Pork Normandy Pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch slices Any hard green apples, peeled and cut into similar sized slices (UK Granny Smiths are best) Mushrooms, sliced Onions, sliced Garlic, crushed / sliced - wotever u prefer Alcoholic cider Brandy Fresh double cream Fresh chopped parsley (British parsley, not cilantro) OK, in a heavy pan, add olive oil and good unsalted butter, and bring to the foam. Add the pork and sauté, make sure it doesn't go brown as this will toughen the meat. When the pork is coloured all over, remove and keep on a warm plate. Add the onions, garlic, apples and mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes, then add a good splash of the cider. Simmer this for about 10 minutes, adding more cider if it goes too dry. When the apples are soft and on the point of breaking up, add the pork back in, and mix around gently. When its all back up to temperature, flambé the lot in some of the brandy (Calvados is best, as this is apple brandy), then reduce the lot on a splosh of the double cream. Serve on a bed of saffron rice with a nice chilled glass of the same cider... 000000000000000000000000000000000 White wine and garlic sauce for Christie's prawns Right, off the top of me head : 2 oz butter heaped tblspoon plain flour 1/2 pint white wine 3 cloves garlic, sliced finely 1 red onion, sliced VERY finely a little bit of red chilli, sliced as finely as possible 2 teaspoons fresh coriander leaf In a pan, add a small amount of the butter, and very gently fry off the onion, garlic and chilli. When they are all soft **but NOT browned** (be careful), add the wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes. In another pan, melt the rest of the butter, and stir in the flour to make a roux. When the butter/flour is all blended, add the wine, a little at a time, whisking all the time to make a smooth sauce. Fry prawns in butter, with plenty of black pepper and a little sea salt. Pour sauce over. 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Flapjacks 250gms best butter (I use President unsalted) 350gms golden syrup (I use Tesco's own brand) rolled oats (anyone's cheapest) Simplest recipe I have in my collection, but the secret is in the ingredients. Best French butter & good syrup (not Tate & Lyle's) - both have very little water content. Any water in this mix and the flapjacks will go hard and biscuity. Melt the butter gently in a large pan. If u want to add any "other" ingredients, now is the time, nuts, seeds, chopped fruit (weed in my case, very finely chopped and then ground with a little sugar in a mortar and pestle), etc. Add the syrup, and mix well. Add rolled oats and mix well, until the mixture is thick and stodgy. Make sure all oats are moistened by the syrup/butter. Roll the lot out into a butter tray and bake for about 20 minutes at gas 4, elec 180. Don't let them go brown, or they will be hard. This way they stay moist and chewy. 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Chilli Con Carne Makes a large batch for freezing, you'll need a BIG saucepan for this size (I use a jam kettle) ... cut down qty of ingredients accordingly for smaller batches. 2x 800 gms packs of best minced beef 4 large red peppers, chopped small 4 large red onions, chopped small 2 sticks celery, shredded and chopped small 6 lge cloves of garlic, sliced fine 1 hot chilli pepper, shredded finely (check on heat before using all of it) 2 teaspoons of dried oregano 3 teaspoons ground cumin 6 cans chopped tomatoes (partially drained, save liquid) 3 cans red kidney beans 1 large jar tomato puree Salt n pepper. First, add a good dollop of good olive oil to the pan, and gently fry off the onions, peppers, celery, chilli and garlic, till just softened - make sure garlic does not go brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Add beef to pan, and brown. When beef is browned, add peppers, onions, garlic and celery back to pan. Stir and fry together for a few minutes, then add the chopped tomatoes, kidney beans, oregano and cumin. Simmer for 15 minutes, adding more tomato liquid as needed. When everything is nicely amalgamated, add the puree, season to taste, and stick in the oven on gas 3, elec 150 deg C for 2 hours, checking after one hour to adjust liquid again if needed. 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Monkfish in Pancetta One monkfish fillet per person. 3 rashers of pancetta per fillet grated fresh root ginger * for the red coulis, per person : 1/2 a red pepper, deseeded and chopped very fine 1 tomato, chopped very fine red chilli, chopped very fine Olive oil Lime juice Salt & freshly milled black pepper Trim the fish fillets, then rub the grated ginger all over each one and wrap in the pancetta. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Bake at elec 220C or Gas 9 for 12 minutes (or until cooked) Add the coulis ingredients to a pan and simmer gently. When cooked, pass theu a sieve and pour onto plates. Sieve monkfish, and turn each slice upwards to expose white fish. Enjoy 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 Lamb Rogan Josh Prep and cook time: 2 hours Serves: 4-6 Ingredients juice of 1 lemon 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tbsp olive or sunflower oil 875g Tenderlean boneless lamb joint, cut into 2.5cm cubes 1 large onion, sliced 2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, grated 2 x tsp garam masala, or to taste 1-2 x tsp chilli powder, or to taste 4 cardamom pods 1 tbsp tomato puree 397g can of chopped tomatoes 150ml beef stock 150g carton of low fat natural yogurt salt and freshly ground black pepper chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), to garnish Method Mix the lemon juice, garlic, oil and a little salt together in a bowl and stir in the lamb. