More about the sauce

The curry sauce takes more time than I'd advocate during your MTM stuff – it'll take an hour and all I can say is you won't regret it. You need to bear in mind that you can't walk away, the sauce needs your stirring attention. I sat at my hob with paperwork long overdue – you could equally do food prep that's on your list – any job that doesn't take you away – use your timer! It's still multitasking just in a different way.

The sauce freezes well and I'd suggest you might want to do so in portions that you know will suit you best. Remember, you can always take out more than one portion, infinitely better than wasting part of a larger box.

Here's what I did with my fridged curry sauce. I tipped it into a medium saucepan and warmed it through. I added 160ml of coconut cream and stirred until thoroughly absorbed. You'll have a curry sauce that is thick and delicious.

The list of uses for this sauce is endless, from leftover meat and poultry to veggies too. You can make the sauce vegetarian by using vegetable stock instead of chicken, if that's your bag.

A chicken curry and the photos are up next but before I go I have not forgotten that I mentioned two LSG sauces – a tomato sauce is another valuable asset, this time perfect for Mediterranean flavours and recipes.

Hold another thought!

Lip Smackingly Good (LSG) Sauces

Before we carry on with the remaining working week suppers I think the time is right for two more LSG sauces.

I do love a useful sauce, especially one that can be used in different ways. The following is a curry sauce – in particular meant to resemble what I'd call a “chip shop curry”. To explain, the chip shop curry is not as strong as traditional curries. For those who eat curries, to give you an idea of “heat” and “spice” I'd say it's not as hot and spicy as a rendang and not as mild as a korma, so middle for diddle, suitable for everyone.

Here's the recipe :

Curry Sauce

50g unsalted butter

2 large onions, finely sliced and chopped

1 tsp of ginger paste

4 roasted garlic cloves

3 tbsp mild curry powder

3 tbsp malt vinegar

½ tsp star anise powder

500ml of the slow cooked star anise chicken stock

2 tbsp slaked cornflour

2 tbsp lemon juice

160ml coconut cream

Using a large saucepan melt the butter and add the onions, garlic and ginger. Fry gently until soft – about 15 minutes, make sure there's no colour. Add the curry powder, star anise powder and vinegar, fry for another minute. Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 25 minutes, stir occasionally, you don't want it to stick.

Add two tbsp of water to the cornflour, mix and pour into the sauce. Simmer for another 5 minutes, stir until you've got a silky, thickened sauce. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth, add the lemon juice.

At this point, decant into boxes. You will get approximately 630g of curry sauce and I divided between two. I froze one box and fridged the other.

I was using one for this evenings meal.

Hold that thought ...

There's more …

Serving suggestions and bits and pieces.

You'll need a large bowl for your “lettuce cups” and smaller bowls for your sides.

The sides

50g/2oz bean sprouts

Handful of crushed, salted peanuts

Sweet soy sauce (Kecap Manis) for drizzling

You may want to increase these amounts depending on the size of the appetites!

Place the wok in the centre of your table with the bowl of “lettuce cups” and sides of the bean sprouts, crushed peanuts and sweet soy sauce in small bowls so that everyone can dive in, fill the lettuce cups and sprinkle and drizzle to their hearts content.

If you wanted another extra, serve flat breads too or wraps – perfect too for any lunch box leftovers for the next day.

This is very much “every man/woman for himself/herself” kind of supper.

It's up to you what you do

It's not a long list – the sauce can be made up, boxed and fridged. The veggies can be chopped, sliced, bagged and fridged.

If you'd prefer a vegetarian or vegan version then Quorn mince or pieces are perfect alternatives.

A sort of finger food – fast, filling and fabulous, even though I say so myself!

Now back to reality and more ideas …

… for your multitasking working week suppers.

How about choosing roast pork for your Sunday roast? It would be perfect for my next idea – ideally choose a roast that's big enough to give you 500g of leftover pork.

A stir fry makes the best and quickest use of your leftover roast so you'll need a wok!

San Choy Bow is Chinese and here's my useless bit of information - “sang choi” means lettuce in Cantonese.

Here goes :

San Choy Bow

Little Gem lettuce cups

(if Little Gem not available use Iceberg -

smaller inner leaves) – I would say 3 per person

depending on size of appetites

500g/1lb2oz leftover roast pork, shredded

1 garlic clove or garlic paste

1 red chilli, finely chopped

150g/5oz chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped

6 spring onions, finely chopped

225g/8oz water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped

200g/7oz bean sprouts, chopped

Glug of rapeseed oil

3 tbsp hoisin sauce*

1 tbsp soy sauce*

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce*

1 tbsp dry sherry or Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine)*

Wash your lettuce, pat dry ready to serve.

Combine the four ingredients marked * to make a sauce – this can be made ahead.

Over a high heat add the oil to your wok and cook the garlic and chilli for a minute. Add the mushrooms, onions, water chestnuts and bean sprouts until mixed through and sizzling followed by the shredded pork – 2/3 minutes.

Add the sauce mixture, stirring and sizzling until completely combined for a final 2/3 minutes.

There's more!

Speed sweet – Cherry Eton Mess …

Assembly :

begin with the rubble, add a trickle of compote

and then place your dollop of truffle in the centre,

add a layer of crushed meringues and begin again

with layers of the Amaretti, compote and meringue

add a final trickle of compote

Here it is :

et voila!

Everyone who has road tested this speed sweet has loved it so now it's up your sleeve, whether as a slob night sweet treat or an emergency store cupboard dessert.

Sweet treat – Cherry Eton Mess … assembly and photo guide

Set your stall out :

the rubble

the trickle

the truffle should be the size of a walnut

40g/1½oz

the dollop

and the crush

Now we're ready to assemble!

Speed sweet – Cherry Eton Mess – short cuts or not?

I said earlier that you could short cut two elements or even all four!

The short cuts

Amaretti biscuits

Good quality Amaretti biscuits are a great product – they have a long shelf life which I why I buy mine. Keep your eyes peeled for deals – you get what you pay for these days and these biscuits are not cheap.

Buy ready made chocolate truffles

Buy a drum of ready made meringue kisses

Buy ready made compote in either jars or sachets

Each of the above products is an excellent “emergency” store cupboard ingredient – a speed sweet at your fingertips!

Or not!

I stand by why I said – I buy my Amaretti biscuits, you can make your own but in this instance I want a stash of biscuits in my store cupboard and home made will not last – delicious though they'll be!

Making your own ganache

There are 3 options :

Equal parts chocolate and cream

While still warm this ganache is pourable and can be used to drizzle chocolate ribbons or glaze cookies or cakes. It can also be used as a cake filling. As it starts to cool it thickens and takes on a more spreadable consistency.

Two parts chocolate to one part cream

Increasing the percentage of chocolate makes for a thicker ganache. This ratio is used for truffles. Can also be used as a glaze or piped frosting.

Two parts cream to one part chocolate

A ganache with more cream than chocolate is runny – warm and mousse like at room temp. When warm it can be poured over a cake to give a glaze.

I used equal parts of chocolate and cream – i.e. 300ml of double cream to 300g of plain chocolate drops. I find semi-sweet 50% ish cocoa solids hits the “middle for diddle” and gives a rich truffle texture and flavour.

To make your own meringue kisses

see Sweet week – take 2 25/2/17 Let the meringues begin for all the meringue stuff including hints and tips and a complete photo guide

To make your own compote

see What to serve with Desserts 17/2/19

There's a step by step assembly and photo guide coming next!