PAW's Recipe of the Month December 2013 -Braised Seasonal Beef

So we are now on the serious countdown. Of course you took my advice and wrote your plan for the Holiday period and you know exactly what you are doing. Foods that can and could be bought for the cupboard or deep freeze are now awaiting their turn for use.

So now time to think about the preparations. I like to have home cooked ready meals in the deep freeze so that not too much cooking and preparation has to be done over the period. Just finishing or reheating. Stews, Braised Dishes, Flans, Light Nibbles that can all be produced at the click of a finger. For Christmas Day I lock myself in the kitchen on Christmas Eve for about two hours and have no disturbances or diversions and just concentrate on getting all the preparations done for the Day. Veggies peeled, prepared and blanched, Potatoes par cooked and ready for roasting. Don’t forget, your meat can be cooked and removed from the oven up to two hours before it is needed. Cover with foil to retain the warmth and that will free up the oven for all the other things. Christmas Puddings can take a few minutes in the microwave and therefore do not need hours over a steamer. I like to serve Ice Cream with my Pudding. Starters should be light and flavorsome and not substantial. If you wish to serve Cheese choose just two contrasting ones a full selection of 4 – 8 is not necessary and only leads to waste.

My other coo was to have our gathering at 16.30 hours and eating about 17.00 – 17.30. This makes it into a late luncheon and early dinner party. The young can leave the table once the food has been eaten and the oldies can sit and talk the evening away. This means no morning rush – no evening meal- snacks to produce and better still a reduction in overeating. It can of course cause riots with some who traditionally eat at 13.00 hours but if warned well in advance they can compensate and prepare accordingly. You will also have the house to yourselves till your guests arrive. Enjoy the morning with the young and be much less stressed. It certainly has been a revolution in our household.

This month’s dish a little different can be frozen before adding the force meat balls and once defrosted add the force meat balls whilst reheating. 

Braised Seasonal Beef

700g Cubed Stewing Steak            25g Flour

1 Medium Onion – Chopped            S & P

¼ pt Port                                   ¼ pt Stock

4 Cloves

225g Sausage Meat                      50g Fresh Breadcrumbs

2 tbsp Parsley Chopped                 1 tbsp Redcurrant Jelly

1. Coat Beef with Flour shake off excess and put into a lidded oven proof dish. Add Onion and Cloves and Season. Pour on Port and stock to cover.
2. Put lid on and slowly braise in the oven for 3 hours or more till tender.
3. Mix together the Sausage Meat, Breadcrumbs and Parsley. With floured hands make into about 8 small balls.
4. About 40 mins before cooking is complete stir in the redcurrant Jelly. Add the force meat balls and cook uncovered until the balls are slightly golden. Skim off any surplus fat.

N.B. You can always use ready made bought stuffing balls if you wish.

PAW's Recipe of the Month November 2013 - Bread and Butter Pudding with Panettone

So we once again reach that time of year of the highest stress levels and angst. It is a time where Domestic Management and Planning is imperative and those that practice it are always the winners. The deep freeze can come into its own in a big way assuming there is space and it isn’t stacked to the gunnels with foods that have been there for years – just in case. When was the last time you dug to the bottom and found foods that really should not be there as they are freezer burnt, dried like a wrinkled prune and beyond recognition? Why not have a few weeks just using freezer foods and have an emptying period. You can then save money for the great Christmas Feed In.

Practically you can plan and make items for the holiday season as well as buying foods that can be frozen for use. Immediately I think of Gammon joints and other meats. Sausages, Bacon, Smoked Salmon all appear with special offers at some point.

I also prefer frozen sprouts as they are more cost effective against the fresh ones with the labour intensive process of peeling and wasting almost 50% of trimmings. Honey glazed Parsnips too can be cost effective for the Christmas Day Feast. I buy foil tins to line my roasting pans avoiding having to wash up and line all with baking parchment especially for roast potatoes.

It is also a great time to engage ‘little ones’ in baking Mince Pies, making Christmas Puddings and Cakes. Nibbles and Snacks can also be made or purchased for quick production – choose items that only take a few minutes in the oven from the freezer. For the adventurous, terrines and pates are also useful to have around. Fill an airtight container with meringues for a quick dessert. Plan and make edible Christmas decorations.