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight. Place the lamb and marinade in a large pan, add the onion and ginger and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garam masala, chilli powder, cardamom pods and seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Stir in the tomato puree, tomatoes and stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 1-11/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Carefully stir in the yogurt. Check the seasoning and serve straight away, garnished with chopped coriander 0000000000000000000000000000000000 Middle Eastern Lamb Kebabs Serves: 4 Prep time: 20mins Cooking time:15mins Ingredients 900g lean boneless lamb (fillet, shoulder or leg) 250g packet dried apricots, no-need-to-soak variety 2 medium red onions 2 cloves garlic 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon pinch of saffron 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tbsp clear honey salt and freshly ground black pepper Method Preheat the grill to a medium/hot setting Place the apricots in a heatproof bowl and pour over 300 ml boiling water and set aside for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the onion and cut into thick wedges and toss in the lemon juice. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Trim any excess fat from the lamb and cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick pieces. Place in a bowl and mix in the garlic, spices, seasoning, oil and honey. Mix well. Drain the apricots. Thread wedges of onion, apricot and lamb on to 8 long metal skewers. Arrange the skewers on a grill rack. Cook for 18-20 minutes, turning halfway, until tender and cooked through. Drain and serve with toasted naan bread and a cucumber and mint raitha. 00000000000000000000000000000000000 Braised Shank of Lamb with Rosemary and creamed potatoes Serves 4 Prep Time : 20 mins Cooking Time : 1 1/2 - 2 hours Ingredients For the lamb 1 tbs. vegetable oil 1 large onion, diced 2 sticks celery, peeled and diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced 1 leek, trimmed, washed and sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 4 tbs. plain flour 4 lamb shanks 300 ml light vegetable stock 300 ml red wine 4 sprigs fresh rosemary 2 tsp. brown sugar salt and pepper For the potatoes 800g peeled potatoes 2 egg yolks, beaten 100 ml single cream 50g butter 1 bunch parsley, chopped salt and pepper Method Warm the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Warm a flameproof casserole dish over a moderate heat and add the oil, then fry the vegetables for 3 minutes until the onions starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes, then remove all the vegetables and return the dish to the heat. Lightly season the lamb all over with salt and pepper, then dust with the flour. Add a little more oil to the casserole dish if needed, then fry the lamb until well browned on all sides. Remove the lamb from the dish and add the vegetables, place the lamb on top then pour over the stock, wine and sugar. Snap the tender tips off the rosemary and reserve for garnish, then strip the leaves off the remaining stems and sprinkle onto the lamb. Season with a little pepper, cover tightly with foil and place in the oven to cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the lamb is very tender. Cut the potatoes into large, even sized chunks and place in a pan of cold, salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Drain and return the potatoes to the pan, warming gently to dry them out. Mash until smooth, then add the egg yolks and stir well. Add the cream and butter and stir well, then add the parsley and season with the salt and pepper. To serve, pile the mash into deep bowls and place a lamb shank on each pile. Using a slotted spoon, strain the vegetables from the sauce and place these around the mash, then pour the sauce over both. 000000000000000000000000000000000 Kleftico Serves 6-8 1 (4 lb.) boneless leg of lamb 8 sm. carrots, cut in half 8 sm. white onions 8 sm. stalks celery, cut into 20-inch pieces 8 sm. potatoes, peeled, halved, and buttered with 4 tbsp. butter 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 1 tbsp. dried oregano 1 tbsp. dried mint 8 slivers garlic Salt and pepper, to taste Method Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celcius Make incisions in meat and insert slivers of garlic. Place the lamb on a large square of heavy-duty aluminium foil. Distribute the vegetables evenly around the lamb. Add a few drops of lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, and mint. Fold the foil in double fold at top and seal like a package. Place in a roasting tin and bake in the oven for 3 1/2-4 hours. Variation: Other vegetables can be used, such as 4 small courgettes, cut up; 4 ripe tomatoes, quartered; 4 green peppers, cut into eighths; 2 medium aubergines, peeled and cubed; 8 artichoke hearts, or 8 whole large mushrooms. 00000000000000000000000000000000000000 Lamb Tagine 2 lb of shoulder of lamb, cut into 2" cubes 2 lge onions, sliced thinly 1 lge red pepper, sliced thinly 12 olives chopped Some mushrooms, quartered 500gms whole baby carrots 1 carton passata 1/2 pt lamb stock 1/2 pt red wine 4 oz dried apricots, cut into 1/4s 1 oz sultanas 2 tblspns ground almonds 6 sun dried tomatoes. 