A snippet – or, what the Girls said!

I mentioned in Last Class of 2015 and Judy's Jars that I would give full and frank disclosure – whoever frank is – here it is,

Cheese and Pecan Loaf :

“…. cheesey, light, full of air bubbles with a crunchy cheese crust, delicious, even without the butter

…. beautiful texture and a delicious alternative to bread. The fact that it freezes well adds to its appeal.

…. made it look so simple and it was stunning – didn't want to stop eating it”.

Pulled Chicken :

“.... Sweet with a bite to it, tender, mouthwatering, lovely sauce – could serve with rice or potatoes.

…. Delicious, easy meal with a great combination of flavour and different textures. The easy alternative for the busy working mum.

…. Very more-ish.

…. Slow cooked and delicious”.

Winter Coleslaw :

“.... Completely different to shop bought – the dressing is very light – not at all creamy or sickly like the shop bought stuff.

…. A work of art with the red cabbage. This will be a favourite meal for the future.

…. Refreshing, tangy and again, delicious”.

Judy's Jars :

“....A beautiful and delicious alternative to trifle. Rich and very more-ish.

….Wow-wow-wow.

…. Total indulgence, chocolate feast with amaretti biscuits and sweet cherries – fantastic”.

“.... I shall use every single recipe, they were absolutely delicious”.

The end!

Just before I go, remember the Christmas Cake and Écrou roti exchange, mentioned in What a farce! My friend popped in for a quick cuppa at the weekend so we could swap culinary delicacies.

Here's a snippet from an email :

“.... the roast is amazing. I've cut it into portions packed it and stowed it safely in the freezer. I did allow myself a “tester taste” and – drum roll please – IT'S TO DIE FOR. Absolutely scrummy-licious, thank you so, so much! That's my Christmas sorted … and I'm really touched by all the trouble you've gone to to create a reduced sugar roast for me ...”

It was gluten free too – and, whilst I think about it – on my latest foray to Daily Bread Co-operative – northampton@dailybread.co.uk I discovered another fab product – Essential Organic Apple purée – 700g £1.75 outstanding value.

I'm not wanting to claim bragging rights – just to let you know the recipe works and “does what it says on the tin”.

Unyaka omusha omuhle! (This time “Happy New Year” in Zulu)

Lunch or Dinner?

... on New Year's Day.

Either or, here's another suggestion for a meat free dish that you could serve to veggies or use as an accompaniment – it lends itself very well with duck, goose or gammon.

Apricot & Pistachio Stuffing

60g Unsalted butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, crushed or 1 tsp garlic paste

**200g Breadcrumbs/Parsley, Thyme & Lemon stuffing mix

150g dried Apricots, roughly chopped

50g shelled Pistachios, chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

**Generous pinch of dried parsley and thyme

Pre-heat your oven 180 fan/200c/Gas 6.

Heat the butter, add the onion and garlic and fry for 6/8 minutes until softened, add the breadcrumbs/stuffing mix, apricots and nuts and season well. Add 9 fl oz (just under ½ pint) of boiling water (you can use vegetable stock for enhanced flavour if you prefer) mix and then transfer to a lined loaf tin. Alternatively you can roll the mixture into stuffing balls, place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

Cover in foil and cook for 20 minutes. You can freeze the stuffing, cooked or uncooked (although if you are using breadcrumbs that have been frozen the stuffing should be cooked before freezing).

**You can use your own breadcrumbs, especially if you use white bread and you've got the end of a loaf. Take the crusts off and blitz – you can air dry on a baking sheet or pop into a low oven to dry out – they can be frozen. If you buy them don't get the bright orange variety, Waitrose do their own version – expensive but you get what you pay for. You can also cheat and use a packet of Parsley, Thyme and Lemon stuffing mix and add breadcrumbs. The Shropshire Spice Co make a good product in 150g packets, so an additional 50g of crumbs is required, adding a generous pinch of dried parsley and thyme.

Finally, here's my contribution if you are feeling a tad fragile. I can't hold it out to be a hangover cure but, try peanut butter on toast and top with cranberry sauce/jelly or, my personal favourite – redcurrant jelly. If you use the Whole Earth peanut butter you could even try and kid yourself it's healthy.

S novim godom! (I hope this says “Happy New Year” in Russian)

Staying in?

…. for New Year that is.

If you've decided to put up the shutters and get to that box set you've been promising yourself or may be a couple of friends are joining you for a leisurely supper here's a thought of the “keep it simple” variety.

Here's my Cpop (cheese, potato and onion pasty) – boring, ordinary, I hear you say, no I reply.

Cpop

1 large onion, finely chopped

500g Charlotte potatoes, cooked, peeled and cut into small dice

1 puff pastry sheet – 320g

1 egg, beaten

300g grated mature cheddar cheese

1 heaped tbsp dried parsley

2 tbsp dijon mustard

black pepper

sprinkle of salt

Pre-heat oven 200c/180fan/Gas 6

Serves 4 generous portions

Place the potatoes in a large bowl and add a sprinkle of salt. Add the cheese, onion, parsley and mustard, season with black pepper and mix thoroughly.