One very important bit of planning is to have little jobs for Christmas House guests so they too can join in and feel part of the family gathering. Don’t refuse an offer of help, especially important for senior aged visitors who are usually not used to being told to sit down and put their feet up!

I also stock up on Panettone for trifles and also Bread & Butter Pudding

Bread and Butter Pudding with Panettone

Adjust quantities according to numbers being catered for these quantities will serve about four.

Softened Butter                           Sliced Panettone of your choice (5 Slices)

2 Eggs                                          ¼ pint of Double cream

½ pt Milk                                      Splash of Vanilla

2ozs castor Sugar                        Marmalade (optional)

Spread softened butter onto Panettone also Marmalade if chosen. Cut into wedges and lay into a shallow oven proof dish overlapping slightly.

Whisk together the Eggs, Cream, Milk, Vanilla and Sugar (add a little Whisky or Brandy)

Pour over the Panettone. Bake in a medium oven until golden and the egg custard is just set.

Serve warm with Pouring Cream                                 

PAW's Recipe of the Month October 2013 -Braised Beef with Red Wine & Cranberry

This month I continue on the theme of attitudes and limitations. What we will eat and how much we are prepared to spend on food. I am reminded of a few years ago when I was treated to a Sunday Luncheon Roast, Poulet de Bresse (Bresse Chicken) was proudly presented onto the table. This much prized French Chicken retailed at a cool 29 Euros or the then equivalent of £26.00. By comparison a bag of Skinless Frozen Chicken Fillets, 6 in number retailed at £3.30 for six only the other day. I don't intend to debate this comparison but leave you to draw your own conclusions and attitudes.

We now slide into the Autumn Season when our eating habits turn to warming foods. I see with interest how roasting joints like topside, brisket and silverside are often on ‘special’. They are not the best joints for roasting but can be adequate. Ideally slow pot roasting is best suited especially if you prefer your beef ‘well done’. I would however venture to remind you that if you check the price and Kilo rate this meat often retails cheaper than braising steak or stewing steak, is leaner and can be cut up into slices or cubes for use in stews or braised recipes.

With consideration, thought and if you are being budget conscious, then do look at the retail weight charge per kilo and compare. My neighbour the other day found whole legs of NZ Lamb – frozen for £10.00. Nice slow roasting made a perfect Family Sunday Luncheon with all the usual trimmings. It could also have been boned out and marinated and then BBQ’d or roasted on a trivet and adequately provide enough meat for a family of 8 – 10 people. Now, that’s cost effective. Leftovers could be minced to make a Shepherd’s Pie or Moussaka for later in the week.

There are not really any new methods of cooking and most recipes are not new. The basics remain a firm foundation on which to build and tickle your palate. Being adventurous with ingredients can be rewarding and interesting. Remember – “If we're growing we're always going to be out of our comfort zone”

Braised Beef with Red Wine & Cranberry

1 kg of Braising Steaks (6 Steaks)            3 Onions – prepared and sliced

Red Wine                                              Stock Cubes

Grated Rind of a Large Orange and Juice    Flour for dusting      

3 tbsp Cranberry Sauce                           Oil

Dust the steaks in the flour. Pan fry until golden brown and place into an oven proof lidded dish

Now brown the onions, Do not burn them. Add the beef. Add the Orange Rind, Juice Wine and stock cubes. Top up with water to cover. Add Salt and Pepper. Return to oven dish. Cover and cook slowly in the oven about 140C Gas 4 for about 2 hours or more till Beef is tender. (Use the slow cooker if you prefer)

Then stir in the Cranberry Sauce – add Fresh Cranberries if you like. Check the Seasoning and serve.

Try a Crusted Potato and Parsnip Mash

PAW's Recipe of the Month September 2013 - Vegetable Baked Crumble

FM200

As a young trainee many moons ago I had a manager who always checked the restaurant bins at the end of the night. If it was more than half full he would go mental. Waste – he would say - we might just as well put the pound notes straight in the bin.

Have you ever given a financial value to the foods you throw away? I dare you to try – you will be horrified I am sure – not pennies but pounds.

Best before and Use by dates are guidelines. If stored correctly a few days past the dates then no harm should be done and if it looks ok and smells ok it probably is ok. Though remember some items like meat just need to have a wash under cold water.

