Choose any of your favourite pizza toppings to create your own Stromboli – the fastest pizza ever – anything goes!
Asda for the prepared pizza dough - £1.34 per 400g pack – Ready rolled pizza dough.
I know it's a tired cliché but here are a couple of photos of the one I made earlier :
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Delicious – everyone loves it!
Here's my version of a “submarine slob” it is truly the ultimate sandwich.
This is the burger recipe but made into meatballs – a little imagination goes a long way!
It might seem a tad long winded, since these elements will require cooking ahead but I assure you it will be well worth it.
The recipe is easy and makes really tasty meatballs, together with a delicious tomato sauce – a great idea for a batch cook.
Meatballs
450g minced beef, pork, turkey or Quorn
*salt and black pepper
*garlic – either 2 tsps of paste or 2 cloves, crushed
*mixed herbs or garlic Italian seasoning – a generous sprinkle
*half a tsp of chilli
*heaped tbsp of tomato paste
*1 egg
sprinkle of plain flour
Rapeseed or vegetable oil for shallow frying
Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the remaining ingredients marked *, mix well. At this point your mixture may be too wet. If it is, sprinkle a little plain flour over the mixture and fold in gently.
Use a teaspoon as a measure and heaped with mixture, roll it between your hands and set aside on a board. When the meatballs are ready, heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry on a low heat, gently and carefully shaking the pan to ensure they are evenly coloured – use tongs if you are accident prone! Seal the meatballs in batches - 8 at a time and then transfer to an oven-proof dish or foil tray ready for later – place the dish or tray containing the meatballs in a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6 and complete the cooking for 15/20 minutes – this time will vary depending on the sizes of the meatball – ensure that they are properly cooked – cut a larger one in half to be sure, then cool, cover and fridge until you're ready for action.
The sauce that goes with …
If I had a pound for every burger I've made over the years I'd be a rich girl! Here's the tried and tested recipe which, by the way, makes excellent meatballs too – the other major plus is that you can make them ahead and freeze!
Burgers
Makes 5 x 100g burgers
500g minced beef, pork, turkey or Quorn (other meat substitutes are available...)
*salt and black pepper
*garlic – either 2 tsps of paste or 2 cloves, crushed
*mixed herbs or garlic italian seasoning – a generous sprinkle
*half a tsp of chilli
*heaped tbsp of tomato paste
*1 egg
sprinkle of plain flour
Rapeseed or vegetable oil for shallow frying
Place the mince in a large mixing bowl then add the remaining ingredients marked *, mix well. At this point your mixture may be too wet. If it is, sprinkle a little plain flour over the mixture and fold in gently.
The easiest way of making uniform burgers is to weigh whatever amount you wish – 50g or 100g depending on size of appetites - with damp hands. Using a large frying pan, heat the oil gently and seal the burgers on both sides.
At this point you have a choice, you can continue to cook the burgers in the pan or you can transfer to an oven-proof dish and pop into a pre-heated oven 160fan/180c/Gas 4 for 20 minutes.
Serve on burger buns or a brioche version, toasted – add a cheese slice for a cheeseburger with salad and salsa. Wrap in a square of greaseproof paper and a serviette – your very own fast food.
I made 12 burgers of different sizes, to suit all appetites, so everyone gets the size they want.
Perfect for a Saturday night relaxing in front of whatever takes your fancy on the tv!
Or … how about a sandwich?
Depending on what you fancy, the following is for either a “Snug Shepherd” or a “Cosy Cottage” – minced lamb for the shepherd and minced beef for the cottage – pie that is!
A Shepherd or a Cottage
700g minced lamb or beef (or Quorn)
1 tbsp rapeseed oil (Canola USA)
2 tbsps Madeira
2 tbsps Ruby Port
2 tsps Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbsps tomato paste
2 lamb, beef or veggie stock pots
50-100 ml water
Using a large frying pan and preferably one that is suitable for transfer to the oven. Heat the oil and then add the mince and brown, turning until thoroughly browned. Add the Madeira and the Port and bring to the boil for 2/3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and the stock pots and mix well until absorbed and melted.
