So so easy!
INGREDIENTS
Pork Spare Ribs
Heinz Tomato Ketchup
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
Brown Sugar
Chopped Onion
METHOD
To be honest I never weigh anything when making this but I always use a whole bottle of ketchup! Add Lea & Perrins & brown sugar to Tomato Ketchup to taste then add some chopped onion. Place the ribs onto a baking tray / dish and smother them very liberally in the sauce. Cook for about 30/40 mins in a moderate oven. If you want to cook them on a charcoal bbq I recommend starting them off in the oven and then finishing them on the bbq.
BROWN HORSE CARROTS
This recipe was given to me by Marjorie & Steven Doherty when they had the Brown Horse Pub in the Lake District. It's delicious!
INGREDIENTS
5 Carrots, very thinly sliced (use a mandoline if possible)
1 Onion, chopped very finely
2oz Butter
A squeeze of Lemon Juice
Small amount of water
Tblsp sugar
Tblsp salt
METHOD
Put all the ingredients into a pan together, put the lid on and cook gently for 20 mins
Note: There should only be a small amount of liquid, don't add too much water. When the carrots are cooked you shouldn't have to drain them.
INGREDIENTS
5 Carrots, very thinly sliced (use a mandoline if possible)
1 Onion, chopped very finely
2oz Butter
A squeeze of Lemon Juice
Small amount of water
Tblsp sugar
Tblsp salt
METHOD
Put all the ingredients into a pan together, put the lid on and cook gently for 20 mins
Note: There should only be a small amount of liquid, don't add too much water. When the carrots are cooked you shouldn't have to drain them.
BRADBURY'S OLD FASHIONED LEMONADE
This recipe was given to me by my Mother-in-Law Shirley & it was given to her in about 1950 by the Grandmother of a family friend. Therefore I would imagine this recipe must date back to to the early 1900's. It's really easy to make & yields a large amount of concentrate so have some sterilised bottles ready to decant it. It may sound like a lot of sugar but you only need a very small amount for each glass. I just dilute it with cold water but you could use sparkling water for a fizzy lemonade, a much better alternative to canned pop & it tastes great!
INGREDIENTS
Sugar Syrup:
4lbs White Sugar
3 Pints Water
3 Lemons
Sugar Syrup:
4lbs White Sugar
3 Pints Water
3 Lemons
3 Oranges
1oz Citric Acid
1oz Tartaric Acid
1oz / A Pinch of Epsom Salts
Dilution: 2 tablespoons to a glass of water
Note:
This is the original recipe but I tend to leave out the Epsom Salts. Epsom salts have a laxative effect and I think they may have been added to the lemonade to make an old fashioned 'tonic' or 'liver cleanse'.
Try and use organic unwaxed fruit and I also tend to use only lemons and if the fruit is quite small increase the quantity. Tartaric acid and Citric acid can be bought from your Chemist / Pharmacy.
METHOD
Peel the rind of the fruit (with a vegetable peeler) and place into a large bowl or similar vessel. Squeeze the juice of all the fruit and add to the rind. Don't worry about pips etc. as the mixture will be strained later. Add the Citric and Tartaric Acid (& Epsom Salts, optional).
Place the sugar and water into a large pan and bring to the boil slowly, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool slightly then pour the syrup onto the fruit mixture. Cover and leave to stand for a few hours, preferably overnight. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and bottle.
Dilute the concentrate to taste with either still or sparkling water.
HOMEMADE BURGERS
Making your own burgers is so easy once you have done it you will never use shop bought again and this way you know exactly what is in them! It is important to use good quality lean meat. This recipe should yield 6 burgers.
I like to put mayonnaise on one side of the bun, tomato ketchup / relish on the other side and then sliced onions, tomato, crispy lettuce before adding the cheese topped burger. Another variation I like is to add just tomato ketchup, caramelised onion relish and sliced gherkin to a cheese topped burger. Yum!
INGREDIENTS
1lb Minced Steak
1 Onion - grated or very finely chopped
1 egg
Plain flour
Mixed Herbs (I favour Herbes de Provence)
1 large clove of garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
NB: Lots of people don't like onion in burgers but it adds flavour.
Grating it into the mixture means no-one will even know it's there!