Fresh food bought regularly and not stock piled is always best or freeze till ready to use. However leftovers are a crime. Measure ingredients carefully and get portions correct too. Try and only make enough for what is required negating waste. When there are leftovers be innovative. Can they be mixed with something to make a pie or added to pasta. Make a soup, or add to stews to bulk them up. One of my favourites is Roast Dinner Pie. All the leftovers go in and the gravy too, topped with a Crisp Pastry Crust.

If you cannot use it up then make it into something and freeze or bottle it.

Tomatoes can be made into a Sauce for Pastas. Basil with Garlic, Pine Nuts and Olive Oil into Pesto. Use stale Bread to make Breadcrumbs and mix with grated Cheese and keep in the freezer to sprinkle on Vegetables, Pasta or Soups to add texture and flavour. Left over vegetables can be added to a risotto, pasta or stir-fried rice. Cream Cheese can be used to make a sauce for Chicken or Fish. With a few Eggs you can make a Quiche or a Frittata. Some Butter and Flour makes Pastry for a Pie Crust or even a Savoury Crumble topping if you leave out the Sugar and maybe add some Grated Cheese, Cayenne Pepper and or Rolled Oats. If really stuck go to Google search or U Tube add the ingredients you have and see what pops up. JUST DON’T THROW IT OUT UNLESS REALLY NECESSARY AND COULD IT GO ON THE COMPOST HEAP. Stock is always useful but can be bulky reduce it to concentrate it and then freeze.

Vegetable Baked Crumble

65g cold butter, diced

160g plain flour

100g Cheddar (or vegetarian alternative), grated

1 tbsp olive oil 

2 tbsp very lazy garlic

1 tsp very lazy chilli

1 litre passata or tinned tomatoes

500g mixed vegetables, roughly chopped (courgettes, baby corn, red peppers, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, green beans, carrots etc)

400g can butter beans in water, drained and rinsed

1.    Rub the Butter and Flour together and stir in the grated Cheese

2.    Lightly fry the Garlic and Chilli together and add the vegetables and passata

3.    Cook for about 5 – 10 minutes to soften and then place on an ovenproof dish

4.   Top with the crumble and Bake in a hot oven until golden brown about 45 minutes

PAW's Recipe of the Month August 2013 - Using your Stick Blender or Small Food Processor

FM199

I could express a growing concern for the apparent readiness there is for the prescribing of drugs and would confess to personal experience of some of the side effects.

There is disregard for foods that are grown around the world and their therapeutic qualities from which no profit can be made. I recently had cause to spend a weekend researching and found some interesting foods and would urge you to also look on the internet or local library.

Quinoa.

One of the best reasons to enjoy quinoa is because it has a high-protein content, which makes it a great cholesterol-free and low-fat source of protein for vegetarians and vegans

Butternut Squash:
Low in fat, butternut squash delivers an ample dose of dietary fibre, making it an exceptionally heart-friendly choice. It provides significant amounts of potassium, important for bone health, and vitamin B6, essential for the proper functioning of both the nervous and immune systems.

Sweet Potato

There are a surprising number of nutrient categories responsible for the health benefits of this underappreciated tuber. Among these categories are antioxidants, anti-inflammatory nutrients, and blood sugar-regulating nutrients. Each category brings with it valuable health benefits.

Bananas

Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since the average banana contains a whopping 467 mg of potassium and only 1 mg of sodium, a banana a day may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis.

Using your Stick Blender or Small Food Processor

How easy it is to create a Dip or Thick Sauce to accompany Crisps, Crudités, Bread Sticks.

Houmous – Combine Chick Peas, Clove of Garlic, Lemon Juice, Mayonnaise (Cumin Optional)

Guacamole – Combine Ripe Avocado, Mayonnaise, Worcestershire Sauce, Clove of Garlic

Blue Cheese  - Combine grated Blue Cheese and Mayonnaise

Sweetcorn and Cheddar – Mix together Mayonnaise, Grated Cheddar and Sweet corn Relish.

