel Sprouts we were forced to eat at Christmas? Euwwww! So here's how we prefer them.
Just fry some bacon bits or pancetta, I used smoked pancetta so didn't add any extra salt. Add some finely diced onion and fry for a couple of minutes. In go your shredded sprouts, add a knob of butter and stir fry for no more than 3 minutes. A good grind of black pepper and that's it.
Chopped cooked chestnuts, a few cooked ...
The classic Stephanie casserole
This is one of my youngest daughters favourite meals, wow can she shovel it away! Simplicity itself, as most things here are, but packed full of flavour and lots of vegetables. Improves if you make it a day ahead! I put far more veg in than meat so am giving method rather than measures.
Sweat down chopped onions, leeks, carrots, pumpkin and a couple of bashed cloves of garlic. Then add a handful of chopped cherry tomatoes.
Sear chopped beef until browned and season to taste. Add a two ...
Very slowly cooked Beef Cheeks with Sweet Potato Fondant and Spiced Red Cabbage
A truly underrated, inexpensive cut of meat that becomes as soft as butter if treated respectfully. Unfortunately it's becoming a bit "cheffy", that said remembering that days of cheap shanks before they became the must have gastropub food and the price was soon reflected. Oh dear, popularity is a crime to the wallet! Portion size should be 250g per person, in my opinion it's way too much. This will serve us twice.
You can't usually just wander into a butcher, and certainly not ...
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 ...
