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  1. 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.

    Category Dinner Menu | Tags: , , | No Comments

  2. 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.

    Category Dinner Menu | Tags: , , , , , | No Comments

  3. 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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  4. Rocket and Nectarine Salad

    July 13, 2005 by Lisa

    A gorgeous summer salad that’s perfect with barbequed meats and suchlike. This one is adapted from another recipe found online because I seem to be well-placed for rather mature rocket in my garden. The nectarines set off the taste really well.

    Dressing:

    • 3 tbsp Rasberry vinegar
    • 1 tsp coarse grain or dijon mustard
    • 5 tbsp good quality olive oil
    • sugar, salt and pepper to taste

    Mix together well and pour over 2 or 3 sliced ripe nectarines and a few big handfuls of rocket leaves. I added a handful or coriander leaves once as well, which was a nice variation. Use some milder leaves as well if the rocket is too strong. The original recipe also called for toasted walnuts, but I reckon pecans or cashews would be nicer.

    Category Side Dishes | Tags: , , , , | No Comments

  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.

    Category Dinner Menu, Lunch Menu, Starters and Light Bites | Tags: , , , , , | No Comments

  6. New York Cheesecake

    February 26, 2005 by Lisa

    Light and fluffy and very, very rich, this is my very favourite cheesecake.

    All ingredients should be room temperature before starting.

    Ingredients:

    • Small Packet Digestive biscuits, crushed (250g)
    • 60ml (4 tbsp) melted butter
    • 3 x 300g packages cream cheese
    • 375g (1 1/2 cups) sugar
    • 145ml (1/2 cup) double cream
    • 4 eggs
    • 280ml (1 cup) sour cream
    • 15ml (1 tbsp) vanilla
    • 30g (1/4 cup) flour
    • 30g (1/4 cup) icing sugar (or less, to taste)

    Preheat oven to 175C and grease a 20cm springform pan. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and press into the bottom of the pan and slightly up the sides. Put in the refrigerator while the other ingredients are being mixed.

    Separate the egg yolks from the whites and beat the whites until stiff. Mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then stir in the cream. Add the eggs, half of the sour cream, vanilla and flour and mix until smooth. Fold in the egg whites, mixing in completely, but not beating too much.

    Pour into the crust and bake in the middle of the oven for one hour. Don’t open the door before the hour is up. After an hour it should still wobble slightly in the middle but it will set as it cools. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for an hour. Run a knife between the cake and the pan and leave on a wire rack to cool completely.

    Mix the remaining sour cream with icing sugar and spread over the top of the cheesecake. Refridgerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

    Category Desserts and Sweets | Tags: , , , , , | No Comments

  7. Pico de Gallo / Guacamole

    January 2, 2005 by Lisa

    Two simple fresh garnishs for all sorts of Mexican dishes.

    Pico de Gallo:

    • 2 or 3 chopped ripe tomatoes
    • 1/2 diced red or white onion
    • 1 or 2 cloves finely chopped garlic
    • handful of chopped fresh cilantro
    • a few splashes of tabasco or a chopped red chili pepper to taste
    • salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

    Combine all ingredients and refrigerate at least an hour.

    Guacamole:

    Same as above, but stir in two mashed avocados and the juice of half a lime (prevents avocados from going brown – for a while, at least).

    Category Miscellany, Starters and Light Bites | Tags: , , , , , , | No Comments

  8. Ceviche

    January 1, 2005 by Lisa

    This Mexican style salad/side dish is a surprise to everyone who tries it. The fish is not cooked in the traditional way, but in lime juice which gives it a cooked texture and appearance and for all I know, fulfills the qualification of “cooking”. Serves 4 to 6.

    Ingredients:

    • 250-300g fresh white fish. I used halibut, but sea bass, snapper, plaice or just about anything will work.
    • 250g cooked prawns and/or tiny bay scallops
    • Enough lime juice to cover the fish. Since limes are not so juicy, you may supplement with lemon juice if you get bored trying to squeeze enough from a lime.
    • 1/2 a large onion
    • 1 small jalepeno pepper (or 5 or 6 slices of the pickled variety we get in the uk) or one or two fresh red chili pepper
    • 2 medium tomatoes
    • 10-20 pitted green or black olives
    • 2 or 3 large spoons full capers
    • 1/4 – 1/2 spoon cumin powder
    • 1/4 – 1/2 spoon dried oregano
    • handful fresh coriander
    • 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil

     

    Remove the skin and slice the white fish into thin strips. Place in a glass bowl and cover completely with the lime juice. If you’re using uncooked scallops or prawns, put them in the bowl as well, otherwise, hold off until later. Cover and place in the refridgerator until the fish looks “cooked” – in other words opaque and flaky. This should only take a half an hour to an hour depending on the thickness of the fish or the size of the prawns/scallops.

    Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, pepper, tomatoes and olives.

    When the fish is ready drain off the lemon juice and add the chopped vegetables and the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Cover and return to the fridge for another hour or two. Some recipes suggest 24 to 48 hours, but I prefer the more subtle flavour when left not quite as long. On the other hand, my lunch of ceviche and avocado 48 hours later was quite fab.

    You could add all manner of things as well, like artichoke hearts, chopped avocado or black olives.

    Category Side Dishes, Starters and Light Bites | Tags: , , , | No Comments

  9. American Giblet Stuffing

    January 1, 2005 by Lisa

    A good, American-style stuffing recipe, adapted from 4 or 5 different recipes. Best I’ve found so far. This is a rather small recipe for people who aren’t as keen on stuffing as I am. Double it for a larger turkey.

    Ingredients:

    • turkey giblets
    • water (about a cup or two)
    • two sausages – any sort – or 3 or 4 chipolatas
    • 1/2 chopped onion
    • 3 stalks chopped celery
    • 1/4 cup butter
    • 4 cups dry bread cubes (about 8 slices of brown and/or white day-old bread, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes)
    • salt
    • pepper
    • a good handful of fresh chopped herbs: sage, rosemary, tarragon and marjoram

    Instructions:

    Cover giblets (except the liver) with water to cover in a small saucepan. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours. Add the liver and simmer for 25 minutes longer. Reserve the stock and chop the cooked giblets finely.

    Remove the skin from the sausages and fry the meat until browned thoroughly. Put aside.

    Melt the butter in a skillet and cook the onion and celery until tender. Add the butter, celery and onion, plus the cooked sausage meat to the bread crumbs, chopped giblets, herbs and seasonings. Add reserved stock, tossing lightly to moisten. You can stuff the neck cavity if you like, which produces a mush moister stuffing, but latest recommendation is not to stuff the body cavity of the bird. We generally just toss in an onion chopped in half. Put any extra in a buttered baking dish and cover and bake for at least 40 to 45 minutes.

    Category Side Dishes | Tags: , , , , , | No Comments

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