More entertaining - Sunday's menu

We decided that a walk would be a great idea on Sunday morning and so it seemed like a good idea to start the morning with a bacon roll. An army marches on its stomach, as they say!

Before I give you the menu … remember the “late lunch or a snack” I'd planned for Saturday afternoon? Like I said at the time, you can never predict how circumstances can change – work went on longer than expected and they weren't able to set off until 3pm which meant that the late lunch or a snack wouldn't be needed.

Everything happens for a reason, so they say. The “late lunch or a snack” became lunch on Sunday! We had a great two hour walk and then back home – preparing lunch took as long as it took the oven to pre-heat for the ciabatta – pulling out the remaining bits and pieces and an ice cold beer whilst waiting. I just love it when a plan re-arranges itself!

Sunday evening meal

Chicken and ham hock pie in a

sauce supreme and puff pastry

Roast potatoes

Cauliflower cheese

Steamed runner beans

Veggie stuffing for the veggie

Apple Crumble with ice cream

and/or clotted cream

My recipe choice from Sunday evening's meal is the Chicken and Ham Hock Pie. Again I've chosen it because it fits in with the principles I've used from the beginning – plan your menu, serve what you know your guests love and cook ahead as much as you can.

I slow cooked chicken breast in chicken stock. The pie was to serve 3 adults – I slow cooked 5 medium sized chicken breasts, cooled then bagged and fridged. I set aside and fridged the stock too.

I cheated and decided to use ready-cooked ham hock. There's a great deal in M&S at the moment – 3x100g packets of Pulled Wiltshire Ham Hock for £7. I used all three for the pie.

Coming up – the method in the madness and after the weekend!

More entertaining - A bowl of strawberries

Recently I gave you the dessert “Lemon Pots” with strawberries, a compote and Amaretti crumb to serve after the currys et al.

If it ain't broke … don't fix it.

I served a variation on that theme :

A bowl of strawberries

A bowl of strawberries, hulled

Sweet White Miso ice cream

Miso caramel sauce, warmed to drizzle

Strawberry compote

Crushed Amaretti biscuits

Toasted, salted pecans

I served each element of the dessert in a separate bowl, placed on a large tray, with the miso caramel sauce warmed in individual jugs. Each guest had an empty glass dessert bowl and a spoon.

As a special treat I served Limoncello shots on the side. The Limoncello had been placed in the freezer along with the shot glasses too.

The strawberries this year have been exceptional and it seemed a shame not to take full advantage.

Do you remember the “Ice Cream Factory” dessert that Pizza Hut used to have – for all I know they may still serve it – it was very popular with kids because they could create their own dessert, admittedly there wasn't too much fresh fruit, it was ice cream, sweets and sauces. I like to think of this idea as the grown-up version.

It's difficult to hit the right spot with a menu for someone you don't know. I can only tell the truth – my Sister's partner, my nickname for whom is Stanley, went home with a pack of recipes for the ice cream, the caramel sauce and the compote. Oh and a packet of sweet white miso too. As a cook I can't think of a greater compliment.

I think everyone slept quite well … now for Sunday!

More entertaining - Strog Part 2 – the day before and on the day

The day before you want to serve the Strog – not a huge workload - take both bags of meat and gravy out of the freezer and fridge to allow them to defrost properly.

Before I begin, a practical tip. My slow cooker can be used on the hob i.e. it's separate from the base. If yours can't then you'll need a large saucepan. As a guide 23x12 cms – 9x4½” in old money.

Tip the contents of the gravy bag – carefully – into the cooker or the pan. Using a large frying pan melt 50g of unsalted butter, add the quartered mushrooms and season with salt and black pepper, sauté gently. The mushrooms will release liquid – continue to cook gently and the liquid will be absorbed, leaving slightly browned mushrooms.

Another tip. If I'm adding cornflour to thicken a gravy I mix it separately in a small jug or cup – with this dish you can use some of the cold gravy or a drop of cold water.

Back to the mushrooms. Add a couple of ladles of gravy from the cooker or the pan and heat gently until simmering, you can then gradually add the cornflour, stirring until smooth and thickened.

Yet another tip – when you're about to add the soured cream add some of the cold gravy before incorporating and whisk together. This will prevent white specks appearing – now is not the time to spoil the appearance of the Strog!

Warm the gravy in the slow cooker or saucepan and then add the thickened mushrooms and the soured cream loosened with the gravy.

All that remains is to add the slow cooked steak to the mushrooms, cream and gravy. Simmer very gently for 20 minutes until piping hot – resist the urge to stir, you'll break up the steak. A gentle jiggle will do the job. To “jiggle” is to give a quick light shake!

You can serve the Strog with whatever takes your fancy. As you know I chose mashed potato – it's not everyone's bag but for me it's the perfect combination. If you're not a fan, then tagliatelle is a popular choice or new potatoes, surprisingly rice is not top of the list but it's whatever your favourite gravy absorber is! It's personal – for me there's nothing quite like Strog ladled generously over a mini mountain of good mashed potato – cuts down on washing up too – you only need either a spoon or a fork to devour!