Your filling should not be too dry but not too wet either. You should be able to see tiny puddles of liquid. If you need to add water then add it gradually – you can add more you can't remove it!
It's difficult to predict how much fat there'll be in minced meat. Lamb, generally speaking, will have more than beef.
You can transfer the filling into a foil tray or, as I did, leave it in the frying pan.
As a guide, my frying pan that is suitable for hob and oven is 28cms in diameter – 3 very large appetites or 4 normal.
I feel the need to describe the “puddles” :
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See them glistening – not too wet but definitely not too dry.
Next - to mash or not to mash, that is the question!
This is a speedy supper that won't break the bank and thrifty too – it only takes 20 minutes!
Cheat's Chilli
650g minced beef or Quorn mince
glug of rapeseed oil
*½ tsp each of cumin, coriander
and cinnamon
*500g carton of passata
*1 can of red kidney beans
60ml sweet chilli sauce
l large onion, finely chopped
1 Knorr garlic flavour pot
*¼ tsp chilli powder
Only piece of kit required – a large frying pan.
Heat the rapeseed oil, add the onion and garlic and soften on a moderate heat for 2/3 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon and chilli and cook to allow the spices to release their umph!
Add the minced beef and break up and mix thoroughly to ensure that the mince is browned. Add the passata and the sweet chilli sauce, mix again, finally add the beans – bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally .
Variations
Add 50g of dark chocolate broken into small
pieces and drop into simmering chilli to enrich
Use spiced mixed beans instead of red
kidney beans
Add 150g of diced chorizo – (remember you can
get Plant Chorizo Puppies) (reduce the amount of minced
beef to 500g). Fry off the chorizo first until it begins
to crisp and set aside - the rapeseed oil is not necessary since
you're making use of the oil released from the chorizo – continue
with the recipe adding the onion, garlic and spices
as above, add the chorizo back when the mince is
browned
Add a topping of sour cream
Serve with bread of your choice or wraps or how about tacos?
Why not serve with a raw slaw!
If this doesn't disappear it'll be a miracle. If by some chance there are any leftovers, freeze portions in microwave boxes.
By the way those ingredients marked * are great store cupboard items!
OR … perhaps you'd prefer a Shepherd or a Cottage?
Mushroom and Walnut Morsels
There are lots of photos, it's just to show you how easy this recipe is!
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Doesn't look much at the moment does it? Have a look at the final photo guide – I hope you'll change your mind.
For those who are anti salad because of the greenery here's a “salad” for you. No greenery – I should clarify that the parsley in the recipe I class as a garnish and technically not greenery – if you're really anti then you can always leave the parsley out but you might want to break the habits of a lifetime and try it.
Potato and Olive Salad
Serves 4/6
500g new potatoes
3tbsp extra virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
pinch of chilli pepper
salt
bunch of flat leaf parsley chopped
medium mild red or white onion, chopped finely
12 black olives
Peel the potatoes and boil them in salted water until tender. Drain and cut in half – quarters if large, leave whole if small.
Mix the oil with the lemon juice, paprika, cumin, chilli and salt.
While still warm turn the potatoes in the dressing, add the parsley, onion and olives and mix gently.
Why not tweak this recipe if you're a fan of meat. Fry 200g of diced chorizo and use the delicious oil from it as part of your dressing adding an extra dimension and I think a worthwhile candidate for a sharing plate shabang.
Why not serve it warm instead?!
If you want a supper for the middle of the week and you haven't got the Sunday leftovers can I remind you about a post I made last August – Rocket Science and light bulbs! I suggested that you could deliberately cook more than you'll use thereby creating a stash in your fridge. If your oven is turned on then fill it, wrap six large baking potatoes in foil and bake. Grate cheddar cheese, box it and fridge. It's the perfect solution for mid-week meals – both for economy and speed.
Spiced Salmon Frittata
Serves 4
For the spiced salmon marinade :
Marinade
2 x 4oz Salmon fillets
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp powdered star anise or one star anise
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
Mix together the marinade, pour over the salmon fillets, turning to coat thoroughly, cover and leave in fridge for an hour or so – preferably in a foil tray – much easier to transfer straight to the oven later.