Grating it into the mixture means no-one will even know it's there!
Burger Buns and any or all of the following:
Sliced Cheese
Sliced Tomato
Sliced Onions
Sliced Gherkins
Iceberg Lettuce
Mayonnaise
Tomato Ketchup / Relish
Caramelised Onion Relish
METHOD
Place the minced steak, grated onion and seasonings together in a large bowl. Add a beaten egg and a little flour to bind. Get into the mixture with your hands to combine thoroughly! Then form your burgers. I use a Burger Press and Waxed Discs to keep all the burgers separate. They're not expensive and using one means that the burgers don't fall apart and look great! You can buy them online at Lakeland Plastics. If you haven't got one though you can form them with your hands.
If you're not cooking these on a BBQ you can grill them quickly under a very hot grill or use a griddle pan. They need to have a good brown colour to add to the flavour. Whichever method you choose they need to be cooked in a quick manner on a high heat.
TIP: If you are using a griddle pan oil the burgers, NOT the pan! Get a dish and put some olive oil in it. Take off the waxed disc on one side of the burger and using a pastry brush, brush a little oil on one side of each burger. Heat the pan so it is very hot and place the burgers in the pan, oil side down. Whilst they are cooking remove the waxed disc from the top side and brush a little oil on each burger. Don't be tempted to jiggle the burgers around the pan, you want some nice brown stripes! After a couple of minutes flip them over to brown the other side. You could also place a slice of cheese on the top at this point.
When the burgers are cooked place in a warm Burger Bun with accompaniments of your choice ...
I like to put mayonnaise on one side of the bun, tomato ketchup / relish on the other side and then sliced onions, tomato, crispy lettuce before adding the cheese topped burger. Another variation I like is to add just tomato ketchup, caramelised onion relish and sliced gherkin to a cheese topped burger. Yum!
SPANISH MEATBALLS
This is a great dish, everyone loves it! I've lost my Tapas Cookbook so this recipe is from memory but it should serve 4 people very well as a main course. You can make the meatballs bitesize for a tapa, served with crusty bread or make them a bit larger and serve as a main dish with spaghetti or tagliatelle (flat noodle type pasta). The sauce is my basic FRESH TOMATO SAUCE but with *one important addition!
INGREDIENTS
MEATBALLS:
1lb Minced Steak
1 Onion - grated or very very finely chopped
Handful of damp breadcrumbs (made from stale bread, dampened with a little water)
1 egg
Mixed Herbs (I favour Herbes de Provence)
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour (for rolling the meatballs in)
SAUCE:
Tinned tomatoes (cheapest supermarket own brand is fine)
Olive Oil
Mixed Herbs (Herbes de Provence)
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A small amount of sugar (a teaspoonful, then taste before adding more)
*Fino - Spanish Dry Sherry
*Fino is the added ingredient to my FRESH TOMATO SAUCE and is very important, the sauce is just not the same without it!
METHOD
Make the sauce as per my FRESH TOMATO SAUCE, adding a good couple of glugs of Fino. You need to use a deep pan so there is room for the meatballs to be added later. Leave the sauce to simmer whilst you make the meatballs...
Place the minced steak, grated onion, breadcrumbs and seasonings together in a bowl and mix well with a beaten egg. If the mixture is too wet add a little flour.
Put 2 plates out and sprinkle some flour on one. Using your hands roll small amounts of mixture into balls, roll in flour to coat on all sides and put to one side. Repeat until you have used all the mixture.
In a frying pan heat a small amount of olive oil and brown all the meatballs. Don't put too many in the pan at once. You are just sealing the meat and giving it some colour so don't leave them in too long.
Once all the meatballs are browned place them carefully into the pan of sauce and cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly. If you are making them in advance turn off the heat when you have added the meatballs and reheat through later.
If you are going to serve the meatballs with pasta now is the time to cook that and set the table!
These are delicious served as a tapa in small individual dishes with lots of sauce and some crusty bread to mop it all up!
