PAW's Recipe of the Month September 2015 - Fruit Crumbles

It is interesting and maybe inspiring, answering quandaries and questions or just adventuring ideas about food and its creation. Though there is very little that is new and that has not been done before. As we progress and hear that over stretched expression ‘Think Outside the Box’ now has a very apt response ‘There is NO Box’ only the one that you chose to sit in – so it is self inflicted as are our food prejudices, likes and dislikes.

An elderly friend loves good perceived ‘old fashioned’ puddings like Rhubarb Crumble. Cooking for one is no real joy and the ready made crumbles at the supermarkets lack quantities of fruit and provide little satisfaction. My result – a tin of Stewed Rhubarb put into an oven proof dish and topped with a packet of ready made crumble. No more effort than heating a ready bought one but far more satisfying.

As autumn approaches, we see tress filled with fruits and hedge rows brimming with berries. The thrifty of course will prepare and freeze quantities but if you have a couple of pounds then a crumble of some sort is always a joy.

The packets of crumble ready mix can be very useful for the store cupboard and can always be spiced up with a little cinnamon or mixed spice.

Other adventures could be some crushed Hob Nob Biscuits mixed with some Roasted nuts of your choice and sprinkled onto your chosen fruit and quickly toasted under a grill until golden and then served. You could of course use a combination of Digestive and Hob Nobs.

Alternatively lay whole Hob Nobs overlapping them on top of the fruit – sprinkle with Demerara Sugar and toast under the grill until the sugar has melted and caramelised. (Do make sure that the Sugar is fresh and moist and not dried out) 

Cornflake Crumble

Rub together 2oz of Flour and 2oz of Cold Butter (cubed) to breadcrumbs.

Add 8ozs of Cornflakes (you could use Frosties) and a little sugar to taste.

Sprinkle over your chosen prepared fruit and bake in a hot oven until golden brown and the fruit is bubbling underneath.

PAW's Recipe of the Month August 2015 - Tomato, Basil and Goats Cheese Loaf

I don’t know about you but I am sure we have all been through a bread making phase at some point in time. Whether having been given or bought a Bread Maker or beaten up a portion of dough by hand. A great thing to do in the holidays with the young but I guess time consuming and as many say – fresh baked bread doesn’t last very long and gets eaten far too quickly especially by the ‘maker’

Of course another factor is the ingredients and the mystery of yeast – the dilemma of fresh or dried – normal of fast acting. Like most things practice makes perfect and you can find your own preferences. However if you don’t do it you won’t get that opportunity.

If you do bake, then of course Soda Bread is a good way of not having to deal with yeast. Soda Bread is really best on the day of baking and does not do well if not eaten till the next day.

When it comes to Al Fresco and BBQ’s depending on your ingredients when torpedo rolls or buns are required a good bread to accompany meats and fish can always be appreciated. I recently found the range of Frozen to Oven Bake at Iceland – reasonably priced good quality artisan breads ready to bake and serve.

On the other hand explore a range of breads that can be made quite easily and quickly with no fuss and are scrumptious.

Tomato Basil and Goats Cheese Loaf

4ozs butter

11ozs Self Raising Flour

 ½ tsp Salt

6ozs Goats Cheese or feta – flaked or grated

6ozs Firm Cherry Tomatoes – (halved)

15g Basil

3 1/2 ozs Milk

3 Eggs

Mix Fat and Flour (Rub together) and add 2/3 of the Cheese and Tomatoes. Tear in the Basil

Mix Egg and Milk add and mix.

Place into a lined loaf tin and top with remaining Cheese

Bake in Oven at 180C Gas 4 for 45 – 50 minutes

Check that the centre is cooked with a skewer.

Cool and slice

PAW's Recipe of the Month July 2015 - Chicken with Lavender (4 Chicken Breast)

I suspect Al fresco dining and the use of the garden or picnicking is now prevalent with the present rather splendid weather. Of course with hormone levels running high the BBQ comes into its own and the never ending debate of the merits of Charcoal or Gas. I am not going down this path at all. One of my greatest investments over the years had been a portable gas stove. Applications to date have include a cooked breakfast with fresh coffee watching the sun rise over Stonehenge. Tea/Coffee - Burgers/Hot Dogs in Hyde Park for 30 and the impromptu griddled meats and fish in the garden.

