Sun / Oven Dried Tomatoes

Image courtesy of myrecipes.com

The one thing i love about the warm climate of the mediterranean region is it produces some wonderful fruit due to the abundance of sun. A pinnacle of which - the sun dried tomato is a staple of alot of meditteranean cuisine in a variety of dishes inclusive of tapas, antipasti etc.

In Britain alas we are not so fortunate. That said there's no means to say we cannot use conventional cooking methods to produce something similar that will satisfy your need for sun dried tomatoes. This simple recipe will produce some good results which you will enjoy time and time again.

These also make great gifts, when presented nicely, so can be made up n advance and passed on to loved ones at a later date.

You will need (makes roughly 36):


18 ripe plum tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes for even sweeter)
sea salt
6 cloves garlic sliced thinly
8 tbsp chopped oregano
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
4 rosemary sprigs
balsamic vinegar

The doing bit:

Preheat oven to 100C (or as low to it as you can get. Even lower than this is better but will take longer). Slice the tomatoes in half and scoop out most of the seeds. Place cavity side down on some kitchen paper for about half an hour.

Place the tomatoes cavity side up on a wire rack, on a roasting tray sprinkle with sea salt and add a slice of garlic to each tomato along with a liberal sprinkling of the oregano and a blade or two of rosemary. Drizzle with olive oil, and add a few drops of balsamic vinegar to each tomato half. Place in oven for about 3-4 hours, or leave out in the sun for several days if possible.

Storage: Place under olive oil in a sealed jar until use. Use in any recipe that requires them.

Turkey, Lemon & Herb Terrine

This is a rather simple recipe that can be produces really cheaply using turkey legs. Granted not everyone likes the dark meat, but this recipe might just convert you. Its very tasty :)

I made this to take to work as something a little bit different for mealtimes away from the usual fish and chicken approach. granted it took a little more time than i usually spend on my work meals but hey, i may as well be good to myself. Sneaking a slice earlier suggests im going to very much enjoy it. I may take along some of my fig balsam vinegar to dress it with.

You will need:

2 Turkey legs, cooked / slow roasted so the meat is tender.
juice of 2 lemons
1 star anise
12 leaves sage
2 handfuls spinach
salt and pepper

The doing bit.

Once the turkey legs are roasted keep back any juices and add to a pan along with the star anise, and lemon juice. Reduce gently by two thirds and set a side to cool slightly.

Take the meat from the bones and shred into small pieces. Add to a mixing bowl with the spinach and sage and season with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.

Add the meat to the terrine layering carefully. Press as firmly as possible, add the liquor from the pan and set in a refrigerator for 12 hours.

Serve.

Rhubarb Compote

image courtesy of http://millyanddottie.blogspot.co.uk/

This wonderful accompaniment can go with a variety of things. Rhubarb goes with all things gamey, so its a treat to have with duck, goose, guinea fowl, venison or even beef if the tone suits. Aside form this it goes phenomenally well with smoked fish sucj as mackerel (with a hint of truffle if you're feeling adventurous).

If necessary you can also add this to desserts as an accompaniment too - it goes phenomenally well with alot of things in the dessert world also with apples, pears and even strawberries (in some contexts) or can be aded to pies and crumbles as a secret ingredient.

You will need(makes a large batch:

1 Kilo of rhubarb stripped and diced
75g of fresh ginger skinned and cut into a fine dice, or grated from frozen
125g of red wine
250ml additional red wine* (for the stock syrup)
250ml (by volume) sugar* (for the stock syrup)

The doing bit:

Make stock syrup  by combining the additional red wine ans sugar in a pan, and heating gently until the sugar has melted into the wine.


To the stock syrup add the rhubarb and cook till tender

Add to this the ginger reduce by a third on a low heat

Add the red wine and reduce by another third the mixture

You should have a deep red colour and a thick consistency.

allow to cool slightly and store.

Brandade Dressing

This dressing is primarily used to serve with brandade dishes such as Cod Brandade, but goes well as an accompaniment or dressing to a variety of fish dishes, salads and similar light meals.

Makes 600ml

1 Onion finely chopped
25g of thyme chopped
25g of rosemary chopped
25g of basil chopped
25g of chopped parsley
2 cloves of garlic crushed
50g of unsalted butter
500ml of olive oil
300ml of red wine
50g of chopped walnuts
50g of chopped olives
25g of anchovies chopped
25g of capers chopped
8 tomatoes concassed

Sweat off onions, herbs and garlic in the butter and a little olive oil till soft

Add red wine and reduce to about 2 tablespoon of liquid

Add remaining olive oil, with the rest of the ingredients; omitting the tomatoes

Bring to a simmer for a few minutes, then add tomatoes, season remove from the heat

Vierge Dressing

Vierge is one of those classic flavours that accompanies mainly fish dishes - the most prominent of which being more sweetly palatable fish such as seabass and seam bream. It does however go well alongside a multitude of fishes and even white meats where applicable. Its easy to make, it just takes a while. When you taste it you'll see why.

You will need:

550ml of olive oil

50g 0f Coriander seeds

1 Bunch of tarragon, stripped and chopped

12 black peppercorns, crushed

4 shallots finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic crushed

Sea salt

Warm the oil with the coriander seeds

Pour over the other ingredients

Marinade for a week

Double baked cheese souffle

Cheese souffle is porbably one the most notorius dishes that people acclaim to easily go wrong/ in all honesty theyre not that much of a nightmare, just be sure not to open the oven whilst cooking, and if you must, do not slam the door when closing. Other than this its pretty much plain sailing.


You will need (makes 8)


500ML OF MILK

100G OF SPINACH COOKED, CHOPPED AND SQUEEZED

30G OF BUTTER

PLAIN FLOUR TO BLEND INTO A PASTE WITH THE BUTTER

100G OF GRATED CHEDDAR CHEESE

PINCH OF FRESH NUTMEG

TEA SPOON OF ENGLISH MUSTARD

4 EGGS

Double butter ramekins, this is done by buttering then freezing or chilling the ramekins then buttering again

Sauté off the spinach with seasoning of salt, pepper and nutmeg

Chop up the spinach then squeeze to remove water

Blend heated butter with flour to make a paste

Put the spinach into milk pan and bring to the boil once simmering

Beat the flour paste into the spinach milk until a smooth sauce is created

Add the cheese, nutmeg and mustard stir in to form a smooth sauce

Allow the cheese sauce to cool, while the sauce is cooling separate the eggs and beat the egg white into stiff foam

Mix in the egg yolks into the cheese sauce

Fold in the egg whites

Pour the mix into each of the ramekins leaving a 1 cm from the top

Bake for 8 minutes then cool and fridge

Parmesan Crisps

Image provided courtesy of wordsfromwillow.blogpost.co.uk

These are usually served as an accompaniment to either a main meal or a starter type dish or even with soups. They provide an interesting texture, definite depth of flavour and can provide means of being a vehicle for accompanying flavours also. Ill also warn you they're incredibly moreish.

You will need: (makes one large crisp)

50g grated parmesan cheese
one tiane / serving ring (heat ristsant) - egg rings will do perfectly.
Silicon mat

The doing bit:

Pretty simple. Just add the grated parmesan to the ring on a silicone mat and flatten so that the cheese is evenly spread. Grill for about 3 mins until the cheese begins to bubble / colour. Remove from heat, then allow to cool.

feel free to add a variety of seasoning, such as chilli, herbs, pepper, paprika etc depending on what you're going to serve it with. Finely chopped rosemary work brilliantly.