Pre-heat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6. If you've used a foil tray to marinade the salmon then wrap it in foil and bake it for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool. When the salmon has cooled flake it into small pieces, ready to add to the frittata.
For the frittata :
1 large cooked baked potato – peeled if
you prefer – cut into small pieces
5 spring onions, finely chopped
tiny drop of rapeseed oil
100g/4oz mature cheddar cheese, grated from your stash
4 large eggs
salt and black pepper
Whisk four eggs in a large mixing bowl, add the cheese and whisk again. Add a touch of salt and plenty of black pepper.
Sauté the potato and onions until softened then sprinkle in your flaked salmon, add the egg and cheese mixture.
Follow the frittata method to complete the dish. You could drizzle the residual marinade from the salmon over the the top of the cooked frittata.
You could use this recipe for a canapé - I used a straight sided cutter measuring 6cms/2½” in diameter and you should get 12-14 canapés depending on how careful you are cutting out – just a thought.
Then there's beetroot ...
Once you've made the curry sauce, it takes minutes and like I said, it can be made ahead, cooled and fridged until you're ready to roll.
Stir fried rice
Serves 2
280g pilau rice
130g cooked chicken
generous handful of petit pois, cooked leftovers
or microwave for 2 minutes if frozen
medium brown onion, sliced
Wok
Add a drop of rapeseed oil – 5ml - to your wok and stir fry your onions over a medium heat – 2/3 minutes, followed by the rice - toss it to ensure it is all evenly coated then add the peas and chicken – 3-4 minutes.
Do not reheat.
Serve in warm bowls with the curry sauce drizzled over the top.
Another template which you can adapt to whatever you've got leftover in the fridge and “store cupboard” staples like rice, an onion and peas.
The curry sauce is so easy and lifts boring leftovers to “I want to eat this dish!”
P.s. It is not safe to reheat rice that you have already cooked, hence the reason why the curry sauce is ready to reheat from the fridge – a word to the wise!
… this time using rice and in particular pilau rice.
These days you don't have to struggle with specifics cooking rice - you can buy products that are microwaveable or ready to stir fry in minutes.
Here's a photo of the pilau rice which you can buy from Aldi :
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The following recipe again is a template with a curry sauce thrown in for good measure!
We're going to begin with the curry sauce since it can be made ahead and reheated.
Rendang Sauce
160 ml coconut cream
3 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp curry powder
(I used mild)
1 tbsp kecap manis
(also known as sweet soy sauce)
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat for 3/4 minutes
and serve. Can be made ahead and re-heated.
Now for the stir fried rice!
When you're ready to stir fry, begin with the rapeseed oil and the onion on a medium heat, stir fry for 2/3 minutes, add the peas, prawns and noodles and stir fry for 2/3 minutes and finally add the hoi sin sauce and toss everything for a further 2 minutes.
Serve in a warmed bowl, with optional soy sauce on the side.
Here's a couple of photos :
a noodle nest
Amoy hoi sin sauce
Oh and by the way, you have to remember to take the prawns out of the freezer!
I appreciate that prawns may be outside your budget – it's the original recipe – use it as a template, anything goes from leftover chicken and veggies from your Sunday roast.
Then there's the rice alternative!
Have you run out of steam, nay inspiration, for a quick and easy mid week supper? How often have you arrived home without a clue?
What follows isn't rocket science, as I'm fond of saying, the recipe – if you can call it that – uses “store cupboard” ingredients and by store cupboard I include pantry and freezer.
Store cupboard stir fry
Serves 1
1 noodle nest
vegetable stock pot
generous handful of petit pois, microwaved for 2 minutes
1 medium brown onion, sliced
drop of rapeseed oil
80g large king prawns, defrosted
hoi sin sauce – 1 pouch
soy sauce to serve
Wok
When you arrive home and are getting organised as you're passing place your wok on the hob, boil a kettle, add the noodle nest with the stock pot and pour boiling water over the two so that the noodles loosen and are flavoured with the stock. Leave it be, whilst you're doing other things, then when you're passing turn the nest so that the loosening is even, leave again whilst you're in the shower!
Drain through a sieve and set aside.
