Chicken & Pak Choi noodles

Tonight I wanted to cook Asian but not a traditional stir fry, something different required. The weather was awful and I had a heavy cold, chicken broth is good for its healing qualities. I had Pak Choi and chicken so decided to create this broth type dish. This would be light but warming and fragrant. The remaining ingredients were stock cupboard items for me. Researching on the internet and through my cook books most recipes stick to traditional stir fries, so experiment time. Is that not what cooking is about? This fed two hungry eaters.

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts chopped into large bite size pieces and seasoned.
• Thick thumb of fresh ginger.
• 4 spring onions large slices cut at an angle.
• 1 red chilli chopped, your choice whether to leave seeds in or not.
• 2 Pak Choi halved.
• 3 mushrooms chopped (could be omitted).
• 1 pack ready to wok medium noodles (depending on your appetite you might want a pack each).
• Oil for cooking
• Sesame oil (optional)
• Half a vegetable stock cube
• 500ml water
• Dash Soy sauce

Recipe:

1. Grate the stock cube into the water and bring to a simmer.
2. Add in the ginger, spring onions and the chilli
3. Whilst this is simmering heat the wok and stir in the chicken.
4. When the chicken is almost cooked add the mushrooms to the wok.
5. At same time add the Pak Choi and the noodles to the stock and continue simmering.
6. Add the sesame oil and soy sauce to the wok for added flavour.
7. Now add the stock ingredients to the wok. At this stage it is your choice re how much of broth to add to the wok. It will depend on whether you want it more as a broth or just a sauce. I added all the stock.

Enjoy.

 

Homemade Custard

We have all had the custard variations from packets and tins to good old fashioned school stuff. But making 'proper' custard is really easy and satisfying. But more importantly it tastes so much better. Once mastered I guarantee that you will not buy custard again, DIY rules.
This is the recipe I used to go with the plum & pear crumble on my blog. This amount is for two people but it is easily upscaled and I also use it for trifles etc.. The only downside is that there is an expense to buy vanilla pods but I strongly believe it is worth it. Making custard might seem daunting but it is really easy following this recipe. Even Queen Delia/Hairy Bikers have mentioned about using cornflower as a stabiliser but I don't, never have and I have never had any lumps in the custard.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Vanilla pod (they come whole just wrap the other half in Clingfilm and will keep for months)
• 2 egg yolks
• 25g caster sugar
• 150ml double cream (but could substitute with milk)
• 50ml full milk

Doing it:

1. Split the vanilla pod with a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds.
2. Put the cream/milk and vanilla pod into a heavy pot and heat slowly, stirring all the time for about 5 minutes without letting it boil. Then take it off the heat to let it come together (infuse).
3. Then get a clean bowl and put in the sugar & egg yolks. Use a metal whisk and cream together for a minute or so.
4. Place this bowl on a towel to stop it moving.
5. Two hands needed or a helper. Slowly pour the cream infusion into the egg/sugar mixture whisking all the time. 
6. Give your cooking pan a clean and pour the mixture back in, use a plastic spatula to clean the bowl, leave none of this goodness behind.
7. Heat the pan under a low heat for 5 minutes, use your plastic spatula, stirring all the time, ensuring all bottom edges of pan are moving.
8. That's it, take it off the heat delicious custard made. Custard can be eaten hot or cold but if like me just stop eating it right now or there will be none left for the crumble.

Plum & Pear Crumble

Crumbles are so quick & simple to make, yet so delicious and you can use your imagination to combine whatever is in season, or even dried fruits. And this one is no exception, go on try it. Measurements are easily varied to suit the size of your dish. This one will make 4 portions. However, you want a reasonably good fit in your cooking dish. I originally started this with a plums only intention but I had some gaps in my large bowl. Solution, I had 2 pears in the fruit bowl so chopped them up and added them in.

Ingredients:

• 6 Medium sized golden/yellow plums (halved & stoned)
• 2 pears (peeled & chopped)
• 60g plain flour
• 60g medium oats (but this size only because I had an open packet, use any oats)
• 60g cold butter cut into pieces
• 30g soft brown sugar (use any sugar)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 30g flaked almonds
• 4 tbsp. golden syrup (use whatever syrup you fancy)

Easy to make:

1. Heat oven to 180g fan.
2. Put the plums into your bowl with the skin side down and put the pears in the spaces.
3. Dribble over half of the syrup.
4. Cook for 10 minutes.

Next step prepare the crumble:

1. Get a largish bowl and put in the butter, oats, spices, flour and sugar. 
2. Minger mix to get this to rough breadcrumbs but don't worry it can be spread over.
3. Take the cooked fruit out of the oven, spread the mixture over and sprinkle over the almonds.
4. Dribble over the remaining syrup.
5. Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with homemade custard.

Creamy smoked paprika pork Stroganoff style

Tonights simple dinner has only a few ingredients but is delicious for it. The starter was the loin of pork and the next question was what to do with it. We usually have it stuffed and wrapped in pastry but I felt that was too heavy for tonight. Instead a look in the fridge and a chunky creamy stroganoff was decided. Simple to prepare and cook. For a more indulgent dish use cream but I prefer using creme fraiche.

Ingredients:

• Fillet of pork loin
• 2 tbs rapeseed or olive oil or even vegetable oil
• 2 onions
• 2 heaped tbs Creme fraiche or cream, add more if you like.
• 1 tbs Smoked paprika
• 1 chicken stock cube
• Salt and pepper
• 150ml water

In a frying pan add 1 tbs oil. Slice the onions into rings and add to the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes to soften and brown slightly. Remove from pan.