INGREDIENTS
MEATBALLS:
1lb Minced Steak
1 Onion - grated or very very finely chopped
Handful of damp breadcrumbs (made from stale bread, dampened with a little water)
1 egg
Mixed Herbs (I favour Herbes de Provence)
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour (for rolling the meatballs in)
SAUCE:
Tinned tomatoes (cheapest supermarket own brand is fine)
Olive Oil
Mixed Herbs (Herbes de Provence)
2 large cloves of garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A small amount of sugar (a teaspoonful, then taste before adding more)
*Fino - Spanish Dry Sherry
*Fino is the added ingredient to my FRESH TOMATO SAUCE and is very important, the sauce is just not the same without it!
METHOD
Make the sauce as per my FRESH TOMATO SAUCE, adding a good couple of glugs of Fino. You need to use a deep pan so there is room for the meatballs to be added later. Leave the sauce to simmer whilst you make the meatballs...
Place the minced steak, grated onion, breadcrumbs and seasonings together in a bowl and mix well with a beaten egg. If the mixture is too wet add a little flour.
Put 2 plates out and sprinkle some flour on one. Using your hands roll small amounts of mixture into balls, roll in flour to coat on all sides and put to one side. Repeat until you have used all the mixture.
In a frying pan heat a small amount of olive oil and brown all the meatballs. Don't put too many in the pan at once. You are just sealing the meat and giving it some colour so don't leave them in too long.
Once all the meatballs are browned place them carefully into the pan of sauce and cook on a low heat for about 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly. If you are making them in advance turn off the heat when you have added the meatballs and reheat through later.
If you are going to serve the meatballs with pasta now is the time to cook that and set the table!
These are delicious served as a tapa in small individual dishes with lots of sauce and some crusty bread to mop it all up!
PRAWN & NOODLE SOUP
Again, not one of my recipes but another from Nigel Slater that my friend Debbie cooked for us the other night. It was one of the tastiest dishes I've had for a long time! She said it was incredibly easy too! Nigel says "One of the reasons this soup is so tasty is the marriage of sugar and spice - bringing together some lovely Southeast Asian flavours with coconut milk for sweetness and chilli for heat."
INGREDIENTS
3 small bird's-eye chillies
4 cloves garlic
a lump of ginger the size of your thumb
2 plump stalks lemongrass
6 lime leaves
a good handful coriander leaves
a little vegetable oil
500ml/1pt chicken or vegetable stock
400ml/14fl oz coconut milk
10 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
the juice of half a lime
200g raw king prawns, frozen
100g/4oz dried noodles, cooked as it says on the packet
a large handful mint leaves
METHOD
Chop the chillies, removing the seeds if you wish, peel the garlic and ginger and chop roughly. Put them all into a food processor. Discard the outer leaves of the lemongrass and roughly chop the inner leaves. Shred the lime leaves and add them all to the chillies with the coriander stems and half of the leaves. Blitz them to a pulp, adding a little vegetable oil if the mixture needs it to go round.
Place a fairly deep pan over a moderate heat, add half the spice paste (keep the other half in the fridge for tomorrow) and fry it, moving it around the pan so it does not scorch. Do this for a minute or two, then pour in the stock and the coconut milk and bring to the boil.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters and add them to the soup with the fish sauce and lime juice. They will take about seven minutes to cook. Add the prawns - they are cooked when they take on a pink colour. Chop up the remaining coriander leaves and add to the sauce.
Now to serve, put a swirl of noodles in each of four bowls, pour over the sauce and add the chopped mint at the last second for a bit of freshness.
The original recipe by Nigel Slater can be found here, including a video:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/prawn_and_noodle_soup_30100
3 small bird's-eye chillies
4 cloves garlic
a lump of ginger the size of your thumb
2 plump stalks lemongrass
6 lime leaves
a good handful coriander leaves
a little vegetable oil
500ml/1pt chicken or vegetable stock
400ml/14fl oz coconut milk
10 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
the juice of half a lime
200g raw king prawns, frozen
100g/4oz dried noodles, cooked as it says on the packet
a large handful mint leaves
Chop the chillies, removing the seeds if you wish, peel the garlic and ginger and chop roughly. Put them all into a food processor. Discard the outer leaves of the lemongrass and roughly chop the inner leaves. Shred the lime leaves and add them all to the chillies with the coriander stems and half of the leaves. Blitz them to a pulp, adding a little vegetable oil if the mixture needs it to go round.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/prawn_and_noodle_soup_30100
STEVE'S CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
This recipe was given to me a friend, they are absolutely delicious!