You will need a griddle plate too. A camping kettle is also useful for boiling water

I did actually invest in a two ring camping stove for the garden a little more sophisticated but the principle is the same and works a treat. One time I actually cooked a large Gammon Joint in a saucepan on it – really efficient – I got a second one recently from Argos but note they are on Sale in many places.

Whether you choose to BBQ or griddle marinating meats and anything else you care to cook gives so many new flavours and also breaks down textures. Use Herbs, Seasonings, something acidic like citrus fruit juices – alcohol/wine. A little Oil. Plastic Food bags are ideal for turning and full coverage – they also easily stored in the fridge unlike bulky containers or boxes.

Chicken with Lavender (4 Chicken Breast)

Marinade

6 Fresh Lavender Flowers

2 tsp finely grated Orange Zest

2 Garlic Cloves – crushed

2 tsp Clear Honey

2 tbsp Olive Oil

2 tsp Thyme – chopped

2 tsp Marjoram – chopped

1. Strip flowers from stems. Combine all ingredients together.
2. Slash the Chicken deeply and spread the marinade over the Chicken. Leave for about 20 minutes or more.
3. Cook Chicken over e medium BBQ or under a Grill basting with Marinade and turning once until cooked through.
4. Serve with Salads of your Choice

PAW's Recipe of the Month June 2015 - Yoghurt and Honey Cheesecake

As we continue to strive to feed the ever hungry mouths that we feed and also having to keep their palates tickled with new flavours and interests, save but for sinking to the ‘same old’ I thought I’d mention this tiresome dilemma. Left-over’s in the fridge - and not quite enough to go around. I am often trying to see what I can use up successfully and prevent it being condemned to the bin.

A ratatouille leftover the other night was extended with the addition of some cut up cooked sausages, crispy bacon bits some extra Tomato Sauce(Ketchup) and Penne Pasta. New Potatoes take on a new dimension when tossed with Pesto – green or red or roasted and tossed in a little Marmite. Cream Cheese can often be used instead of Cream to make a Sauce for Grilled Meats or Pasta. Add some Grain Mustard/ Honey or Pesto.

A few leaves and a Salad. How about sliced mushrooms (uncooked) – Feta Cheese –cubed. Fresh Beetroot grated. A carrot – grated. Apples. You could even blanch some vegetables like Kenya Beans or even open a tin of pulses like Flageolets or Cannelli. I like to mix them with a tin of Tuna – Spring Onions/Cucumber/Avocado/Tomatoes.

The store cupboard of course can be a cornucopia of inspiration. Tinned chopped Tomatoes, Packets of Stuffing Mixes, Pulses Dried and Tinned, Soups particularly like Mushroom, Tomato and Bisque. Sometimes a mix can help like a Pizza Mix or Crumble topping for speed. Breadcrumbs can also inspire either for toppings or coating. Great for croquettes or cakes such as fish cakes or ham cakes. Cold rice can be turned in to arancini. Instant Potato or Ground Rice for thickening can add texture and bulk.

For a quick dessert

Yoghurt and Honey Cheesecake

1 Flan ring – about 6 -7 inch round

Cream together – 175g Cream Cheese and 150g Natural Low fat Yoghurt

Add 1 tsp Vanilla Essence – 2 Tbsp Thick Honey – 2 tsps of Lemon Juice

Make sure they are all blended thoroughly.

Put into flan case – top with berries of your choice or a mixture and chill.

PAW's Recipe of the Month May 2015 - Chicken with Riesling

There is a joy visiting or entertaining friend’s especially in spring. An incentive of removing the shadows of winter and an opportunity to catch up and put on the thinking cap for new culinary adventures or perhaps to refresh and prepare some old favourites.

Our thoughts often drift onto lighter foods at this time of year as salad produce becomes more prolific and maybe temptations to brush down and clean the BBQ for a rather brave venture into the open air even if a little chilly – the sunshine is calling indeed.

Flavoursome foods with economical advantages are always top of the list of course if you are budget conscious or can buy in bulk for the freezer when special offers are available. The Bank Holidays are certainly a keen time to keep your eyes peeled. I have mentioned before that sometimes a cheap roasting joint of beef can prove to be cheaper to dice up for a stew or casserole than buying prime braising/stewing meat (Top Rump Joint at £5.00 per kilo or Legs of NZ Lamb at £5.00 a kilo for a Sunday Roast)

My choice, this month Chicken Thighs. You choose skin on of off – though I think with skin gives a slightly better flavour and of course prepared a day in advance also enhances the flavour. So to a twist to the traditional Coq au Vin.