Slow roast tomato salsa

image courtesy of  26fruits.co.uk

This salsa is a great accompaniment to many dishes, and as a dipping sauce for the more lesuirely occasions, such as when using with nachos and similar "dipping" type dishes. Its very easy to make, and uses a sweet and spicy element to please a number of palates.


You will need:

300g cherry vine tomatoes, vine tomatoes, or plum vine tomatoes.
2 teaspoons jalapeno chillies chopped
1 clove garlic, sliced very thinly.
2 spring onions, chopped finely.
tbsp fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

The doing bit:

First cut the tomatoes in half and place on a baking tray. On each tomato half add 1 slice of garlic and a blade of rosemary, and a few drops of the red wine vinegar and a sprinlking of salt. Place the tomatoes in a warm oven 9/about 170C) for about 40 mins until they begin to shrink and caramelise slightly. remove fromt he oven and allow to cool.

IN a mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients, allowing the tomatoes to break up (dont be shy). Taste the mixture ans season accordingly. For extra sweetness add a tablespoon of honey of maple syrup.

Enjoy.

Butternut squash & cashew nut roast

Image courtesy of all recipes.co.uk

The nut roast is probably one of the more popular vegetarian dishes, comprising mainly a loaf type of arrangement of roasted vegetables, nuts, herbs and several other ingredients. This recipe makes no exception, although the utilisation of butternut squash and cashew nuts provides a wonderful sweet element to the dish, with the mellow aromatics of garlic and sage providing a hearty warm flavour.

You will need (makes a loaf):

1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic choppid very finely
Olive oil to hand for saute work
2 large deseeded butternut squash, cut into 1cm cubes
225g raw cashew nuts (optionally half anf half pistachio nuts) roughly chopped
pinch nutmeg
6 leaves sage chopped finely
salt and pepper

The doing bit:

Preheat oven to 220 C and roast for about half an hour until it begins to caramelise. While this is cooking in a pan saute the onion until it begins to colour / soften, add the garlic and cook on a low - moderate heat until the garlic begins to soften. Set to one side.

Take the finished squash and all other ingredients and mix well. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper, then press into a lined loaf tin. Bake for 60 minutes at roughly 200C, cover with foil for the fist 40 minutes then remove for the last 20.

Allow to cool a bit then cut into slices. Serve and devour.

Chilli Butter (as an accompaniment

image courtesy of devonfresh.com

Much like our other larder items, chilli butter is one of those wonderful flavour additions that can be used in a multitude of ways.It goes phenmoenally well with fish, white meats and vegetables where neccesary for both cooking and for finishing, giving a spicy and enjoyable edge.

You will need (makes a batch of about 8-10 portions)

1 and a half red chillies, chopped very finely, seeds removed.
salt and pepper
tbsp lemon juice
1 shallot chopped very finely
tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
250g butter.

The doing bit:

Melt the butter until soft. Mix all ingredients together until they form a uniform paste. Wrap the butter in clingfilm into a sausage shape and chill until required.

Plum Sauce

Plum sauce is one of those wonderful luxurious sauces that provides brilliant mellow tones, deep flavour that complements a variety of herbs and meats and other vegetables, and works well to balance alot of strong and salty flavours. In particular as a sauce plum goes phenomenally well with duck and game. The use of our own larder items here also makes for easy assembly and construction.

You will need (per serving):

2 tbsp plum relish
200 ml chicken or game stock
sprig of rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

The doing bit:

in a saucepan heat up the plum relish gently. Add the stock and rosemary, bring the mix to the boil stirring occasionally, then simmer until reduced to required thickness. Season where appropriately.

Orange Braised Fennel

image courtesy of leighcourtfarm.org

*Part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

I like this as a side dish because its a good accompaniment to alot of game dishes, particularly in the poultry section of the food group such as turkey, duck, pheasant, partridge and guinea fowl etc. The citrus element works very well with  the aniseed element of fennel and provides a nice clean tone to complement game perfectly.

You will need (serves 3):

3 bulbs fennel, halved vetrically, trimmed.
tbsp olive oil
200ml orange juice
200ml chicken or vegetable stock (chicken preferred)
2 cloves of garlic chopped
salt and pepper to season

The doing bit:

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, add the fennel and sear each side of each half bulb until coloured. Turn over and repeat, add the orange juice, stock and garlic. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan and lower to a simmer. Cook until fennel is tender (roughly 20 minutes). Remove from liquor and serve.

Confit duck legs

Image courtesy of foord.rlove.org

Confit duck legs are one of those dishes that's incredibly hearty, comforting, homely and generally almost impossible to refuse. Its easy to prepare and cook, and has a long shelf life when stored int he fridge (not that it would need it in my opinion). This recipe makes a batch of 10 legs, which are ideal as a main course or as a starter depending on what you want to do with it. I guarantee enjoyment.

These can be served in a multitude of ways, as a simple part of a roast meal, with salads or even with a puree where necessary. They're incredibly versatile.

You will need (makes roughly 10 servings):


10 Duck Legs
2 kilo of duck fat

For the dry marinade

500g of rock salt
4 Star anise
100g of Juniper berries
50g of cinnamon
50g of Cracked black pepper
4 Lemons zested
60g of Ginger
2 Sticks of Lemon grass

The doing bit:


Blend the star anise, berries, rock salt, cinnamon and black pepper in a food processor.

Peel and chop the ginger in to strips, and break down the lemon grass into small pieces

Place the duck legs in a plastic container, cover the legs with the salt mixture and the ginger, lemon zest and lemon grass cover with cling film and stand in a fridge for 12 - 24 hours

Wipe off the salt, place in a roasting tray; cover in melted duck fat, cover the tray with greaseproof paper, cook 2 to 2 ½ hours in a low oven (roughly 150 / 160C, until the meat is tender

Remove from the oven leave to cool in the duck fat, decant the legs into a clean container, recover the fat by passing through a sieve and placing in a cool area

To roast and crisp up place duck leg in a hot oiled pan and seal over in the oil then finish in the oven

Pommes Boulangeres

image provided courtesy of tescorealfood.com

Boulangeres is one of those potato dishes that goes pretty well with everything, and is useful alongside hearty dishes as well and lighter ones, they go phenomenally well with meat and fish dishes and much like every potato dish they can serve well as a "vehicle" for a variety of flavours. This dish uses a rosemary herb focus, but it doesn't have to be that way it can easily be amended to suit your preference.


You will need (serves roughly 6):

1.2 kg desiree, king edward or romano potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly on a mandolin (/or carefully with a chefs knife)
2 medium onions (peeled  & sliced thinly into same porportions as the potatoes)
large handful fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
300 ml vegetable stock
150ml milk
50g butter

The doing bit:

Take the rosemary and rub in a pestle and mortar until it softens a little. If you dont have one you can do the same with a rolling pin on a hard surface. Take two thirds of the rosemary and chop finely. Take the sliced onions and the potatoes and garlic, and create a layer in a baking dish followed by a scattering of rosemary and season with a little salt and pepper. Continue layering, until your top layer has a layer of potatoes and onions that slightly overlap.