When you're ready …
… a variation on a theme.
Here's the fish alternative :
Nasi but not
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or garlic paste
half tsp chilli powder or sambal paste
8oz (225g) cooked rice
6oz (175g) cooked salmon fillet, flaked
6oz (175g) smoked salmon, finely sliced
6oz (175g) peeled prawns, defrosted if frozen
120ml Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce)
60ml dark soy sauce
4-6 hard boiled eggs, quartered
black pepper
Serves 4-6
Add the vegetable oil to a wok and heat gently. Add the onions, garlic and chilli powder and fry until lightly browned. Add the rice and cook for a few seconds then stir in the salmon and prawns.
Mix the kecap manis and soy sauce together, stir into the rice mixture, then season to taste with pepper.
Add the eggs, folding in gently, serve immediately, straight from the wok.
You can adjust the amounts of fish/seafood to your own personal taste – bearing in mind that you have two elements to replace from the original recipe – chicken and ham – 175g each plus 175g of prawns. You are adding hard boiled eggs and although these are a garnish they are definitely an integral part of the dish since the sauce is quite punchy and the fish quite salty so they play an important part in the balance.
Once again though, make it your own – adjust to suit yourself, if you want more prawns then adjust the amount of salmon accordingly. The great thing about this recipe is that it is a “leftovers” dish i.e. everything in it, apart from the onion, garlic and chilli and the sauce, is already cooked.
It's quite “kedgeree-esque” in that both contain fish and boiled eggs and both started life as breakfast dishes – now you have a choice – Asian or Indian!
Me thinks it's a perfect Saturday night treat.
Finally … the zhuzh
Before I continue I should say that I realise that budgets don't necessarily run to prawns, I've left the recipe as is, so that you can see how versatile it is.
Now for the Mie Goreng - the noodle version of the Nasi Goreng. The Mie includes two ingredients you may not have come across previously – kecap manis – aka sweet soy sauce and sambal paste – a paste made from chillies and spices and both ingredients are easily available in larger supermarkets.
Mie Goreng
Serves 4-6
3 eggs
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, finely sliced
Drop of rapeseed or vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, crushed or tsps of paste
2 carrots, finely sliced (you could use cooked leftovers)
2 spring onions, finely sliced
Pinch of ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 red chilli, seeded removed and finely diced
1 tsp sambal paste
250g medium egg noodles, cooked
30ml dark soy sauce
60ml kecap manis
100g beansprouts
350g cooked prawns, defrosted
100g chopped roasted peanuts to garnish (optional)
Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.
Heat a large wok or frying pan and add a drop of oil. Add the onion and stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and carrots and fry for a further 2 minutes. Add a drop of water to prevent drying out.
Add the sambal paste, coriander and cumin and fry for 20/30 seconds – again you can add a drop of water if required. Add the cooked noodles, spring onions, beansprouts and prawns – turning until warmed through. Add the dark soy sauce and the kecap manis and repeat.
N.B. For a vegetarian version, substitute the prawns with 300g of shredded Chinese cabbage – aka bok choy or pak choi and 1 yellow pepper (cored, deseeded and diced). Sweet baby peppers – red, yellow and orange – would work well too. You could add sliced water chestnuts and/or bamboo shoots.
Serve straight from wok or spoon into individual bowls and garnish with the omelette strips and peanuts.
On the other hand – if you love fish …
I know I've talked about these recipes previously but I think it's time for a refresher particularly in that they are most adaptable for leftovers – perfect in these times of frugality – desperate times call for desperate measures!
To recap, Nasi Goreng is Indonesian and began life as a breakfast dish using up leftover rice from the previous evening but has evolved into a popular street food choice, right up to being served in posh restaurants. It can be spicy, mild, vegetarian, vegan – you name it, the world is your lobster!
There's Mie Goreng too using noodles instead of rice.