Minted Mayo – Combine Mint Jelly and Mayonnaise or use Fresh Mint or even Mint Sauce

Garlic Dip – Cloves of Garlic with Mayonnaise

Use Cream Cheese,  Mascarpone,  Crème Fraiche or Thick Greek Yoghurt instead of Mayonnaise.

Of course these can be served as a Salsa or accompaniment to BBQ’d Foods or Grilled Foods adjust Seasonings to suit your palate and experiment with other ingredients – ENJOY !

PAW's Recipe of the Month July 2013 -Roasted Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash

FM198

I have always advocated two types of shopping trips – the quick I am in a hurry type and then the cruising shelves one finding new and useful inspiring ingredients and labour saving convenience foods. I have now added a new chapter to this necessary excursion that of price comparisons and what and adventure this has proved to be. We all have our little preferences – likes, dislikes. That aside we are being more cost effective and conscious in one way or another. Are you the grab a pack of what you want and do not hesitate to explore the choices and price variations. Is that bargain? a real saving or just a lost leader to get you to buy more. I do recommend a list of what is wanted after planning your feeding regime whether it be for a week or just a few days and also quantities need to be monitored carefully to avoid wastage.

Some of us do have choices of shops whether they be local or a car ride to a supermarket the choice is yours – but do you look at the prices in real terms. By this I mean how much per kilo or even more confusing per 100g or 200g.

Let me illustrate my recent supermarket visit.

Red Onions pack of 3 for 90p equivalent at £3.60 per Kilo. Loose they are 90p per Kilo

Cooking Onions – Bag x 1Kg = £1.00 per Kilo – loose at 80p per kilo

Carrots – 1 Bag x 1 kilo = £1.53 – loose at 80p per Kilo

Leeks 1 pkt of 3 at £4.00 per Kilo – loose £2.50 per Kilo

Sausages.  Vary enormously around £4.65 per Kilo upwards. Sainsburys are doing a very nice line of Rileys chipolatas x 10 at a £1.00 per Pack = £2.94 per Kilo

Cheese – Cheddar oh boy now there is a minefield of choices varying from a deal at £3.00 a Kilo or £14.80 per Kilo

Meat also features in this conundrum. A Cheap Roasting Joint like Silverside or Top Rump even on offer at £5.40 per Kilo, diced or sliced can be used for Braising or Stewing and beat Braising, Stewing Beef at £7.00 - £10.00 per Kilo.

So please don’t just grab a packet or an item, take a breath and look at the variation of prices you will be surprised. A special offer is not always the best deal. My favourite one is buying Aubergines at £1.00 each against £49p each at another Supermarket or per Kilo at my local Ethnic shop.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash

This month I thought a no effort at all recipe. Wash both the Sweet Potatoes and Butternut Squash. (Do not bother peeling). Chop up into chunks (de seed the Squash)

Toss in Oil of your choice and place into an oven proof dish. Add a Couple of Garlic bulbs sliced horizontally and also drizzled with Oil. Put in a hot oven to roast for about an hour.

Halfway through cooking add a roughly chopped Orange. Turn all over together carefully and continue to roast. This does not have to be served hot warm is fine. You can drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar or a Vinaigrette and use as a Salad maybe with some Rocket Leaves or add chopped herbs from the garden. Great with foods off the BBQ.

PAW's Recipe of the Month June 2013 - Marinated Asian Style Salmon Fillet

The Art of Entertaining Catering, Book-Keeping, Office Services,  Social Media Management -  Projects and Man Friday

Web: www.paulwenham.com                   www.facebook.com/ArtofEntertaining              Twitter: pawjh2000

FM197

Has there ever been such a time – I think not. One has only to be aware of the 60^th Year Coronation Celebrations and pictures to realise that so much has changed over the years since that time. The equipment used to broadcast such a great event and the equipment available to receive it has changed so much. Could anyone have imagined that a communication facility would be in the palm of your hand, instead of at the bottom of the road as well as an infinite amount of information negating a visit to the bookshelf bank of Encyclopaedia Britannica or local Library? Indeed so many changes in such a relatively short space of time. Mail that took days or weeks in transit now has been superseded by email or even faster the ‘text message’. Re thinking and adapting to all these changes and the bombardment of information constantly, is often very hard to grasp and many of us become quite numb to it all or bury our heads in the sand and ignore it. A job now is not for life. I heard only the other day that people now employed will be doing jobs in ten years time that don’t even exist yet. Change is happening like it or not. You may object to it but it is inevitable so brace yourself and embrace it or pay the consequence for letting it pass you by. At some point you will have to catch up and surely little by little is easier. We DO manage to do what we really want. Recording a TV programme or setting up the electrical programme on the cooker in the kitchen. Remote Controls, Computers and the Internet – and the young people with gadgets attached to their ears in what seems to be 24 hours a day. This is a new and vibrant form of communication with so many more facets than ever before.