Unroll your pastry onto a sheet of baking parchment.

Place the mixture on the lower half of the pastry sheet. Brush the edges of the pastry with the beaten egg, holding the baking parchment, fold the pastry over the filling and glue the edges. Use a fork to seal. Make two incisions in the top of the pasty and egg wash. Bake for 20/25 minutes. Check after 20, your pasty should be golden brown.

This pasty freezes well.

Here are three photos that I hope will help you on your way.

Serve it with the winter coleslaw or, shred red cabbage and carrots, chop spring onions, et al and make your own aioli – try this recipe on for size :

Aioli

2 large tsps of garlic paste

2 egg yolks

½ tsp dijon mustard

½ tsp salt

60ml extra virgin olive oil

180ml rapeseed oil

black pepper

drop of water – 2 tbsps

Pop the garlic paste, egg yolks, mustard, salt and water into a food processor, mix well. Gradually add the olive oil and the rapeseed oil. You should get a pale “emulsion” that looks like mayonnaise but tastes much better. Adjust seasoning to taste.

I think we'd be fibbing if we didn't admit to loving comfort food and this is a perfect supper on the sofa with the box set – preferably with the food served on a plate!

Judy's Jars

Last Class 2015 and Judy's Jars

We had the last Class of the year last week which, as I think I mentioned previously, coincided with a friend and long-time student's birthday.

I decided that I would practice what I preach and made the low key Option 2 Christmas Eve supper mentioned in “Madness III – tee hee!”

For the appetiser, Bread & Butter, aka “Cheese & Pecan Loaf” from “The alternative lunch”. As is usual I made a loaf to demonstrate – when I explained that the loaf took 50/55 minutes to cook the assembled throng looked a smidge worried. No need to panic - “here's one I made earlier”. The loaf was sliced and wrapped in foil and warmed for 10 minutes and everyone tucked in.

Whilst they munched I produced my faithful slow cooker and pulled the chicken with the scent of the marinade wafting across the room, tickling their taste buds.

Next on the list was the winter coleslaw. Never let it be said that I don't like a challenge. The mere idea of coleslaw was met with mixed feelings – the shop bought versions vary and the general consensus was not good and I can only agree. If there is one thing I love about this cooking lark it's changing a mind or two. You'll read what they actually said in a later post.

I had some baby new potatoes going spare so they were popped into one of my foil trays, seasoned and drizzled with rapeseed oil and into the oven for 20 minutes – it was already on for the loaf so hey, uses the otherwise wasted space.

Finally the dessert was assembled. I have to be honest the recipe came first and it just seemed like a fun thing to do – not everyone has a recipe named after them. Photo attached of the finished jar.

I hope you'll be suitably impressed.

Bon Natale!

Slob Out Sunday

...or – guilty pleasure day

….and you bet your life you are entitled to it.

Today is about the cook indulging so here's my idea of heaven.

Any dish that involves a combination of cheese and potatoes, preferably baked is fine by me.

There are two dishes that are up there, dauphinoise potatoes has to be one but the stand-out is a Tartiflette. An integral ingredient of said dish is Reblochon cheese. I should point out that unless you've made an impromptu trip across the Channel then you'll need a Second Mortgage for said cheese. This may not be a problem – if it's your guilty pleasure who cares. There are alternatives, for example, Camembert, Brie, Gruyere or Taleggio – any cheese that is soft and melts easily.

In an attempt to save you time, here's the recipe for the Tartiflette which I gave you in GOM: Chapter 10 – Pork tenderloin and salsa – I aim to please!

Tartiflette

1.5kg all purpose potatoes e.g. desiree, peeled and cut to

a similar size

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 thick dry cured smoked streaky bacon rashers, finely chopped

50g butter

1 garlic clove

250g reblochon cheese, rind trimmed and removed

Pre-heat oven 180c/160 fan/gas 4

Boil the potatoes until cooked, cool, then slice.

Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the onion and bacon

until softened.

Cut the garlic clove in half and rub the inside of an

oven-proof dish.

Place some of the potato slices in the bottom and

season with salt and black pepper, then layer with the

onion and bacon, repeat until all the potato slices have

been used, seasoning between each layer.

Chop the cheese and scatter over the potatoes and cover with foil.

Bake in the oven for 1 hour, remove foil for remaining 15 minutes

so that the tartiflette crisps around the edges.

This can be prepared ahead and feel free to use 2 tsps of garlic paste

when cooking the onions and bacon – rules are made to be broken.

My version won't include the bacon – if you are expecting company you could always serve it with crispy bacon on the side and everyone's happy.

Personally, I like the idea of fish, chips and peas – Tartiflette (no bacon), fish cakes á la The Ivy see GOM : Chapter 16 The Dinner Party ...for the recipe and petit pois or, push the boat out – mushy peas.

I did say it was my idea of heaven – each to their own!

