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‘Dinner Menu’ Category

  1. Cocido de Puerco

    December 20, 2005 by Lisa


    Very simple, very cheap Mexican stew. A family favourite. Serves 4 or more.

    Ingredients:

    • shoulder of pork (you can also use a large hamhock, ‘though, of course it will be considerably saltier and won’t take as long to cook)
    • 3 or 4 large potatoes quartered
    • half of a large head of white cabbage, quartered
    • 3 large carrots cut into large chunks
    • 4 small ears of corn (as in, 4 half ears)
    • generous amounts of cumin, oregano (about 2 tablespoons or more of each)
    • salt, pepper, fresh coriander and slices of lime for garnish

    Brown the pork in oil in a large pot on the stove. Cover with water, add the cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cook at a low heat for 2 to 2.5 hours, adding water if needed. When the meat is tender and separates easily, add the potatoes, cabbage and carrots and cook until tender (about 20 minutes). Add the corn for the last 5 or 10 minutes.

    And that’s it. Serve with fresh coriander and lime, tortillas and mexican style rice.

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  2. Classic Meatloaf

    October 30, 2005 by Lisa

    Yeah, OK – meatloaf is stupidly easy, but I’ve messed it up in the past by not using enough meat (yes, really) or crackers. Consider this my personal aide memoire.

    Ingredients:

    • 800g pack of mince
    • 2 whole eggs
    • 1/2 chopped onion or 3 chopped shallots
    • 10 Jacobs crackers, crushed finely
    • salt, pepper and any other spices deemed appropriate. Oregano or rosemary next time, perhaps?

    For the top:

    Heat in a small saucepan:

    • 1/2 cup ketchup
    • good squeeze of American mustard or 1 tsp powdered mustard
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • dash of worchester sauce

    Mix the meatloaf ingredients well and press into a loafpan. Cover the top with the sauce and place in a 175 degree oven for about an hour. Must be served with mash and brown gravy and the leftovers chilled and sliced for sandwiches. There’s no point if you don’t make enough for sandwiches the next day!

    This version makes 3 suppers and 3 sandwiches. Sandwiches should be served on thick white bloomer with mayonnaise. All vitally important. 🙂

    I saw another recipe that used sausage as well, which could be rather nice. Will try this next time.

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  3. Southern Stir Fry

    October 7, 2005 by Lisa

    I haven’t enjoyed a meal like this in ages. This is a fairly traditional southern US meal. It’s actually cooked in 2 skillets, both with lids! This served three to bursting, though I think I’d double the juice and cornstarch next time for more sauce.

    • 2 large baking potatoes chopped into cubes
    • 1 head of baby cabbage, sliced thinly
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 2 rashers of bacon, chopped
    • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 1 cooking apple, sliced thinly
    • 1 cup apple juice (or mixed apple and orange or whatever – I only had ‘exotic’ – it was lovely)
    • 1 tablespoon malt or apple vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • Salt and pepper

    Cook half the chopped onion and bacon in a few tablespoons of oil in a hot skillet until soft and browned. Add the potatoes and cabbage, reduce heat and cook for around 30 to 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Season to taste (though a good generous few twists of freshly ground pepper is highly recommended).

    In the other skillet, cook the other half of the chopped onion and apple in oil. Once the onion is browned, remove onion and apple to a bowl and add the chicken breasts and a couple more spoonfuls of oil and cook about 4 minutes until brown on each side. Add the applejuice and vinegar and reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook about 10 minutes until cooked through.

    Remove the chicken to a plate. Mix the cornstarch and a tablespoon of cold juice until smooth. Add to the hot juice and cook until thick. Add reserved onion and apple slices and heat through. Serve on top of the chicken breasts.

    Sauteed or boiled spinach or greens would be the thing in, say Tennessee, but a green salad was lovely as well.

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  4. Lime and Basil Chicken

    September 19, 2005 by Lisa

    This was quite nice. A bit summery for a coldish September day, maybe. I served it with sauted cabbage and basmati rice.

    Ingredients:

    • 4 chicken breasts
    • 1/4 cup lime juice
    • 1/3 cup white wine
    • Couple tablespoons chopped fresh basil
    • 1/2 pint cream
    • 2 tablespoons flour
    • butter or oil for cooking the chicken

    Brown the chicken breasts in the butter or oil – 3 or 4 minutes a side. Put aside. Add wine and lime juice to the pan, scrapping the bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil and add the chopped basil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the chicken breast back to the pan. Cook about 20 minutes. Remove to a plate. Stir the flour into the cream and add to the liquid in the pan. Cook slowly until thickened. Pour over the chicken breasts and garnish with fresh basil.

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  5. Sticky Chicken Wings

    July 9, 2005 by Lisa

    You know those times when you make a sauce and kind of change it everytime? Trying new combinations, quantities, whatever? Sometimes it works better than other times. This was a nice simple version of sticky sweet and spicy chicken wings that I now use exclusively.

    Sauce:

    • 1/4 cup ketchup
    • 3-4 tablespoons clear honey
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon Worchester sauce
    • Tabasco – some amount

    Cook over a low heat for 5 – 10 minutes.

    Oven cook the wings at 225C in a bit of olive oil until browned, turning once. Drain the oil and dump the wings into a bowl and cover with the sauce, stirring to coat them completely. Cook in the oven another 20 to 30 minutes.

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