Mix the milk and stock together and pour over the potatoes into the dish. Season the top layer, then scatter the remaining rosemary over the top for decoration.On the top add the butter in small pieces until the dish is evenly covered and place in oven on the highest shelf into a preheated oven to 180C, until the top is crisp and the underneath is soft, tender and creamy.

Remove from the oven and devour.

Smoked Haddock Chowder / Gruyere gratin

image courtesy of realrecipes.co.uk

*Part of the sizzling staffordshrie menu series*

Smoked haddock chowder is one of those fish dishes that is surprisingly comforting, whist being very hearty and nutritious. Its not too dissimilar from cullen skink, a scottish dish that is virtually symmetrical to this one. This dishes uses smoked haddock (as the title suggests) but you cna use other smoked fish if you wish (smoked trout is particularly good as an alternative). If you're not a fan of smoked fish, substitute for another by all means. I'm quite amenable when it comes to mixing it up.

This dish serves well as a meal in itself, although it can be adjusted to be lighter where necessary as a starter.

You will need (serves 4):
For the chowder:
450g smoked haddock (undyed preferrably, but ultimately up to you), skin removed and cut into 4 pieces.
4 rashers smoked bacon, cut into 1cm lardons
1 large onion, finely diced
500 ml bechamel
1 baking potato peeled and cut into a small dice (roughly 1/2 cm)
1 lemon zested and juiced
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tsp tarragon
tbsp butter

Gratin:

4 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices
1/2 pint of milk.
Salt and pepper
4 handfuls of gruyere cheese (grated). You can use mature cheddar as an alternative

The doing bit:

Melt the butter in a large pan, add the onion and cook until the onion begins to soften.Add the bacon and cook for about 3-4 minutes, then add the potatoes and  bechamel. Heat until bubbling then reduce to a simmer. Add the lemon juice and zest, and herbs and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the haddock and cover the pan and simmer for a further 10 minutes, stirring occasionally then taste. Season accordingly with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture out into bowls and top with the gratin components (shown next).

For the gratin:

Add some salt and pepper to the milk in a pan, bring to a simmer then add the potatoes. When the potato slices have begun to soften take them out of the milk. You can use the milk for the chowder to make your bechamel at this stage if you prefer to do things the other way around. Add the slices to the top of the chowder and add the cheese to each one. Put bowls in a hot oven (220C) and cook until the cheese has melted and the potatoes have cooked through

Serve, and devour.

Buckwheat pancakes with smoked salmon

image courtesy of gourmet.com

*part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

This is an excellent breakfats dish but also serves well as a light lunch or even as a main course for supper. The buckwheat pancakes play on the confort factor but dont feel guilty, - buckwheat is particularly nutritious and gluten free.

You will need (Serves 5-6):

85g buckwheat flour
85g plain flour
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1.2 tbssp sea salt
1tbsp caster sugar
200ml semi skimmed milk
1 1/2 tbsp melted butter or oilive oil
2 egg whites
small amount of butter for cooking

TO serve:

10-12 slices smoked salmon
6 tbsp soured cream
3 tbsp capers (drained)
handful rocket to garnish (optional)

The doing bit:

Pancakes:

Mix the flours, baking powder salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and add the milk and melted butter. Gradually mix in the flours to the oil and mix to a smooth batter. leave to rest for a few mins.

Whisk the egg whites together in a seperate bowl until they form soft peaks then fold into the pancake batter.

Melt a small amount of butter into a blini pan on a medium heat and when melted add a small ladelful of the mixture.After roughly 2 minutes (until golden brown on the underside) turn the pancake over and cook again the other side. When done remove from pan and repeat until pancake mix is turned into pancakes.

To serve:

Take a dollop of the sour cream and add it to each pancake (or 2). add the smoked salmon and a few capers to garnish and the rocket to finish.

Devour.

Poached duck egg / black pudding / grlled portobello mushroom / horseradish cream

Image courtesy of jessicalettucetomato.wordpress.com

*part of the sizzling-staffordshire menu series*

This is a wonderful dish, and in combination provides great balance of flavour, texture and general yummyness. I suppose it could be easily attributed to being a breakfast dish, but in the same respect it goes well equally as a light lunch or even as a main course starter.

You will need (per serving):

1 duck egg (large or small its up to you)
1 large portobello mushroom, stallk removed.
1 large round slice of black pudding (roughly 1/2 inch in thickness). if you can only get a smaller one, dont worry. We can rework the arrangement.
1/2 tsp creamed horseradish.
35ml white wine or vermouth.
100ml double or whipping cream.
1/2 tsp chopped chives
1.2 tsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp fresh thyme.
sea salt and black pepper.
2 tbsp white vinegar.

The doing bit:

Combine the herbs in a small bowl and mix. Season the mushroom (top side down) with the salt, pepper and a pinch of the herbs. Add a little oil (no more than 1/4 tsp) and then grill on a moderate heat along side the black pudding until the mushroom is soft to touch, and the black pudding has cooked also.

Add some ater to a saucepan and heat until boiling. add the vinegar and some pepper and turn to a simmer. Add the egg and bring up the heat a little until the egg is poached to desired preference. Remove from the liquor, then allow to dry on a piece of kitchen towel.

For the cream: Heat up the white wine and then add the cream to a pan. Add the horseradish and simmer gently for about 3 mintues until the mixture has thickened.

Assemble as follows: black pudding, mushroom on top then poached egg (in the well where the mushroom stalk was). Serve with a small amount of cream on top of the egg and the rest around. Garnish with the remaining herbs and devour.

Butternut squash & Red Pepper Tartlet / Parsley & Chive dressed salad

image courtesy of cookstr.com

*Part of the sizzling-staffordshire menu series*

This dish is similar to a dish I used to do several years ago when working in a small hotel. Granted back then it was as a main course, in this case it will serve extremely well as a starter or a side dish viable for a light lunch.It uses ingredients that available year round, although seasonally it would be better suited from late autumn to early springtime.That said it is mainly all down to viability, and as a result it can be easily and cheaply produced whenever.

You will need (per tartlet):

1/4 butternut squash, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thickness.
1/2 red pepper, de-cored and trimmed, and sliced into 1/4 inch thickness..
1/2 an apple decored and sliced 1/4 inch thickness(any eating apple will do)
6'' x 2.5 inch pliece of rolled out puff pastry
3 tbsp Seasoned soft white breadcrumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesan
Tbsp roughly chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tbsp roughly chopped chives
Handful of rocket
tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
cracked black pepper

The doing bit:

In a pan add a little butter and moderately heat until the butter melts. Sear the butternut squash slices with the apple until they are coloured and begin to soften. Remove from the pan and layer on the puff pastry sheet, alternating each slice. Repeat the same for the peppers and also lay evenly onto the tartlet.

In a small bowl mix the breadcrumbs and the parmesan and add a little black pepper. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on the top of the tart and place on a baking tray in a moderate oven (180C) until the pastry has risen and golden brown, and the breadcrumbs are of similar colour. Remove from the oven and serve with the salad.

For the salad: In a bowl combine the rocket, chives, and parlsey and dress with the olive oil and lemon juice. season with pepper if necessary.

Wild mushroom / puff pastry / smoked cheese gateaux

image courtesy of frenchforfoodies

Although a bit loose on the definition i suppose in respect this pays homage to both the definition of a geatux and a mille fuille - providing multi"tonal" layers in the form of a gateaux and remaining true to the millefuille aspect with the pastry. If you wish you can substitute melba toast for the pastry in each layer.