Why do I mention this in connection with Food? Very simply, all of this has affected how we buy our food - the ingredients, their availability, the recipes we choose, the ethnicity of the foods we eat, the health factors and our attitudes to food too. 

Don’t be a humbug, embrace it all and continue to learn and keep your mind active and sharp. Ask the young to help if needs be or go to the local library and have lessons.

There is no shame in admitting that you don’t know or understand. Slowly does it.

For myself reinventing what I do and embracing Accountancy and Social Media Management has been and continues to be an interesting excursion as well as re invigorating my interest in researching new recipes and foods, embracing all these new technologies and their uses.   

Marinated Asian Style Salmon Fillet

100g Tamarind Paste                   

2 Stalks of Lemon Grass sliced thinly

1 small Red Chilli seeded and chopped

1 knob of Fresh Ginger grated

3 tbsp Honey 

1 Small Bunch of Fresh Mint chopped

Mix all together. Place a 700g Fillet of Salmon on a piece of Oiled Foil and spread the paste over. BBQ or Bake in a hot open for about 10 mins till cooked.

Sprinkle with chopped Coriander. Spare marinade may be used as a dipping sauce.

PAW's Recipe of the Month May 2013 - Creamed Fish Curry – In the Microwave

www.paulwenham.com            www.facebook.com/ArtofEntertaining

FM196

How are you coping with this super and fast ‘Instant Age?’ If it wasn’t enough raping us with Instant Coffee, Instant Tea and Fast Instant Food our every day existence has been invaded too. Whether you are coping or ignoring it, things will never be the same again. Few of the younger generation have any interest in the phone that was down the road, when now it is in the palm of their hand or entertainment on a box in the front room, when any amusement is instantly at their fingertips. Communication instant – no need for snail mail or a telegram – think and send a message in an Instant.

Like the pioneers of yesteryear we need to embrace change and draw our own conclusions on whether we like it or not. Certainly don’t be influenced by others opinions or narrow mindedness you never know, you might just like it. As with trying new foods draw intelligent and concise opinions on whether something suits you or not. As they say ‘Try everything once – If you like it, you can do it again and if you don’t, you can talk about it with authority’

I am often advising people of my two types of food shopping. The quick I am in a hurry type with shopping list. The second, the cruise looking at the shelves top to bottom and finding new and innovative things to create the next culinary delight or short cut. In the same way the Internet and Technology can be of great help. Just ask and the answer is there somewhere – either anybody will do or a website. Mine: www.paulwenham.com.  See me on Facebook – Art of Entertaining. If you see the page and click ‘Like’ you will get my updates automatically.

Creamed Fish Curry – In the Microwave

50g Desiccated Coconut                          1 Bay Leaf

300ml Milk                                 

625g White Firm Skinless Fish Fillets    4 Teaspoons Corn Flour

2 tbspn Oil                                                  1 Onion finely chopped

2-3 tsp Curry Powder                                1 – 2 tbsp Fruit Chutney or Pickle

Lemon Juice a little                                    Peeled Prawns - optional

Put the Milk, Coconut and Bay leaf in a bowl and heat uncovered HIGH for 2 -3 Minutes to nearly boiling. Leave to stand and infuse, then strain.

Cut Fish into chunks and toss in flour

Put Onion, Oil and Curry Powder in a bowl cover loosely and cook on HIGH for 4 -5 minutes.

Add Fish and Infused Milk – stir gently – cover loosely and cook on HIGH 7 – 9 minutes

Add Chutney and Lemon Juice – and Prawns – check taste and cook for HIGH for 1 more minute to heat through.

Serve with Steamed Rice and a Nice Crunchy Salad

How Instant is that ????