Here's the original recipe :
Nasi Goreng
Serves 4-6
3 eggs
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp oil
4 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed or garlic paste
half tsp chilli powder
8oz (225g) cooked rice
6oz (175g) cooked chicken or turkey meat, diced
6oz (175g) peeled prawns, defrosted if frozen
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp soft light brown sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
6oz (175g) cooked wafer ham, thinly sliced
black pepper
Beat the egg lightly with the 1 tbsp water. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or frying pan. Pour in the egg and cook until set underneath, flip it and repeat. Slide the omelette out of the pan on to a board, roll up into a cigar shape and slice into strips – set aside.
Add the vegetable oil to the wok and heat gently. Add the onions, garlic and chilli powder and fry until lightly browned. Add the rice and cook for a few seconds then stir in the chicken and prawns. Cook for 2/3 minutes.
Mix the soy sauce, sugar and lemon juice together, then stir thoroughly into the rice mixture. Fold in the ham then season to taste with pepper. You can place the wok in the middle of the table and “dive in” or spoon into serving bowls and garnish with the omelette strips.
This is an excellent recipe for leftover chicken and veggies from the Sunday roast – it's quick, easy and tasty. If this dish doesn't fit the “dive in” category then I don't know what does. It's an all time favourite in our house. A definite crowd pleaser and lip smackingly good to boot.
Then there's Mie Goreng, using noodles in case you're not fond of rice!
Messing about in the kitchen I came up with this recipe for a quick lunch, admittedly you have to love mushrooms – it's not rocket science but useful and above all tasty!
I give you :
M's Moreish Mushrooms
serves 4
300g Chestnut mushrooms, chopped finely
1 banana shallot (10cms approx), chopped finely
30g unsalted butter
glug of dry sherry or red wine
1 Knorr mushroom stock pot
celery salt
300ml double cream
to serve
50g Panko breadcrumbs, roasted
Yorkshire Puddings – 4 (7cms x 4cms approx)
Using a medium saucepan, sauté the shallot gently in the butter until opaque (5-8 mins approx). Add the mushrooms and a glug of dry sherry and cook gently until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the stock pot and celery salt and heat gently until the stock pot has melted. Add the double cream and heat gently for 15 minutes.
Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6) . Line a medium baking sheet with parchment and sprinkle over the Panko breadcrumbs. The Yorkshire Puddings will take 5 minutes from frozen - synchronise the timings to serve – so 10 minutes in to heating the mushroom mixture pop both the Panko crumbs and the Yorkshire Puddings in the oven.
Spoon two generous tablespoons into each of the Yorkshire Puddings and top with the Panko crumb.
Hints and tips :
The mushroom mixture can be made ahead and frozen
A glug = 1-2 tablespoons
If you want a veggie or vegan version of the sauce then use a plant based spread instead of the butter. Use Elmlea Plant Double Vegan Alternative for the cream. The Knorr mushroom stock pot is vegan.
Serving suggestions :
as a side with a roast, as the veggie option
over pasta
as a sauce over Quorn fillets, chicken or pork
on toast with thick slices of soda bread
Then there's
Mushrooms in Balsamic
4 tbsp rapeseed oil or similar
500g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
pinch of salt
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
60g grated/shaved parmesan
Heat the oil, add the mushrooms and garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook on high for 5 minutes until browned. Mix the vinegar with the sugar and pour over the mushrooms.
Stir until syrupy – 1-2 minutes, serve on toasted broad. Sprinkle with parmesan to serve.
It's delicious on thick, toasted soda bread or would serve 6 as a bruschetta/crostini topping
OR
You could quarter the mushrooms and serve as a topping on a risotto and add shavings of parmesan – I'd not recommend using grated parmesan.
Versatility is the key!
Editor's note: Onwards to the fun part of the collection - the filling! Now as is usual I run before I can walk and immediately think of 20 odd things to stuff in pastry but it is worth sticking with the original if it's your first time having a go! Save the experimentation until after you've walked for a while! I am speaking from experience!
The Cornish pasty recipes – the filling
The traditional filling – per pasty
50g/2oz onion
50g/2oz turnip or swede
100g/4oz beef skirt, blade or chuck steak
150g/6oz sliced potatoes
salt and black pepper
Make sure the meat is free of fat and cut into similar sized pieces ¼” (6mm) and ensure that the turnip and onion is too. Cut your potatoes into quarters and then finely slice. You can submerge the potatoes in a bowl of cold water until you're ready to mix your filling together – drain and pat dry. Slice the onion and turnip to a similar size.