1 tsp cayenne 2 tspns ground black pepper 2 tspns paprika 2 tspns turmeric 2" stick of cinnamon 3 bay leaves 3 lge cloves garlic, crushed and sliced 1" cube of fresh ginger, grated 1/2 red chilli, sliced thinly good pinch of saffron about 1 tblspn of apricot jam Add the saffron & sun dried tomatoes to the hot lamb stock and wine and leave to stand. Fry the onions in olive oil till soft, then add the garlic and fry gently for another 2 minutes. Transfer this to the casserole dish. Add the meat to the pan and fry gently till browned on all sides, then add the ground spices, ginger, cinnamon, bay leaves & chilli and fry for another 2 minutes till it coats the meat all over. Transfer the meat and spices to the casserole dish. Take the tomatoes out of the stock and chop roughly, then add the tomatoes and stock / wine / saffron mix to the pan and deglaze. Add the peppers, carrots, olives, carrots, mushrooms, apricots & sultanas, and then add the jam and ground almonds. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the passata, bring back up to heat, then transfer the lot into the casserole dish. Mix well and place in a low oven (Gas 3 Elec 150C) for 2-3 hours, or until the lamb is tender. Serve with rice or baby new potatoes. My lot were very vocal in their praise of this dish, and even though I say it myself, it's my best dish in the new kitchen to date ! 0000000000000000000000000000000000000 Pastitsio, a wonderful variation on Lasagne. Three separate lists : 1) Meat 500-800gms good minced beef 1 lge red onion finely chopped 2 red peppers thinly sliced (mod) a few big button mushrooms, sliced thinly (mod) LOADS of garlic a few slivers of red chiili (mod) 6 fl oz good red wine (if it's not good enough to drink it ain't good enough to cook with !) 8 fl oz beef stock (Oxo will do) 1 sm tin tomato puree salt & pepper 2) pasta 200 gms rigatoni or sim tubular pasta 1 egg 2 oz nice strong cheese (I used Lincolnshire Poacher) 1/4 tspn fresh grated nutmeg salt 3) Bechemel Sauce 12 fl oz whole milk 1 egg butter plain flour nutmeg salt Right, first cook off the pasta. Add the rigatoni to boiling salted water and cook till just al dente. Beat the egg into a bowl, add 1/2 the grated cheese and nutmeg. In another bowl, or the saucepan you used to cook the pasta, add 2 oz butter and melt it, add the pasta back into the butter. When it's all coated, add the pasta to the egg mix and mix well. Leave to stand. Now cook off the onion, peppers, chillis & garlic in a load of good olive oil (I use Greek). When the meat is browned and any excess liquid from the mince has evaporated, add the wine and cook out, then add the stock, some salt and pepper, and the tin of tomato puree. Let this lot simmer for 15 mins or so. Make a roux with the butter and flour, add the milk slowly whisking all the time till you get a nice glossy sauce.Now add a bit more nutmeg, and some more salt and pepper. When it's good, take it off the heat and leave it for a minute or two before whisking in the other egg. OK ? Good. Now it's time to assemble it. Stick 1/2 the meat sauce in a buttered casserole dish. Add 1/2 the pasta and spread around. Add the rest of the meat, then the rest of the pasta. Now pour all of the bechemel over the meat and pasta mix, smoothing it evenly. Finally, sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Cook this at Gas 4, Elec 180C for about 45-50 minutes. Leave it to stand for 5-10 minutes then serve with fresh crusty bread ( which I also made myself) Enjoy. 0000000000000000000000000000000000 Olive & coriander bread To make one large loaf : Dough- 600g strong white flour 2 tspns salt 2 tblspns olive oil 2 tblspns honey a splash of full milk Filling- 12 black olive chopped quite finely a large handful of fresh corinder leaf, chopped very very finely Riser- 3 tspns dried yeast 3 tspns sugar 200 ml warm water Make up the riser, whisk all together and leave to stand for 10 mins to go frothy Add the salt to the flour, then add the olive oil and rub the mix together to form very fine crumbs. When that's done, add the honey & milk, and then whisk the riser and add it bit by bit, mixing the lot with a fork until it all clumps together - it probably won't need all of the riser. Now the hard work starts, this one really does benefit from a LOT of kneading, so get cracking and give it 400 strokes. Leave it in a bowl in warm place, covered with a dry cloth until it's doubled in size, then knock it down and knead it for another 400 strokes. Cover and leave again for 15 mins, then knock it out and roll it out to the width of your largest loaf tin, and as long as your work surface will allow. Paint the surface with olive oil, except round the very edges, then sprinkle on the olives and coriander. Moisten the edges with water and roll it up tightly then place it in the oiled loaf tin. Leave it to prove for 45 mins. Score the top with a sharp knife and paint the top with more olive oil. Cook in the middle of a very hot oven, Gas 8 / Elec 220C, for about 35 minutes. Makes amazingly crunchy toast. 0000000000000000000000000000 Paella two small or one fat bugger portion : small salmon fillet, cubed handful of cooked or raw prawns medium chicken breast fillet, cubed 2 handfuls risotto rice 1 chicken oxo big pinch saffron big glass good white wine one onion very finely diced one small celery stick very finely diced one small red pepper deseeded and finely diced Fry off the chicken in good olive oil, when its taken colour all over, add the onion, celery and pepper and fry till just softened. Add the rice and stir till all coated in the oil. Add the chicken stock and white wine, then the saffron (I use strands, but grind them to powder in a mortar and pestle first). Add the salmon and prawns and simmer gently, adding more stock if needed until the rice is cooked. 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000