INGREDIENTS
10oz Dark chocolate
10oz Dark chocolate
10oz Butter
6oz Flour
1tsp Baking poweder
12oz sugar
4 eggs
Vanilla essence
3oz Milk chocolate
3oz White chocolate
METHOD
Melt 10oz dark chocolate and 10oz butter in a glass bowl
Sieve 6oz flour and 1 tsp baking powder into another bowl
Sieve 6oz flour and 1 tsp baking powder into another bowl
Allow the chocolate mixture to cool a bit and then stir in 12oz sugar. Add 4 beaten eggs, a few drops of vanilla essence, then fold in the flour and 3oz of chopped milk chocolate and 3oz of chopped white chocolate
Place into a greased 12" x 8" cake tin and bake for 20-25 mins at 160°C
Place into a greased 12" x 8" cake tin and bake for 20-25 mins at 160°C
Allow to cool for a little in the tin then remove and cut into squares
VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE
My mother in law taught me the secret of making a good sponge cake. Weigh your eggs! Yep, it's that simple and it doesn't matter how many cakes you are making the same rule applies. All the ingredients should be of equal quantity. Most eggs weigh about 2oz so if the recipe calls for 4 eggs the rest of the ingredients will be 8oz. However there are different sizes of eggs! So, always weigh your eggs and the combined weight of the eggs determines the weight of all the other ingredients. You can also use this mixture to make fairy cakes / cupcakes.
INGREDIENTS
4 eggs
8oz butter
8oz caster sugar
8oz self raising flour
Strawberry Jam (good quality eg: Bonne Maman or homemade)
Icing sugar
NB: I have stated 4 eggs and 8oz of each of the other ingredients. Weigh all your eggs together. If the combined weight is 7oz then only use 7oz of butter, sugar and flour.
IMO: Always use butter. Margarine is a processed food and really bad for you. Don't be tempted to use those low fat spreads either, they're processed too and your body doesn't know how to deal with them.
METHOD
Preheat the oven to about 180c.
Grease and line 2 x 7inch cake tins with greaseproof paper*
I use a Kenwood mixer to make cakes as it's so quick and easy but if you haven't got one you can still make it by hand...
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time. Fold in the flour until all combined. If you're using a mixer you can use the all-in-one method and just throw it all in together! The final mixture should be a dropping consistency; when you turn a spoonful upside down it should 'drop' off, not stick or run off. As you have weighed the eggs it should be fine but if not add a little milk until it is the right consistency.
Divide the mixture equally between 2 cake tins and put in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden and springy to the touch. If you're not sure if it's cooked properly insert a skewer in the middle and when you withdraw it, it should be clean with no mixture stuck to it.
Take out of the oven and when cool enough to handle turn the cakes out onto a wire rack to cool and peel off the paper.
When cool place one cake onto a plate, flat side up, and spread a good quality strawberry jam over, not quite to the edges or it will end up all down the sides. Then place the other cake on top, flat side down this time. Place some icing sugar in a sieve and shake gently to dust the top of the cake.
Variations: You can also sandwich the cakes with lemon curd, cream, cream and fresh fruit etc. For the top you could make a glace icing by mixing a very small amount of water with icing sugar.
Instead of making one cake you could also make fairy cakes (nowadays called cupcakes) and have lots of different toppings.
Another use for this mixture is to place cooked (or tinned) fruit in the base of a greased ovenproof dish and then top with the cake mixture for a light sponge pudding. Serve hot with cream or custard.
*How to line a cake tin: If you are using a non-stick cake tin you might not need to line it but I always line the bottom anyway, if not the sides, just to be sure the cake will come out!
Roll out a length of greaseproof paper and place your cake tin on top. Draw around it as near to one edge of the paper as possible. Place the cake tin above the circle you've just drawn and repeat, again drawing around it close to the edge of the paper. There should now be a strip of paper at the side of the 2 circles, cut the strip off, as close to the circles as possible. Cut out the circles.