Boxing Day

The following recipe is perfect – it can be made ahead and takes only 20 minutes when you want to serve. Note to self – it's the best time to use your dual purpose frying pan, since you can choose – cook on the hob or pop into a pre-heated oven on 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

This dish, in its original form is Tarragon Chicken and made with fresh chicken fillet. I can only tell you that everywhere I've served it the result has been the same - “is there any more?”

Here's the adapted version to use your cooked turkey.

Tarragon Turkey

Bunch of spring onions, finely diced

1 tsp dried tarragon

Fresh tarragon – chopped – approximately 2 tbsp

160ml Vermouth or white wine

Half tsp of sea salt flakes or quarter tsp of pouring salt

120ml double cream

Salt and white pepper

cooked turkey meat – enough to feed four people

Drop of rapeseed oil and a knob butter to seal. (You could use a flavoured oil i.e. garlic or tarragon if you wish)

Heat oil and butter, add the onions, then dried tarragon and mashed garlic paste and stock if you are using them **see below. Add the vermouth, let it bubble up, season with salt, cover and set aside. When ready to serve, bring the liquid to the boil, add cream and fresh tarragon, then white pepper and add the cooked turkey meat.

**You can vary your sauce by adding roasted garlic paste, mashed into concentrated chicken stock. I've tried adding this element and it's great - obviously you have to like garlic. 1 Knorr chicken stock pot melted in 250ml of hot water and 2 tsps garlic paste, mashed together.

Serve with bubble & squeak. Everyone has their own interpretation – if you want any help check out all the variations mentioned in “Mishmash or Hash, II and III” or “Spicy Spuds – the leftovers” if you'd prefer a spice hit and no sprouts!

For the cook, who, by now, is feeling distinctly fragile, nay exhausted, it's just the job.

Its beauty is its simplicity!

A post script :

If you are a Christmas Cake lover, try a small piece with a chunk of mature cheddar cheese – for us it's an extension of a Northern custom – Lancashire to be precise – of eating tea cakes with Lancashire Tasty cheese – buttered tea cakes and thin slices of cheese – don't knock it until you've tried it and you could even toast the tea cakes if you like a dribble of butter down your chin with the cheese!

Another post script :

This week I caught part of James Martin's afternoon programme Home Comforts at Christmas – he was talking about Boxing Day and, blow me down with a feather, he made a version of Tartiflette – I'd just like it on record that my post was written well before his programme – I wouldn't want you to think I'd “borrowed” the idea from him!

What a farce!

Indeed it is – in both senses of the word.

The following recipe evolved out of years of me treating myself to various nut roasts and vegetarian main course options. They had two major things in common, they were underwhelming and expensive.

I suppose I was always seduced by the advertising – seduced is the right word, these days food is designed to be sexy and whoever writes the copy deserves a literary oscar – cos it sure is a work of fiction!

I give you,

Écrou roti

nut roast sounds soooo much better in French

1 packet of sage and onion stuffing mix – from

the large boxes which contain two large pkts

- approximately 170g

1 packet of vac packed chestnuts – 250g chopped

A portion of apple sauce, a la Eliza Acton – 100-150g

1 large onion, finely chopped

Two handfuls of dried cranberries, chopped

Drop of rapeseed oil and knob of butter

Knob of butter

Pre-heat your oven 170fan/190c/Gas 5.

Place the stuffing in a large bowl, add 300ml boiling water with the knob of butter and mix. The mixture should be stiffish. Sauté the onion in a drop of rapeseed oil and knob of butter.

Add the onion to the stuffing mix, then add the apple sauce, chestnuts and cranberries.

Mix well and divide the mixture into 2 x 2lb loaf tins and bake, or freeze until required.

When baking I cover the loaf tins with foil for the first 15-20 mins and then remove the foil and let the top crisp for another 10 mins.

The best news about this dish is that it is easily made gluten free by using “Mrs Crimble's sage & onion stuffing mix”. Available in 170g packets.

If you'd prefer you can blitz your own breadcrumbs and add whatever takes your fancy – sauté onions and add dried thyme.

This Écrou roti freezes very well.

It also makes an excellent layer in a mega smega sandwich – veggie or not.

To save you time trawling through the blog, here's the Apple Sauce á la Elizabeth David and Eliza Acton :

Pre-heat oven to 140 fan/160c/Gas 3

Grease a glass dish with butter.

This sauce is so easy – the only emphasis is on the preparation of the apples. All the peel and core must be removed. There are no amounts here, you can cook as much sauce as you desire – it freezes well!! So, peel, core and slice your apples – if you can slice them a similar size they will cook more evenly.

Place your apples in your dish and cover with a lid or foil – NO WATER, SUGAR OR ANYTHING ELSE!!

Bake for 20-30 minutes. Check after 20. Apples should be soft. Here's the satisfying bit – whisk the apples until they begin to break up, sprinkle with caster sugar plus a generous knob of unsalted butter, whisk again.

I have a friend who makes me a Christmas Cake – the best I've ever tasted. Exchange is no robbery – I will give her Écrou roti in exchange – nothing like a spot of bartering - what a plan!

I've never actually costed this recipe but, what I do know is that it will be cheaper than most and tastes better than any “luxury” versions sampled in the past – so my friends tell me!