It's pretty simple as a dish, suitable for a starter and as a main course or even a halfway measure between the two. The use of a wild mushroom fricasse approach as the filling utilising smoked cheese also gives a wonderful depth of flavour, whilst maintaining armoatic tones from herbs and garlic also. Strictly speaking, in supposition this is definitely a vegetarian dish, but can incorporate meats such as bacon for a base flavour where neccesary.

You will need (per portion):

1 portion mushroom fricasse
1 10cm x 10cm cooked section of puff pastry, cut into 3 layers horizontally (giving you 3 thin slices)
finely chopped parsley and tarragon 1 tsp each.
1tbsp Vinaigrette dressing
1 tsp truffle oil
handful of rocket, for garnish.

The doing bit.

Gently warm the mushroom fricasse in a pan, adding the smoked cheese in the last few minute. We dont want the cheese to melt entirly only to heavily soften and become malleable. In a low heated oven (about 160C ) warm through the pastry layers gently. Brush the pastry with a little butter or milk if requiring further gloss or colouring.

Upon service layer as follows: fricasse / cheese mix, pastry and repeat. Dress the rocket with the vinaigrette and truffle oil and place on top of the stack. Garnish the plate with the fresh herbs and serve.

Devour.

Mussels in white wine with garlic & shallots / french bread

image courtesy of themarkethipster.com

*Part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

I suppose in retrospect this recipe isnt too dissimilar from the classic "moules marinieres", a french dish comprising mussels steamed in their shell with white wine, garlic and shallots. This recipe uses the sweet elements of vermouth to allow balance with the potential saltiness of the mussels.

You wlll need (serves 4):
3lbs of live mussels, de-bearded and cleaned of barnacles
4 large shallots finely diced
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
tbsp unsalted butter
100ml sweet vermouth, or even sweet cider
tsp fresh thyme finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
1/2 tsp fresh sage finely chopped
3 tbsp whipping or double cream
1 large french baguette

The doing bit:

In a large pan saute the onions, and garlic in a little oil until soft, on a moderate heat. add the mussels, butter and herbs, then put a lid on the pan and steam until the shells begin to open. Add the wine and put the lid back on until the mussels have fully opened. Finish with cream and cook without the lid for 30 seconds more.

Discard any mussels that do not open.

Tear a chink of bread, serve mussels into large bowls and devour.

Herb butter (for fish, white meats, sauces and vegetable dishes)

image courtesy of bitlessbridle.co.uk

Another one of the good larder ingredients, this butter provides a wonderful herb element whilst giving a moderate sweetness with the shallot presence. Perfect accompaniment and finishing tool for a variety of sauces, meats, fish, and vegetable dishes.

You will need:

250g salted butter softened
3 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped
1 tbsp sage finely chopped
1 tbsp rosemary finely chopped
1 tsp tarragon finely chopped
1 crushed clove of garlic,
1 shallot very finely chopped

The doing bit:

In a saucepan add a small amount of oil then add the shallots and garlic and cook gently until soft. Allow to cool.

Combine all ingredients and mix into uniform paste. Wrap in cling film and form into a sausage shape. Chill until required.

Bara Brith

image courtesy of fromthebrit.com

Another of my welsh favourites - Barabrith I suppose is more of a cake than a bread, or at least thats what it will lead you to believe when you eat it. This recipe gives rise to both elements and can be presented well as a bread or as something a little sweeter - ideal for elevenses and afternoon tea.

You will need..

12g of Dried yeast (2 tsp)
210ml of lukewarm milk
450g of Bread flour white
75g of Unsalted butter
5g of mixed spice 1 teaspoon heaped
Pinch of salt
50g of Light brown sugar
1 egg beaten
115g of Raisins
115g of Currants
Runney honey to glaze

The doing bit

Activate the yeast by heating the milk  to lukewarm and dissolving the yeast

Rub together the flour and butter

Add mixed spice, salt and light brown sugar

Mix these together

Add the yeast mix and the beaten egg

Make into smooth dough

Add the dried fruit and work the fruit into the dough

Line a bread tin with parchment; place the dough into the tin

Glaze with honey and allow proving for an hour in a warm place. I usually cover the tin with clingfilm to aid the proving.

Bake at 160 for 40 minutes or until knife test comes clean.

Best eaten warm, but if necessary allow to cool and serve appropriately.

Cider & Apple Bread

Image courtesy of healthandlife.in

This bread is perfect for the festive season, and provides that fruity sweetness that can be called for in a bread over the festive period. You'll find a number of uses for it, including a great accompaniment to hearty broths and stews, as well as great on its own of for a different twist on sandwiches. The one thins is it brilliant for is toast - and can give added dimension and pleasure with this comforting loaf.

15ml of sunflower oil
2 apples finely chopped
450g of strong white flour
Pinch of salt
tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
20g of easy blend yeast
80g of grated cheese
150ml of dry cider
150ml of warm water

Heat up the oil and sauté off the diced apples

Mix together the flour and salt, cinnamon and nutmeg

Stir in the yeast

Add the water and cider with half the cheese and the apples into the mix

Mix to a smooth dough

Knead for 5 minutes, make into two loaves, slash the tops and cover with the remaining cheese let the dough double in proving.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the hollow sound is given when tapping the bottom.

Soda bread

Image provided courtesy of bbc food

I love soda bread - it provides a means of making bread without yeast, whilst maintaining a buttery flavour by using buttermilk. I suppose soda bread is similar to alot of sourdough breads, which have been in use for over a thousand years. This recipe is simple and enjoyable, and can be prepared quickly. Best of all it is also quite cheap to produce :).

(Makes 1 loaf)
Ingredients

350G plain flour
1 level tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda
Heavy pinch of sea salt
300ml buttermilk


Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and fold in the sea salt

Pour in the buttermilk and mix into a smooth dough

Mould into a large round, place on a silicone mat

Score the top into four

Bake at about 180C until golden brown and sounds hollow


MTCYNYKSTYUA

Brioche

Image courtesy of wikipedia

Brioche is one of my favourite breads that provide a wonderfully buttery and sweet flavour which gives way for its use in desserts, as well as application for savoury dishes. I love brioche at breakfast time, as its a lovely conforting start to the day.

Ingredients

15g of quick yeast
70ml of warm milk
Pinch of salt
500g of plain flour
6 eggs
350g of butter, softened
30g of sugar

Fold together the yeast flour and sugar with salt
Add egg, (already beaten)
Mix together to stiff dough
Knead for 10 minutes
Add butter little by little until the dough is glossy
Prove for about one hour
Knock back (knead further); prove in fridge for four hours
Bake for 8 minutes for individual rolls or 40 minutes for large loaf

Blinis

Image provided courtesy of thefishsociety.co.uk

Blinis are a wonderful bread that are an excellent accompaniment to all kinds of dishes - they provide a hearty and sturdy texture, whilst remaining light enough to have with lots of other dishes. They go very well with small fish and meat dishes and also provide a good vehilve for vegetarian dishes such as mushroom fricasse and stroganoff. They can also be enjoyed on their own with butter much like muffins and cumpets, and whatever else you can put with them :)

Standard batch (makes about 12-15)

Ingredients

250g of plain flour
250g of Brown flour
3 Egg yolks
3 Egg whites
600ml of Milk
30g of Yeast

Mix the two flours together
Add a pinch of salt
Warm milk and the yeast, once active add the egg yolks
Then add to the flour mix
Leave to prove for two hours in a warm place (but not too warm)
Whisk up the egg whites until stiff
Fold into the mix

Cook on a medium heat in a blini pan, turning when one side becomes solid. once cooked allow to cool, and can be reheated for further enjoyment.