Take the strip of paper and with a pair of scissors snip small vertical cuts into it all along one edge. Next grease the sides and bottom of the cake tin with a little butter (use the butter paper or use a piece of kitchen roll dipped in butter). Place the strip of greaseproof paper around the sides of the cake tin, snipped sides down so that they fan out onto the base of the tin, cut off the excess and save for the other tin. The paper should stick to the greased tin. Next lay one of the circles on the base of the tin and on top of the snipped edges of the side papers, again it will stick to the greased tin, grease the top of the circle too. Does that make sense?!
CHICKEN, GRAPE & APPLE SALAD
My daughter reminded me about this salad, we've not had it for ages. I don't know why as it is delicious, a lovely combination. Fresh, crispy & fruity!
INGREDIENTS
Chicken, cooked
Grapes, green (seedless)
Apple
Mayonnaise
Iceberg lettuce
METHOD
Chop or shred the cooked chicken, cut the seedless grapes in half, peel and chop the apple, chop the lettuce and combine all the ingredients with a good quality mayonnaise. Simple!
NB: It is best to put this together just before serving so that the apple doesn't go brown or the lettuce limp
Chicken, cooked
Grapes, green (seedless)
Apple
Mayonnaise
Iceberg lettuce
METHOD
Chop or shred the cooked chicken, cut the seedless grapes in half, peel and chop the apple, chop the lettuce and combine all the ingredients with a good quality mayonnaise. Simple!
NB: It is best to put this together just before serving so that the apple doesn't go brown or the lettuce limp
MACARONI CHEESE
Absolutely a family favourite!
INGREDIENTS
Macaroni pasta (follow the packet guidelines for quantity per person)
Cooked ham / bacon (optional)
SAUCE:
Macaroni pasta (follow the packet guidelines for quantity per person)
Cooked ham / bacon (optional)
Plain flour
Butter
Milk
Cream (optional)
Grated cheddar cheese
Grated cheddar cheese
Chicken stock cube or
Seasoned Sea Salt (A.Vogel Herbamare, see link below)
Freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco sauce
Fresh parsley
TOPPING:
Tomatoes
Grated cheddar cheese
I never weigh anything as I do it purely by eye! I'm sure you will be able to as well, adjusting the quantities according to how many people you're serving. The only quantities you need to know is for the sauce. This is made from a roux which is always equal quantities of butter and flour. I would normally do 2 tablespoons of each.
METHOD
Cook the macaroni as per packet instructions. Don't overcook it, it needs to be 'al dente', which means it should have a bit of bite.
If you have chosen to use bacon, chop into cubes and fry until cooked the way you like it.
Whilst the macaroni is cooking make your sauce..
Cook the macaroni as per packet instructions. Don't overcook it, it needs to be 'al dente', which means it should have a bit of bite.
If you have chosen to use bacon, chop into cubes and fry until cooked the way you like it.
Whilst the macaroni is cooking make your sauce..
Melt the butter in a pan, when it has melted take it off the heat and add the plain flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until all the flour has been absorbed into the butter then put it back on the heat. Keep stirring and cook for a couple of minutes until 'blonde'. Add some milk little by little, stirring the sauce against the side of the pan with the wooden spoon to break up any lumps, or you could use a whisk. Keep going until it is a sauce consistency, it should coat the back of your spoon. If you add too much milk, don't panic, just mix a little flour with water to a smooth liquid paste and add to your sauce. As you cook the sauce it will thicken, keep stirring, don't leave it! When you are happy with the consistency add your grated cheese, seasonings, stock cube or seasoned sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, a couple of dashes of tabasco and fresh parsley. If you want to make it really rich you could add a little cream. Once you are happy with how it tastes take off the heat.
Drain your pasta, add to the cheese sauce and turn the mixture over to mix.
Add some chopped cooked ham or bacon and mix.
Place the mixture in an ovenproof dish (I use a lasagna dish)
Slice the tomatoes and place in a layer on top to completely cover the macaroni.
Top with grated cheese and place under the grill until the tomatoes are cooked and the cheese golden brown.
Serve with a green side salad and some fresh crusty bread.
SPANISH TORTILLA
A Spanish Tortilla it is not a Mexican flour pancake but a Spanish omelette. It's very easy to make, is great hot or cold and is a staple for a Tapas spread. Also great for picnics!
INGREDIENTS
Potatoes
Onions (optional)
Olive Oil
Eggs
Sea salt
WHAT YOU NEED: A non stick frying pan is a must. I use a standard frying pan which is about the same circumference as a dinner plate. Also a large bowl and 2 large plates the same circumference as your frying pan.