You have two options, layer each of the ingredients and season as you go then complete with a layer of potato. Don't salt the last layer, you'll affect the taste of the pastry.
Alternatively place all your ingredients in a large mixing bowl, season and mix well, cover and set aside to rest whilst you're rolling out the pastry. This option allows the ingredients to absorb all the flavours.
That's the recipe for a pasty with meat, here's mine without :
Veggie Pasty filling
sufficient for two pasties
100g/4oz leek
100g/4oz onion
150g/6oz sliced potatoes
celery salt
black pepper
dried parsley
As with the previous recipe, ensure that the veggies are sliced to a similar size – ¼”/6mm. I used a new potato – the Gold, a Charlotte would be perfect too. The reason I used a new potato is that I wanted there to be evidence of the potato with the other veggies and not a mush. It's more appropriate with the meat and potato that an “old” variety of potato is used to combine with the meat and other ingredients. Mix the veggies together and season well.
More photos up next and the end is in sight!
Editor's note: After last week's selections mentioning pastry, I had it on the brain so off I went in search of a full how to, and as usual the archives deliver - in spades! So this week is a pastry special, and what better way to get to grips with it than with Cornish pasties! First up, pasty pastry done right:
The Cornish pasty – the recipes
Here's the basic pastry recipe :
Pasty pastry
This recipe will give you four eight inch (21cms) pasties
450g/1lb strong white bread flour
large pinch of salt
100g/4oz of margarine
100g/4oz lard
175ml/3rd pint water
cling film
Place the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add 25g/1oz of lard and rub into the flour. Grate or slice the rest of the fats into the bowl and stir, using a round bladed knife. Pour all the water into the bowl and mix together with the knife. Keep the dough in the bowl and using your hand bring the dough together and knead using the heel of your hand. Tip the dough onto a sheet of cling film and use the film to bring the dough together in a fat circle. Wrap the dough twice in cling film, bag and fridge. Chill it for at least 30 minutes.
Before we go any further I can hear you exclaiming – LARD! - what is she thinking. You don't have to use lard, for me and other vegetarians out there, use either Trex or Cookeen – panic over! The lard is part of the original recipe. I used unsalted butter instead of the margarine.
For those who are used to making pastry, no matter how basic, this will seem an odd method. I promise you it works. Not only does it work I'd say it's the best result I've ever had.
For example, it doesn't matter if you fridge it to chill for 30 minutes and, surprise surprise, you get distracted and remember two hours later. It does not affect the end result.
A tip – as you can see the recipe gives you four pasties from the batch of pastry. When you're ready to roll (sorry!) cut the pastry into four equal portions. At this stage you can please yourself – make two pasties and then wrap the remaining two separately in cling film, bag and freeze for another day.
Take the frozen pastry out of the freezer the night before you want it and fridge it.
It behaves impeccably – just as if freshly made.
Next up, a pastry photo guide so far.
Editor's note: To continue where we left off, we have the how and the where of the Jam Jar Salad. Now as with all recipes this isn't set in stone, you could use the Asian Spiced Salmon recipe from the blog as I bet that would fit perfectly, or perhaps the roasted chickpeas - the world is your lobster. Pickled onions are in this editor's opinion, an absolute must though!
Method – The Jam Jar salad
Method
smoked gammon joint
Using a drop of rapeseed oil, seal your joint on all sides and slow cook in vegetable stock for 2.5/3 hours on low. I use the Knorr Stock Pots.
Once your gammon is cooked remove from the stock and take off any excess fat and rind and allow to cool. Shred the gammon – your aim is to create bite size pieces - approximately 2cms in length. You don't have to be meticulously precise - it should be easy to pick up with a small fork or spoon. Box and fridge until required. The gammon can be slow cooked ahead.
Potatoes
Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until a paring knife passes through easily. Cool the potatoes. If they have skins you may prefer to remove them. Halve the potatoes or quarter depending on the size of the potatoes. As mentioned above the aim is easy to eat with a small fork. I used 5 potatoes per person and chose the smallest and most uniform. The potatoes can be cooked and prepped ahead.
