Steak and Onion with Salt and Pepper Potato Wedges
2021-01-07 09:38
The local CO-OP sometimes has steak reduced - not necessarily brilliant cuts, but certainly good enough.
As I've mentioned elsewhere, I love Peppercorn Sauce so serve up with the food absolutely drowning in it - you can of course use a little less if you like.
Done correctly, the wedges will come out juicy with a nice pepper tang to them
Roast Pork Cooking Times
2020-12-26 09:22
Cooking time is calculate based on the weight of the cut - most cuts of pork require the same time per weight, the only real exception is fillet (45 mins, plus 45 per 500g at 140c)
Mulled Apple Juice
2020-12-24 08:43
A tasty, warming non-alcoholic alternative to mulled wine.
There are a number of variations you can make to this recipe
- To make alcoholic, use cider instead, and/or add a few shots of brandy
- Skip the hob and put the mix into a slow cooker, leaving it to warm for a few hours - people can then serve themselves, and the flavour will only get better over time
- For the truly dedicated, chop an apple the night before, coat it in ground cinnamon and leave it to marinate in the fridge overnight. Add to the pan
If you've a (clean) pair spare, you may want to put the cloves/orange peel into a tied off ankle tight - it saves trying to fish cloves out of your mug. Otherwise, you end up serving through a sieve
Thai Style Potato and Chicken Curry
2020-12-15 09:14
I love the delicate flavours in Thai food, but I really don't like seafood, so I tend to struggle with things like Thai Green Curry - the fish oil in the sauce can leave me feeling quite quesy. However, this recipe strikes a good balance and hasn't caused me any issues at all
It's quick and easy to make, and can trivially be made vegetarian by replacing the chicken with (more) potatoes.
You can also adjust it by adding baby corn, sugar snaps or pak choi to it.
Chicken Noodle Soup
2020-12-13 09:04
A quick and simple chicken noodle soup. You can also adjust flavours by serving with thinly sliced ginger, garlic, coriander etc, or by serving alongside some halved boiled eggs.
Low Fat Tortilla Chips
2020-12-01 14:24
I was sent a video of @maxmccannpt on Tiktok making these, unfortunately in the video he doesn't actually say what temperature to put the oven at, so I had to wing it slightly
This recipe makes some low calorie Tortilla chips/crisps - they're passable (particularly with dip), just don't expect them to be a replacement for Tangy Cheese Doritos.
Chocolate Chunk Cookies
2020-11-29 09:01
The pictured cookies are - at a stretch - in fact Christmas Chocolate Chunk Cookies as I used Cadbury Dairy Milk Winter Wonderland Edition to make them and popped one of the trees from it into the top of each cookie. Had I intended to make Xmas cookies then I should proabably have added cinnamon as well as the vanilla.
Chocolate chip cookies are all well and good, but you only get tiny chocolate hits - far better (IMO) to have big chunks of melted chocolate merging with the dough. I've used Cadbury's Dairy Milk as it's the chocolate of choice in our house, but this recipe should work with most chocolates, milk, dark or white.
It's a quick and easy recipe, and (depending on your oven) you may well have completed the initial steps slightly before your oven comes up to temperature
If you want to treat them as more of a dessert, do the prep before your meal - put in the oven just after the main, and then 10-15 mins later serve them hot with custard, cream or ice-cream
Seasoning cast-iron cookware
2020-11-19 15:05
Cast iron pans are awesome, but they need a little bit of maintenance - including being given a seasoning when you first get them (or, if they've accidentally been washed with soap, after a good derusting and warming).
The process of seasoning a pan is pretty straightforward, the only thing you need to watch is to adjust the oven temperature based on the smoke point of the type of oil you're using - you should then round up to the nearest 5c
This gives the following list of temperatures: * Extra virgin olive oil: 210c * Virgin olive oil: 215c * Refined olive oil: 205c (will vary wildly) * Sunflower Oil: 235c * Vegetable Oil: 205c
Don't use coconut oil, lard, butter etc for this - you'll either get a seasoning that'll turn rancid without regular use, or a very burnt taste due to dairy/pulp solid traces/
This process can also be used for Woks, just be sure to remove any wooden/bamboo handles first
Cooking Time
Prep: 5 minsCooking: 75 minsTotal: 80 mins
Categories
Misc
Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Kitchen Paper
Method
Set the oven preheating to 210c (for extra virgin olive oil)
If your pan is rusty or has food bits stuck to it: * give it a soak in hot soapy water, and then use a brush/brillo pad to remove all unwanted particles/sticky crud - don't use steel wool unless you're happy to take all existing seasoning off * Wipe the pan down with a towel to dry it * Then put on a hob over a medium heat and let all the mousture evapourate - get it really, really hot (cast iron is porous and will trap moisture) * Be careful on the next steps so that you don't burn yourself
Now we need to start oiling the pan
- Drop 1/2 tbsp of oil into the pan
- use a paper towel to rub it evenly across the pan. Keep rubbing until the pan doesn't look greasy (if it looks greasy, then you'll end up with a sticky finish, which you don't want)
- Flip the pan, add more oil and coat that side, again rubbing and buffing until it no longer looks greasy
- Roll some baking foil across a baking tray
- Place the pan upside down on the baking tray
- Place into the oven and bake for 50-60 mins
- Once the time's elapsed, turn off the oven, but do not open the oven door
- Leave for at least another 15 mins
- Remove and allow to cool completely
You can repeat this process again if you want the insurance of additional layers
Pan Maintenance: * Use plenty of oil/fat when cooking to minise the chances of food sticking * When cleaning a pan after cooking, don't use soap or abrasive scrubbers. Use a soft sponge and water - if you need to remove residue then use a handful of rock salt to provide an abrasive * After cleaning, wipe dry with a towel, and then put on the hob over a medium heat to remove any remaining moisture. If the pan looks a bit dull, rub about 1/2 tsp of oil in while the pan is still hot
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Bacon and Egg Quesadillas
2020-11-17 15:21
An easy Mexican derived meal, using bacon and eggs for the filling.
Can be cooked for breakfast, or served as part of a larger meal
Garlic Bread and Meatball Traybake
2020-11-14 17:32
This is based on a recipe from BBC Good Food. I've amended some of the ingredients, partly for convenience - I've also amended some of the cooking times as I prefer to let the bread pull up some of the juices rather than simmering them all off before hand.