Flax Seed "Foccacia"

I found this recipe online whilst on the hunt for a low calorie, low carb, high fibre bread. On my mission for a healthier lifestyle and cutting carbs, I found that one thing I missed was bread. You know when you get that craving for toast, or just bread in general?

This recipe is wonderfully versatile and is a good vehicle for a variety of flavours. Recently I've taken to adding all kinds to it, inclusive of raspberries and fresh cranberries for a hit of antioxidants and vitamins. You can add pretty much whatever you like to it also, be it oats, seeds (sunflower or pumpkin work well), or even other berries. The bread is rustic in feel and appearance, so anything of that nature will add to its appeal. If you just fancy a herby flatbread feel free to add some of those more robust herbs, sage, rosemary, thyme etc. Go wild.

Here is the recipe, I usually add extra whole flax seed and possibly a handful of oats also.


Ingredients:
•2 cups flax seed meal
•1 Tablespoon baking powder
•1 teaspoon salt
•1-2 Tablespoons sugar equivalent from artificial sweetener
•5 beaten eggs
•1/2 cup water
•1/3 cup oil

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare pan (a 10X15 pan with sides works best) with oiled parchment paper or a silicone mat.

 1) Mix dry ingredients well -- a whisk works well.

 2) Add wet to dry, and combine well. Make sure there aren't obvious strings of egg white hanging out in the batter.

 3) Let batter set for 2 to 3 minutes to thicken up some (leave it too long and it gets past the point where it's easy to spread.)

 4) Pour batter onto pan. Because it's going to tend to mound in the middle, you'll get a more even thickness if you spread it away from the center somewhat, in roughly a rectangle an inch or two from the sides of the pan (you can go all the way to the edge, but it will be thinner).

 5) Bake for about 20 minutes, until it springs back when you touch the top and/or is visibly browning even more than flax already is.

 6) Cool and cut into whatever size slices you want. You don't need a sharp knife; I usually just cut it with a spatula.
 Nutritional Information: Each of 12 servings has less than a gram of effective carbohydrate (.7 grams to be exact) plus 5 grams fiber, 6 grams protein, and 185 calories.

Sage Butter

Image courtesy of anu's healthy kitchen

Another one of the good larder ingredients, this butter provides a wonderful herb element whilst giving a moderate sweetness with the shallot presence. Perfect accompaniment and finishing tool for a variety of sauces, meats, fish, and vegetable dishes.

You will need:

250g salted butter (soft)
4 large shallots (chopped very finely)
tsp brown sugar
10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped.

In a small pan sear the shallots then turn the heat down to very low, and stir occasionally. When the shallots begin to froth a little / release their sugar, add the brown sugar and continue to stir until the sugar has melted and the shallots are glazed. Allow to cool.

In a small bowl combine all ingredients with the shallot mix above until uniform. Wrap in cling film and form to a sausage shape, then chill until required.

Hollondaise

Image courtesy of forex online

Hollondaise is one of the sauces (despite being my favourite) that is incredibly useful and versatile, as its buttery texture gives rise to many options of the food world. It goes phenomenally well with fish, eggs, meats and vegetables, and can be used as a master sauce also for many other sauce variants.

This mixture makes a batch of about 3/4 portions. But can be chilled if leftovers occur and used as a very luxurious salad dressing.

You will need:

225g unsalted butter
2 egg yolks
juice of half a lemon
tbsp hot water
Pinch cayenne pepper
pinch of salt

The doing bit:

Melt the butter gently in a pan and leave to cool slightly. The butter will have seperated so we only need the oil section, the milk solids aren't required.

In a bain marie, blend the egg yolks to the water and whisk together until the egg yolks mix begins to expand. Remove bain from the heat and add clarified butter in a steady stream whilst whisking, until texture is uniform.

Add lemon juice and seasoning. Serve

Butternut squash & red pepper soup

With having half a butternut squash left over from this dish it seemed foolish to waste it, so I decided that I was going to make this wonderful soup that provides aromatic tones and sweetness - as well as a hearty small meal ideal for winter lunches or evening starters. We once had this on our xmas menu a while back, and never had any complaints or non empty bowls. I guess it went down well (he smiles).

You will need

1 red pepper (cut into 1cm pieces)
1/2 butternut squash (cut into same size as peppers)
250 ml milk
vegetable or chicken stock cube
pinch cinnamon
2 cloves
1 small red onion (top and root cut off and scored)
pinch nutmeg or mace
dash white wine
salt and pepper for seasoning.

Preparation

In a heavy bottomed pan on low heat, put in the pepper and the squash and the cinnamon. Add a little olive oil if youre worried about it sticking but i like to leave it out. Its up to you. Put the lid on the pan and keep it stirred every few minutes. we're aiming to get the most sweetness out of the squash and pepper so longer is better.

In a seperate pan add the milk, scored onion, nutmeg and cloves and bring to temperature on a low heat while the peppers and squash are fettling nicely.

When the squash has begun to soften (and turning to mush), keep stirring then add the white wine. Cook out for a few minutes, then add the milk infusion (strained) keep the onion though, and add it to the mix. Turn the heat up a little and allow our soup to come to a tempered simmer. add the stock cube (crumbled) and stir in, if the mix is a bit too tight feel free to add water - if it gets too thin it can always reduce and enhance flavour.

Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally, tasting each time. Season with salt and pepper where neccesary and blend.

Serve, and devour.

Pink fish poaching liquor / court bouillon substitute

This poaching liquor is ideal for poaching fish such as trout rainbow trout and salmon etc, providing an elegant base flavour and overtones to flavour and complement the fish perfectly. Its very easy to make and can be frozen in batches for later use if not intended for immediate use.

You will need:

1 Litre of water
1 star anise
1 lemon, quartered
1 handful fresh parsley, stalks included
pinch sea salt
5 black peppercorns
3 bay leaves

The doing bit:

Bring the water to the boil then add the ingredients and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then strain and use as required.

Lemon Butter (as an accompaniment)

There are all kinds of flavoured butters used in cooking to give a different element or dimension in flavour. This infusion uses elements that are versatile for many different applications, inclusive of fish, green vegetables, white meats such as chicken, turkey or even pork. It can also be used as an alternative means for butter sauce derivatives such as hollondaise where necessary. It can even be used as the base of a sauce such as bechamel when making the roux for said sauce. Used in this manner it makes dishes like lemon veloute alot deeper and developed in flavour.

You will need (makes about 8-10 portions depending on usage):

1 lemon, zested and juiced.
6 tarragon leaves.
Pinch of black pepper
250g salted butter (soft)

The doing bit:

Combine all ingredients above until the a uniform paste. Wrap in cling film in a sausage shape and chill until required. Use as a finishing tool for a variety of meat / vegetable dishes or as a sauce medium (mentioned above).