Chicken with Riesling (4)

Knob of Butter

Olive Oil

Two Leeks – trimmed and chopped

1 Onion – peeled and chopped

125g Bacon or Pancetta – chopped

2 Garlic cloves – chopped

8 Chicken Thighs

250g Chestnut Mushrooms – sliced

1 Bottle Riesling

250ml Double Cream or Cream Cheese

S & P – Parsley chopped to garnish.

1. Melt a little butter and Oil in a Pan. Fry Thighs till golden on both sides and place into a pan. Add Bacon/Pancetta and cook till golden and crispy. Remove and add to Chicken.
2. Next add Leeks to pan and sweat with Garlic without colour. Pour in Riesling and boil – pour over Chicken – add Mushrooms. Then simmer gently for about 30 – 45 minutes.
3. Lift Chicken out onto a serving dish – boil liquid to reduce and thicken then add Cream - boil. Pour over Chicken on serving dish and garnish with the Parsley.
4. Serve with Noodles or New Season Potatoes and a Green Crispy Salad.

PAW's Recipe of the Month April 2015 - Thai Style Spicy Chicken

So we now enter that no man’s time of not Winter but not quite Summer. Do we abandon cuddly food in favour of lighter, fresher delicacies or do we hang on still. These warm days that turn quite chilly in the evening. The open blue skies leave the warm air to be sucked out. Oh and if you are a gardener this is when what is known as an aerial frost occurs to tender new shoots. The cold/ chill is sucked out of the ground and frost burns those little fragile shoots.

So perhaps simple interesting cooking is in order nothing complicated and of course little washing up – so back to one pot cooking.

Now this is based on the first practice that of marinating so here goes:

Thai Style Spicy Chicken

Mix together:

3 Spoons of Thai Red Curry Paste (less if you don’t want it too spicy)

150ml Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

2 Garlic Cloves – crushed

Have 6 Chicken Legs – place into a plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Leave in the fridge overnight – or for equivalent timing about 3 – 6 hours

Then into an oven proof dish add cubed pumpkin or squash and quartered / peeled red onions. (add other Mediterranean style vegetables if you wish)

Put Chicken on top and pour over the marinade. Scatter a handful of capers on the top.

Roast in a pre heated oven 9 180C – Gas 7 for about 1 hour and 15 mins. Turn the contents over from time to time so the marinade is distributed. Once cooked serve with a crunchy green salad.

PAW's Recipe of the Month March 2015 - Gnocchi Bake

One of my favourite standbys whether homemade, freshly bought or store cupboard variety is something that it appears so many do not know anything about. I refer to the other type of pasta – that of Gnocchi, an Italian type of dumpling, originally know as gnocchi di pane literally meaning bread lumps. These days it can be made of Potato (Gnocchi Piedmontaise), Semolina (Gnocchi Romaine) or Flour (Gnocchi Parisienne)

The Italians have numerous varieties and vary across all the regions adding local ingredients customising them to their own dishes.

You can of course seek a recipe to make then yourself but the Potato ones are more readily available in the supermarkets. Fresh - in the refrigerated areas, where the Pasta is. Dry - for long term storage, with the dried Pasta usually on the upper shelves. So what applications are there?

Well you can blanch them and apply any of the usual Pasta Sauces from a simple melted Butter with Crushed Garlic or/ and Fresh Sage to Bolognaise and anything in between. How about some melted Blue Cheese or Brie. I also add them to a Stew or Casserole towards the end of cooking to add interest and bulk. Be sure to Blanch first in boiling water and careful not to overcook. They can be a very useful alternative to conventional Potato and with a sauce added can accompany grilled foods. So do take a look at the Supermarket and have an adventure with them.

Gnocchi Bake

500g Gnocchi – Blanched in boiling water and drained

Sliced Chorizo (spicey if preferred) – pan fried till sizzling

1 Crushed Clove of Garlic – softened in a pan add Fresh Spinach Leaves and wilt them

Add a can of Chopped Tomatoes and Season

Mix altogether and place into an oven proof dish.

Top with sliced Mozzarella ( or other Cheese)

Bake in a hot oven till bubbling and golden

Serve with Rocket and Baby Tomato Salad dressed with olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar 

Art of Entertaining