Then there's the dessert … a bowl of strawberries

Strog Part 1 Method

The reason I've split the recipe into two parts is simple – Part 1 can be slow cooked ahead and then frozen. Part 2 completing the dish is quick and easy – flawless cooking on the day!

Back to the method :

Using a large frying pan heat the rapeseed oil, season

and seal the strips of steak in batches until well browned

then, using a slotted spoon, set aside in the slow cooker

Using the oil and juices left in the pan sauté the onions

and garlic. Add the beef stock pots, mustard, tomato paste

and sweet paprika. Mix together and cook out for 2/3 minutes

so that the stock pots have melted and the tomato paste, mustard

and sweet paprika are combined. Add a glug of water and mix

thoroughly, meanwhile put the kettle on!

Gradually add more boiling water until the onions and

everything else are in a thick gravy. Tip the gravy over your

sealed steak, carefully, then top up with more boiling water so

that the steak et al is completely covered.

Slow cook for 4 hours

Now for the crucial part! When the slow cooking is complete set aside to cool. When cooled remove the the beef with a slotted spoon and place in a strong Ziploc bag, seal and place that bag in another – for safety's sake!

Carefully tip the gravy into another Ziploc bag and as above place that bag in another.

Place both the steak and the gravy bags in the freezer.

Coming up – Strog Part 2 – the day before and on the day ...

Saturday evening meal …

Once again my planning is designed around wanting to spend time with my Sister, who eats very little red meat. The boys love it so as good a place as any to begin. Here's the result :

Saturday evening meal

For the boys

Beef stroganoff (Strog) – with a difference

have you noticed there's a Russian theme here!

Served in large deep bowls on a bed of mashed potato

Steamed veggies on the side

For the girls

Chicken breast in peppercorn sauce

Dauphinoise potatoes

Lemon glazed roasted carrots

Quorn fillet for the veggie

Served in large deep bowls

My recipe selection from the evening meal is the Strog – I said “with a difference” and the difference is it's slow cooked and I don't use traditional fillet – that would be a criminal offence in a slow cooker!

Here's my take on the Strog :

Slow cooked Beef Stroganoff

Part 1

750g rump steak, cut into strips of a similar size

1 tbsp of rapeseed oil

salt and black pepper

2 onions, halved and finely sliced

2 cloves of roasted garlic

2 beef stock pots

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsps of sweet paprika

To complete the Stroganoff

Part 2

50g unsalted butter

250g chestnut mushrooms cut into quarters

2 tsps cornflour, mixed with a drop of water

200g soured cream

Optional - 1 tbsp of brandy

Add the brandy to the mushrooms when sautéed in Part 2

to a stage when all the liquid has been released and then absorbed

There's a reason the Strog is in two parts – hold that thought!

Strog Part 1 method up next!

Late lunch or a snack

Here's the recipe as promised :

Smoked Trout Mousse

400g smoked trout

2 tsp creamed horseradish (optional)

3 tbsp double cream

1 squeeze lemon juice

pinch of black pepper

Serves 4-6

Flake the trout and place in a mixing bowl with the horseradish and the double cream. Mash with a fork until well mixed, add a squeeze of lemon juice and season with black pepper – salt if required.

Will keep in the fridge for 2 days.

This mousse would also make an excellent canapé topping.

If you want to try a canapé idea, blinis are great! They are easily available – I got mine from M&S – 16 Cocktail Blinis for £2.50.

Here they are :

For those not in the know – a blini is a small, thin Russian pancake and in Russia served – if you can afford it – with caviar! There are variations on the theme sweet or savoury – a very useful addition to your canapé collection. Smoked salmon and cream cheese probably being one of the most popular.

You could be forgiven for thinking I am digressing. For once it's entirely deliberate, one recipe leads to another idea, which you might find even more useful, if you get my drift!

Coming up – Saturday evening meal ...

More entertaining!

You must have heard that expression, “you wait forever for a bus and then three come along at once!” The same can be said about visitors, especially in light of months and months of lockdown and “splendid isolation”.

I've just written about hot weather food ideas and entertaining for one occasion. Now for visitors, special people, who are coming to stay. My Sister and her Partner are coming for the weekend. It's time to plan. The weather forecast isn't brilliant, which is a shame after the recent sunshine but hey it's the one thing we can't control!

As is usually the case there are variables to be included in my planning. They are due to arrive Saturday afternoon and leave on Monday morning. The word “afternoon” to me means any time from 2pm until 5pm – will they want a late lunch or a snack – it has to figure in the planning.

Here are my menu ideas :

Saturday – late lunch or a snack

Smoked Trout Mousse

Chicken Liver Paté

Warm Ciabatta

Black Olives

Balsamic & Olive Oil for dipping

Easy to pull from the fridge, ten minutes for the bread and can be served quickly and everyone can help themselves. Easy too to leave fridged if my timings are out. You can never tell and if you're expecting guests who are travelling a distance you can't control traffic, especially if it includes motorways!

These menu ideas are designed to remind you of your own favourites that you've not served for ages! I'll choose a recipe that I think you'll enjoy from each of the meals.

I've not made the Smoked Trout Mousse for ages – it's not a complicated recipe, can be made ahead and fridged, so a great idea in these circumstances and you can spread the work load.

Recipe up next …