Spring onion and herb broth / pancetta & parmesan dumplings

Image courtesy of bbc good food.

This dish is perfect for springtime and will serve well as a hearty lunch or as a light evening meal. A complete meal in itself, will bring delight to the palate and satisfyingly filling, with herb inspired overtones providing a light yet fragrant dish.

You will need (serves 2):

For the broth

600ml Vegetable stock (boiling)
1 large clove garlic finely chopped
2 shallots, finely diced
1 bunch / 8 spring onions, very finely chopped
handful of mix of fresh parsley, tarragon, sage and basil, finely chopped
Teaspoon of arrowroot powder

For the dumplings:

6 Gyoza wrappers
4 slices pancetta, finely chopped
thumb sized piece of parmesan, finely grated
1/5 of the herb bouqet mentioned in the broth section
Thumbnail sized piece of butter.
1/4 tablespoon black pepper

The doing bit:

Make the dumplings first.

Mix the pepper, pancetta, parmesan, butter and herbs together in a small bowl.
Take a gyoza wrapper and add a teaspoon sized mixture of the above, and then close each wrapper and seal the edges with a little water. Set to one side.

For the broth, sautee in a saucepan the shallots until soft, add the spring onions until they turn bright green, then add the herbs and the stock. Bring to the boil.Wet down the arrowroot with a little cold water and work to a thin paste and add to the broth. Allow to cook for 2 minutes then the broth is ready to use.

In a large frying pan, add a little oil then sear the dumplings until coloured each side. Place lid on pan then turn off the heat, adding a little of the broth to the pan. Allow to stand for 2 minutes then serve in a large bowl with the broth.

Leek & potato soup (with gratin)

Leek and potato soup is probably one of the soups out there that everybody loves. From my perspective its easy to understand why - the gentle onion flavour of leeks provides a wonder element to alot of dishes and in soups is quite unmistakable.

Here in present a twist on the original favourite, leek and potato soup with a potato gratin on top. Its a good deal more hearty than a leek and potato soup, but when i made this for mothers day I wanted a two dimensional element - a nice crisp on top with a sturdy cheese flavour, complementing the leek and bacon soup underneath.

You will need:

(for the soup)
4 leeks, washed trimmed and copped into small(ish) pieces.
1 medium sized potato peeled and cut into 1cm dice.
250ml milk
2 rashers of smoked bacon (cut into 1/2cm pieces)
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper
250ml vegetable stock

For the gratin:
1 medium sized potato per serving, sliced very thinly (ideally on a mandolin)
mix of grated cheddar and parmesan

The doing bit:

In a large pan add a small amount of butter, heat till melted then add the bacon, potato and leeks on a moderate heat. Cover the pan and check every 3 minutes until the potatoes have coloured, and the leeks softened. At this point add the milk and nutmeg.  Bring to a simmer, then add the stock.Bring to a simmer once more until the potatoes have turned almost to mash. Remove from the heat and blend to a uniform consistency. Season where appropriate

For the gratin, sear each potato slice in a hot pan, then layer onto the soup in an ovenproof bowl overlapping until the soup is covered. Add the cheese and black pepper then put in a hot over (200C) until the soup is bubbling away, and the cheese has begun to do the same.

Devour.

Fondant Potatoes

Probably one of the most classic accompaniments to alot of main courses, the fondant potato, is held in high regard for alot of people. It's one of those dishes you can also use as a vehicle for many flavours (depending on what you're serving it with) and goes down a treat with alot of food, due to its universailty.

I put these alongside a roast shoulder of lamb for mothers day, and they went down very well.

Herein, i show you the standard way of making them - but will also suggest a variety of ways they can be tweaked where necessary. I make no promises however save one, - if you've not tried them before, you're going to love them.

You will need:

1 good sized potato per fondant potato (you can however make mini ones or large ones, the method remains the same)

Stock, of almost any variety. Usual practise is to use the stock of a meat or flavour you're serving it with.
Chicken stock, in its versatility however can be universal. If you have veal stock on hand, use that. Youll need enough to cover them when in the roasting tin.

Butter - as much or as little as you like. Bear in mind though that if there is no butter the term fondant becomes somewhat redundant. i usually go for approx 25-50g per fondant potato if making large ones. Yes you can use spread / margarine but we all know that its never the same.

A disc cutter the size of the fondant potato you want to make.

Any other seasonings / flavourings you want to incorporate. If serving with duck / game throw in a star anise or two. If serving with red meat add some mustard seeds and a good amount of crushed garlic and black pepper. Herbs are always welcome in fondant potato, and the more sturdy herbs such as rosemary, sage and thyme go with pretty much every meat. A few chopped onions and a clove never go amiss either.

The doing bit:

Wash and peel your potatoes, and discard the peel / feed to your rabbit / make crisps out of them. (I'll leave that up to you). Using your cutter cut out the fondant potato and trim accordingly. Usually i use a turning knife to trim the top into an even taper but if you wish to cut them top and bottom so they're flat, that can work also.

When your potatoes are cut out any trimmings you have set to one side for mash / other uses (dont waste them).  Heat up a large frying pan and add a small amount of oil and coat the pan until smoking hot. Sear the potatoes until coloured both sides then add to the roasting tin. Pour in the stock (preferrably hot) and the butter and any other seasonings, then cover the tray with greaseproof paper and tinfoil. Put in preheated oven to about 180C then check every half an hour to see if theyre ready by piercing with a blade in the center. If the knife goes in easily, remove from oven, and leave to cool. Extract from the stock, then keep the buttered stock to one side for a sauce or similar.

Theyre ready to eat - so reheat in oven where necessary. Oh, and lastly - enjoy.

Beer Batter (for fish etc)

A traditional element of the most famous British "fish and chips" is the beer batter. Strictly speaking its a variable as one person to the next in terms of preference and you can tweak it to your own requirements. This recipe uses elements that complement fish best, but is a good middle of the road medium for deep frying lots of other things.

The presence of custard powder here is threefold - not only will you get the added benefit of crisp from the cornflour content, but the powdered egg will also act as a colouring / raising agent. The vanilla flavour will also subtly complement the fish and bring out its sweetness.

Other additions include:

Using half lemonade / beer to bring out a lemon flavour of the fish

Usage of dried strong flavoured herbs such as thyme, tarragon, rosemary, basil or even marjoram will give a nice herby element to your batter.

You will need (makes enough for about 4 fishes)

225g/8oz self-raising flour
300ml fridge cold lager
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 tbsp custard powder.

The doing bit

Combine dry ingredients with wet gradually until a uniform mixture is reached.

Be sure to coat your fish first with a seasoned flour first before applying batter.

Parsnip & Chestnut Soup (Another winter warmer)

Image courtesy of mistress-of-spices.com

I made this some years back during the winter, thinking along the lines of something to complement parsnips and the mid range in flavour tones they have, which is not to dissimilar from vanilla. I had thought along the lines of honey or similar, but then it hit me - a can of chestnut puree eyed me suspiciously from the shelf and thus this hearty winter warmer was born.

It is a very filling, sweet and comforting soup. If you are a fan of parsnips and generally sweet vegetables this will be right up your alley. Posted at the request of Jaffacake - this recipe hits all the buttons for the budding soupmaker. It works on a number of levels and can be applicable to alot of vegetables such as carrot, sweet potato, butternut squash and even turnip or mooli radish.