Cut the loin into chunks or strips and season with salt and pepper. I chose chunks as I sometimes find that the strips can be chewy. Add the rest of the oil and brown the pork.

Add the onions back in and then add the paprika over the meat. I then grate the stock cube over the meat and add more black pepper. The paprika is salty and strong tasting so I don't add salt again until the end, if required.

Add in the water and give a good stir.

Cook slowly for about 25 minutes then add the creme fraiche stir again and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with some boiled rice. Simple and very tasty.

Parsnip, parmesan cheese & sage bread

As my recent cheddar cheese bread attempt gained positive feedback I decided to have another go but wanted a more subtle taste than the mature cheddar. The cheddar loaf could easily be eaten on its own but this time I wanted one to play more of a supportive role to pate and soup.
A browse through my recipe books and I was stimulated by a recipe from the Queen herself, Delia Smith. Rarely does a Delia recipe go wrong but this time I was combining hers and Lorraines.

The ingredients:

• 425g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 225ml water
• 150g grated parsnip
• A dozen long parmesan strips using a vegetable peeler
• 6 fresh sage leaves finely chopped

Make it exactly as the cheddar recipe. Cook in a preheated oven 200 degrees for 40-45 minutes ( after checking I gave it the full 45). Turn out and leave on a rack.

The only feedback so far is me and the good lady. It was very much a hit with her, better than the cheddar she thought, so good so far. For me it was cooked well but a little bland. The other half could taste the parmesan but I couldn't. So for the next attempt I will increase both the parmesan and the sage but feel free to go your own way.
Eaten with homemade veg soup and was good.
Tonight will be paired with the pate & chutney. Looking forward to it.

Pear and date Chutney

I love chutney and it is so simple to make so get going. 
I recently bought a chutney made with Porter beer which stimulated the mind so I thought why not try one with a Scottish red ale rather than stout. A bit of internet research confirmed it does happen, beer in chutney. I had some delicious tasting sweet pears so used these as my base but apples would do as well. Went through my store cupboard and found a few ingredients as below so on it went. The great thing is you can mix ingredients as you like, just experiment and try it.
Beautiful with the smoked duck like the one below but really good with any cold meat or cheese. 

This version is an eat soon version for a large gathering but will still store fine and can easily be halved for your own use. It filled 2 of the kilner jars as shown.

Ingredients:

• 2 pears peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 onion (I used red)
• 75g dates roughly chopped
• thumb of grated ginger or 1 tsp powdered ginger
• 75g raisins/sultanas
• 25g cranberries
• 1 tbs cider vinegar
• 1 tbs oil (I used sunflower)
• 1 tbs light brown sugar
• 150ml ale (I used Harvieston Red 9th Legion as below)

Heat the oil in a heavy based pan if you have one, add the onion finely chopped, cover and cook slowly until onion is soft but not burnt, about 10-15mins.

Add the rest of the ingredients and give it all a good stir. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cook slowly until all the ale has gone leaving you with a thick chutney consistency. It took me about 30 minutes.

Put into clean jars and that's it so easy.

How about some pate or cheese, chutney and my parsnip bread, yum yum.

It will develop through time but I had some straight away with cheese, it was a success.

Venison casserole

We get invaded by the family on Boxing Day so to avoid major stress most of the food is prepared in advance and frozen with just the reheat on the day. We always have one main dish as a casserole stew or tagine type and this year I have opted for venison, a real favourite and simple to make as you will see. Once the preparatory work is done the oven does the rest. I had hoped to get locally shot wild roe venison but too late as it was sold out so opted for Aldi venison which is good for store stuff. If you can get fresh do so.
There are plenty of things you can add but I have kept this traditional.
I have listed this for 10 servings but scale it down to suit. It is not baking so exact measurement not required. Worth making more as it freezes really well.

Ingredients:

• Plain flour.
• Olive oil.
• 1.4k diced venison. Shoulder good, haunch more expensive but stronger taste.
• Balsamic or red wine vinegar.
• Beef stock cube.
• 2 onions.
• 1/2 large turnip/swede.
• 3 large carrots.
• Redcurrant jelly.
• Worcester sauce.
• Tomato puree.
• Sprig rosemary, dried if no fresh.
• Salt & pepper.

Finely dice the turnip and carrots, quarter the onions and set aside.

In a large tupperware with lid (or plastic bag) put in flour and season with salt & pepper. Add some of the venison and put on the lid (unless you want your kitchen covered in flour), give it a good shake to coat the venison. I do this in small batches.

I use a Le Creuset solid oven pot. Add some oil to your hot pan and put in some of the venison to brown. Do this in small batches and do not crowd the pot or it will steam the meat instead of browning.

Remove when crusted on each side and repeat until all browned.

Add vinegar (or water) to deglaze the pan, scrape the crusty bits off the bottom but leave in pan (lots of flavour here).

Add some more oil, throw in the veg and stir for a couple of minutes. Toss in the venison.

Give a good mix and grate the stock cube over it all. Add salt & black pepper, worcester sauce, tomato paste, the jelly and the rosemary. Give it all a good stir to combine. Cover with water up to the level.

Cook at 150-180 for 2 hours but if you can give it a good stir every 40 minutes. The seasoned flour will create a good thick jus. At the end season again to taste if required. Then just eat with some mash and/or crusty bread to mop up the jus. Delicious. Or freeze.