Sweetcorn salsa
340g tin of sweetcorn – drained and rinsed
half a small red onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
juice of 1-2 limes
salt and black pepper
Tip the corn into a large mixing bowl and break up with a masher or a pestle. Add the remaining ingredients. Box and fridge until required. I used 2 heaped dessert spoons of salsa per jar. If you don't want to use fresh limes, 2 tbsps of juice is equal to one fresh lime.
Here's what it should look like :
silverskin onions
The onions are small to begin with but should still be finely chopped. I used 5 per jam jar – it's personal preference.
piccalilli sauce for drizzling
For those who would like to make their own sauce, there are recipes out there – for those who'd like a short cut – try this on for size. Bartons Smooth & Tangy Piccalilli Sauce.
All the elements for the salad can be prepped when it suits and non are time consuming.
Assembly next!
Lip-smacking Leftovers
I cooked all the potatoes at the same time which meant I had leftovers – I made the fastest potato salad ever. A touch of seasoning, a heaped teaspoon of curry powder – strength to suit your taste. A blob of mayo and a blob of sour cream, mix well.
You'll find that you have salsa leftovers too – as an alternative why not combine the potatoes and the salsa. Add extra seasoning of your choice – salt and black pepper – a touch of sumac to add a lemony hit with the lime in the salsa.
You'll find that you have leftover gammon – slice and serve as part of your alfresco “table”. If not required then I'd freeze it (in a lump if possible – it doesn't dry out) and use later as part of a pie filling. It may not qualify as lip-smacking – I just hate waste!
Assembly – The Jam Jar salad
This is the fun bit but before we begin a couple of tips :
for your piccalilli drizzle, trim a disposable piping bag – approximately 20cms – it should be small so that you can control it. You don't need a nozzle, just snip off the end of the bag – the tiniest of snips - and you're ready to go.
You are layering your prepared ingredients in the jar as follows :
Baby new potatoes
a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of piccalilli sauce
Sweetcorn salsa
Shredded gammon and a drizzle of piccalilli sauce
Finely chopped silverskin onions
It will look as if you'll never pack all the layers into the jar – yes you will! As you add your salsa layer press down, gently but firmly, repeat with each layer.
It does occur that not everyone likes the idea of piccalilli sauce. If you really don't want to step outside your taste box, you could substitute it with a honey and mustard dressing or another of your choice – plain mayonnaise if you prefer or check out Farringtons Mellow Yellow garlic mayonnaise – made with cold pressed rapeseed oil.
Editor's note: For this week's selection I've gone with a couple of interesting ideas for summer meals. One for when it's super hot - as it currently is in some parts of the UK, and one for when it's not so warm and you can stand to be in the kitchen for a bit longer! First up is the Jam Jar Salad - a fantastic idea for grabbing and eating in the garden whenever the mood takes! Ingredients and kit first, as MiamMiam says, jam jars for when you're eating them yourself, Kilner for if you're entertaining!
Jam Jar Salad
Since we are approaching all things summer – alfresco dining, bbq'ing et al, here's an idea that can be adapted to suit your own taste.
You will need jam jars – preferably those with twist off lids - you can buy the lids separately if you need to.
If you want a posher more up-market version, use a kilner jar – see photo below. If you want to do fancy the jar would be nice to serve as part of a lunch or supper party and you can of course re-use it afterwards.
I used the Bonne Maman conserve jars – posh jam really – I love these jars, they have the pretty lids. As an aside - the conserve may be expensive (keep your eyes open for offers) but the way I look at it is that I get an excellent store cupboard product and a useful, attractive jar that can be used again. I get the feeling that Bonne Maman know that their jars will be re-used – the labels on the jars are really easy to remove in hot soapy water - then you can sterilise them in the dishwasher.
The jam jar salad
Serves 4
You'll need four jars – capacity 370g
1 x 750g smoked gammon joint
(£2.68 from Tesco)
Silverskin onions, finely chopped
Piccalilli sauce for drizzling
(Bartons Piccalilli Sauce)
750g baby new potatoes
Sweetcorn salsa
Method and assembly next!