Feel free to play around with the recipe a little - use of mellow spices such as turmeric and cumin can make this dish even more pleasurable.

You will need (makes a large batch of about 4-6 portions)

3 or 4 parsnips, cleaned and peeled into ribbons. Chopping them up works but will take alot longer.
Can of chestnut puree
500ml milk
250ml vegetable or chicken stock.
1 large onion diced finely.
Teaspoon of butter or margarine

Heat up a large pan, add the finely diced onion and the butter. Cover the pan and allow the onions to sweat and soften, then add the parsnips. Allow the parsnips to colour slightly then turn the heat down to low and cover the pan until the parsnips begin to break up. Add the milk and allow to come up to temperature, but not boil, When the parsnips have turned to a mash texture, add the chestnut puree then blend to a uniform texture.

Add the stock, bring to the boil then simmer for approx 20 minutes. Taste and season appropriately

Serve while piping hot, and add a spoonful of honey if feeling adventurous.

Classic Italian Tomato Sauce

image courtesy of www.grow-tomato-sauce.com

Surprisingly enough i hadnt gotten around to adding a tomato sauce recipe until now. How i had overlooked such a rudimentary sauce for my online food arsenal is beyond me - but fear not. Here it is.

Tomato sauce is one of those base sauces that has a number of applications from everything to pasta to parmesan and everything in between. You can also use it as a combination ingredients for other things too.

You will need:

3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 Onion, Diced to same proportions as the garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cans chopped Tomatoes or passata (passata will perform better and cook in less time)
glass red wine
1/2 tsp sea salt.
Handful Fresh Basil, Finely Chopped, If dried 1 Tbsp,
Handful Fresh Oregano, Finely Chopped, If dried 1 Tbsp,
2 Tbsp Tomato Puree,

The doing bit

In a pan heat up the olive oil and add the onions and cover the pan until the onions soften. Add the garlic and red wine and allow to cook for about 2 minutes.

Add the salt and allow liquid to reduce to a syrup consistency.

Add the tomatoes and herbs, bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer for about 5 minutes, Once mixture has simmered add tomato puree and stir in. Simmer for a further 5 mins then remove from heat.

Serve as necessary or cool and store.

Sauce Au Poivre (Peppercorn sauce)

Image courtesy of bigoven.com

I love peppercorn sauce - it goes well with alot of things and its meaty flavour helps accentuate most meats from chicken to veal and everything inbetween. Its a popular steak sauce and simple and quick to make, so i've included it here for those of you wishing to make it for your own culinary curiosity,

You will need:


2 knobs of butter
Finely chopped shallot
Half a handful of parsley finely chopped
Roughly ground black pepper and a 8-10 of peppercorns
Shot of brandy
Ladle of beef , lamb, chicken, or veal stock
Salt
2 tbsp. double cream

In a pan melt the butter and add the shallot. Cover the pan and allow to sweat on a moderate heat (but dont let the butter burn). When the shallot has softened add the peppercorns, and ground pepper. Cook for 3-4 mins still covered, then add the brandy. Flame until alcohol has burned off, then add the stock. Reduce by a third and taste. If more punch is required reduce until half of liquid has gone, then add the cream and parsley. Cook for a further minute then serve.

Broccoli & Stilton Soup

image courtesy of lovefoodhatewaste.com

A classic soup - this combines helathy broccoli with tasty Stilton in order to crate a hearty and welcome soup. Back in the day i used to make this virtually daily, and as such this recipe employs a few tips and tricks to bring out the flavour of this wonderful soup to new heights. You wont be disappointed.

 Posted here at the request of Josh Brown, may he long enjoy this recipe :)

You will need (makes about 4-6 portions)

1 pint bechamel sauce
250ml vegetable or chicken stock
100ml white wine or dry cider
1 head of brocolli (chopped into roughly 1cm pieces - stalk included)
100g stilton
tbsp butter

The doing bit

In a large saucepan, add the butter and heat until bubbling. add the chopped broccoli and cover the pan and allow the broccoli to sweat until it begins to soften. Add the stock, bring to the boil then simmer.When the broccoli is completely soft, blend.

In a separate pan add the wine and stilton and heat gently until the cheese melts into the wine and forms a uniform paste.Heat the bechamel separately and add the cheese mix to the bechamel.

Combine cheese / bechamel mix with the broccoli blend. Cook at a simmer for a further five minutes and season if necessary.

Serve piping hot.

Beetroot Soup (A winter warmer)

Ordinarily I wouldn't go out of my way to buy beetroot. Don't get me wrong its a wonderfully useful vegetable, full of nutrients etc - it just often slips my mind. That said its quite low in calorie and generally good for you.

The shopping trip last night yielded some beetroot from the reduced section at a price that couldn't be refused, and as a result i decided to reunite with an old love - beetroot soup. Its extremely colourful, quite filling and very warming. And for the most part its healthy too!

You will need:

4 fresh beetroot (smallish) peeled and chopped into 1cm pieces
Pinch nutmeg
Tbsp butter
1 white onion (large) chopped to the same proportions
250ml whole milk
2 cloves
1 litre vegetable or chicken stock.
(optional) handful of fresh coriander chopped

The doing bit:

In a pan add the milk, cloves and a pinch of nutmeg. Warm the milk through and allow to infuse but do not let it boil.

Put the butter into a pan and heat until melted and bubbling. Add the onion and beetroot - put the lid on the pan and allow to "sweat" until the onions become soft. Add the milk infusion and the stock. Bring to the boil then simmer until the beetroot pieces become soft. Add any optional herbs & blend, then season if necessary with salt and pepper.

Serve piping hot, with an optional dollop of cinnamon creme fraiche.

Yasai Yakitori (grilled japanese skewers with yakitori sauce)

In true tradition of most yakitori dishes, these yasai (vegetables) are in keeping with the tradition. They form a colourful and flavoursome side dise, and can fit in almost any setting, being as a starter, accompaniment to a main course, or a delightful finger food on buffets. They're also extremely easy to make. Did i happen to mention they're healthy also?

You will need:

1 courgette, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 thick spring onions, bulb only, cut in 1 inch chunks (sliced diagonally for aestheics)
1 orange or yellow pepper, trimmed, deseeded, and cut into 1 in chunks
6 button mushrooms
6 cherry tomatoes
Vegetable oil
salt and white pepper
2 tbsp yakitori sauce
6 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for about 2 hours

Thread 1 of each piece of vegetable on each skewer, the order doesn't matter so much, but for aesthetics and uniformity, remember your original configuration. Brush with vegetable oil and season with salt and white pepper.

Heat a heavy bottomed frying pan or griddle until smoking, then add the skewers turning frequently for 4-5 until golden brown.

Drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil. Brush with yakitori sauce and serve.

Devour.

Yakitori sauce

Yakitori is a slightly sweet, soy based sauce that is used for dipping or glazing meat, vegetables and fish. It's also very moreish :)

You will need

6 tablespoons of sake
180ml light soy sauce
6 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon caster sugar

The doing bit

Combine all the ingredients in a small pan and gently heat to dissolve sugar . Set aside to cool.

Ebi kuzu kiri sauce

This sauce is sharp and intense, and will serve well as a dipping sauce or as a finish aid. It uses clean citrus flavours balanced with rich oyster sauce. Ideal for use with seafood, fish, red meats and poultry.

You will need

2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
Juice of 3 lines
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce

The doing bit

Gently heat the sugar and fish sauce until the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool and combine with the oyster sauce and lime juice.

Cured Marinated Salmon Salad

image courtesy of marel.com

What I love about salads is they can be, in the right setting wonderfully satisfying and fulfilling. Although light and more often than not guilt free, they can be incredibly wholesome. This recipe is no exception to the rule, it provides clean and earthy flavours to create a wholesome balance, whilst at the same time giving a nice healthy balance to nutrition also. Using traditional oriental flavours, as well as fish that is rich in protein, vitamins and omega 3 oils, it provides a joy for all audiences. It can also be adapted for larger proportions should the need arise, without the guilt factor.

You will need (for the marinade)

1 teaspoon sugar
Zest and juice of one whole lime
1 garlic clove, crushed with a little salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tbsp light soy sauce

For the salad

2 pieces (roughly 75g) fresh salmon cut into thin slices (use trimmings for thrift)
150g beansprouts
75g cucumber, grated
1 red chilli, trimmed and very thinly sliced
3 sprigs flat leaf parsley, finely chopped.

The doing bit

Marinade:

Combine sugar and two tablespoons on the lime juice in a small bowl and stir until sugar has dissolved. Add garlic, sesame oil and soy sauce and stir until uniform. Take the salmon and marinade in 4 tablespoons of the marinade mixture, cover and allow to marinade for about 3 hours. Store the rest of the marinade for later use.

The rest:

Blanche the beansprouts in lightly salted boiling water for 10 second and refresh under cold water. Combine with the cucumber and chilli. Sprinkle with the remaining juice and flat leaf parsley. Serve the salmon slices on top or around the salad (its all down to preference). Garnish with a teaspoon of the remaining marinade and serve.

Chicken Gyoza

image courtesy of closetcooking.com

Another wonderful application for the glorious gyoza, chicken gyoza provides a wonderful snack for those who prefer white meats to seafood. As before they sit well in every setting, and are hearty enough to provide fulfillment in this filling snack.

You will need: (makes about 15)

50g chinese leaf
75g white cabbage
50g canned water chestnuts, drained
125g boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat, minced (can be food processed thigh meat)
15 g chives, finely chopped
25 g cornflour
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon caster sugar
pinch of salt & white pepper
15 gyoza wrappers
gyoza sauce (to serve)

put the chinese leaf, white cabbage and water chestnuts in a food processor and pulse until chopped. Using a tea towel, squeeze the mixture to remove excess moisture then combine in a bowl with the chicken, chives, cornflour, sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper.

Place a teaspoon of the mixture in each gyoza wrapper, moisten the edge with a little water and seal the edge by folding over the gyoza skin. Repeat as necessary.


Put a teaspoon of the mixture into the centre of each gyoza wrapper. Moisten the edge of each wrapper then fold over and press the edges. You can crimp the edges if you wish, but this is optional.

Sear the gyoza in a pan in a small amount of vegetable oil until starting to brown, then sear the other side, but be sure not to crowd the pan. no more than 4 or 5 at a time. Take the pan off the heat, add a few tablespoons of water to the pan and cover immediately. Return to the heat for one more minute then allow to rest for about 2 minutes.

Serve with gyoza sauce, sweet chilli, or another sauce of your choice.

Gyoza Sauce

Gyoza sauce provides a very useful and verstaile flavour base, that can be used not just for gyoza but in a variety of dishes. Although best served with gyoza or as a glaze or dipping sauce for meat, it goes phenomenally well with earthy vegetables also such as radishes etc - so we can see that the application for this sauce becomes diverse. With attitude and punch, its bound to go down a storm.

You will need (makes about 350ml)

1 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped finely
1 large red chilli (chopped to same proportions as the garlic)
Salt
25g sugar
100ml malt vinegar
250ml light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Crush the garlic and chilli together with the flat of a chefs knife, to form a paste. Heat up the vinegar and dissolve the sugar within over a low heat. Combine and store.

Will keep for several weeks chilled.

Ebi Gyoza (Prawn, sesame and soy sauce dumplings)

Image courtesy of closetcooking.com

Ebi gyoza are a fantastic party treat, and as with all gyoza they sit well with almost every setting. This recipe combines the use of earthy flavours such as soy and spinach, and overtones them with prawns to create a rather unique but loveable combination.

You will need: (makes about 15)

75g cooked and peeled prawns
70g canned water chestnuts, drained
1 spring onion trimmed
60g baby spinach leaves
5g cornflour
pinch of salt, sugar and white pepper
1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
15 gyoza wrappers

The doing bit

Combine prawns, water chestnuts and spring onions in a food processor and blitz to a uniform paste.
Wilt the spinach in boiling water, and be sure to drain well and squeeze out any excess moisture. Finely chop the spinach and mix into the prawn mixture along with all the dry ingredients, the sesame oil and oyster sauce. Mix well until a uniform paste is reached.

Put a teaspoon of the mixture into the centre of each gyoza wrapper. Moisten the edge of each wrapper then fold over and press the edges. You can crimp the edges if you wish, but this is optional.

Sear the gyoza in a pan in a small amount of vegetable oil until starting to brown, then sear the other side, but be sure not to crowd the pan. no more than 4 or 5 at a time. Take the pan off the heat, add a few tablespoons of water to the pan and cover immediately. Return to the heat for one more minute then allow to rest for about 2 minutes.

Serve with gyoza sauce, sweet chilli, or another sauce of your choice.

Gyoza (Cases)

Image courtesy of closetcooking.com

Gyoza are a wonderful side dish and are technically a type of dumpling. They can be pan fried or steamed and can have almost any filling. Usually served as a type of Japanese fast food, I first came across gyoza in the wagamama cookbook(which i'm currently working my way through, and continues to fascinate me). Although a favourite in Japan, gyoza are much like alot of Japanese fast food - which they have inherited from the Chinese styles of cooking. Regardless of their origin, they are a wonderful dish that are acceptable in many settings, including parties, functions and as an informal food for social occasions.

The focus in those recipes is to use prebought gyoza cases - this can be a major time saving factor, however if my research is anything to go by, gyoza are much better when home made. the comparison is made very much to manufactured vs. home made pasta - having a smooth and less papery texture.

This recipe is in volumed proportions (cups) so you can make as much or as little gyoza as you like. Bear in mind that using a standard "cup" measurement though this recipe will make about 40 gyoza cases. They can be chilled or frozen if stored correctly for later use, so consider it an investment to your larder.

Ingredients:

2 Cups of all purpose flour (strong bread flour will give a more doughy gyoza)
1/2 cup of boiling water
1/4 teaspoon salt

The doing bit:

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl with the salt and stir with chopsticks until well mixed. Add the water and stir together the dough until all the flour is mixed and forms a dough. When a uniform dough cover the mix with a damp cloth and leave to rest for about 45 mins to an hour.

Pull out dough and knead until a smooth consistency, then roll into a sausage / cylinder shape in cling film. At this point I usually use a greased sterile plastic pipe to form it and then pull out the dough.

using a sharp knife cut into 40 slices, then roll out each slice to a desired thickness, and use a 3 in pastry cutter to form the gyoza shape. Repeat as necessary.

Wrap the gyoza cases in cling film and store or freeze.

Use as necessary.