METHOD
Break about 6 or 7 eggs into a large bowl with some salt and mix with a fork until combined.
Chop an onion and sauté in a little olive oil until clear but not brown. Add to the egg mixture.
Peel your potatoes and chop into quite small cubes.
(You need enough to completely fill your frying pan)
Heat some olive oil in your frying pan. Don't use too much oil, you are not deep frying, you just need enough so that all the potatoes are covered. Cook the potatoes on a medium heat. You don't want them to brown so be careful not to have the heat too high. Putting a lid on the pan whilst cooking will help to cook them in the steam that they generate and will help to prevent browning.
When the potatoes are cooked tip them into the egg mixture. If you have used too much oil use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan so as not to add the oil as well. Turn the potatoes over in the egg so that they are all coated. The heat of the potatoes will start the cooking process of the egg.
If necessary add a little more olive oil to the pan and heat. Tip all the egg & potato mixture back into the pan. It should be absolutely full. Cook on a low to medium heat. If you have the heat too high the underneath will brown before the egg cooks in the middle, (putting a lid on the pan from time to time can help the cooking process). Whilst the mixture is cooking, using the back of a large spoon, keep pushing around the edges of the mixture to help create a rounded edge.
When the underneath is lightly browned and the mixture is starting to go firm you need to turn the tortilla over. Don't panic, there is a method!
Place a plate over the pan, one that is the same size or larger. Put one hand on top of the plate and the other hand on your pan handle and turn them over. Lift off the pan and you will have the tortilla on the plate, the cooked underside now visible. Now place another plate on top and turn over again. Now you will see the uncooked part, probably quite loose but don't worry. Now place the frying pan on top of the plate and turn over once more. Now the uncooked side is on the bottom of the pan. If you have lost any bits of potato in the turning process, add them back to the pan.
Return to the heat and cook on a low to medium heat until the underside is browned and the whole tortilla is quite firm. Again use the back of a large spoon to push the edges of the mixture in to create a rounded edge.
Note: If when you turned the tortilla the first time it looked like it could do with a little more browning, it should be a golden colour, just repeat the process when you have cooked the other side.
Once the tortilla is cooked, place your serving plate over the pan and invert again.
You can serve this immediately, hot, with any accompaniment of your choice, we quite like it with baked beans! Or leave to cool and serve at room temperature on its own as a tapa with some crusty bread. I also like to serve it with some Chorizo, Serrano Ham and some Tomato, Pepper & Onion Salad. It's also good with chargrilled peppers, the kind you can buy in jars in the supermarket.
Variations: You can add any other vegetables to the mixture if you choose. Any bits of peppers, courgettes etc that you may have left. The Spanish often add spinach or asparagus.
INGREDIENTS
Potatoes
Onions (optional)
Olive Oil
Eggs
Sea salt
WHAT YOU NEED: A non stick frying pan is a must. I use a standard frying pan which is about the same circumference as a dinner plate. Also a large bowl and 2 large plates the same circumference as your frying pan.
METHOD
Break about 6 or 7 eggs into a large bowl with some salt and mix with a fork until combined.
Chop an onion and sauté in a little olive oil until clear but not brown. Add to the egg mixture.
Peel your potatoes and chop into quite small cubes.
(You need enough to completely fill your frying pan)
Heat some olive oil in your frying pan. Don't use too much oil, you are not deep frying, you just need enough so that all the potatoes are covered. Cook the potatoes on a medium heat. You don't want them to brown so be careful not to have the heat too high. Putting a lid on the pan whilst cooking will help to cook them in the steam that they generate and will help to prevent browning.
When the potatoes are cooked tip them into the egg mixture. If you have used too much oil use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan so as not to add the oil as well. Turn the potatoes over in the egg so that they are all coated. The heat of the potatoes will start the cooking process of the egg.
If necessary add a little more olive oil to the pan and heat. Tip all the egg & potato mixture back into the pan. It should be absolutely full. Cook on a low to medium heat. If you have the heat too high the underneath will brown before the egg cooks in the middle, (putting a lid on the pan from time to time can help the cooking process). Whilst the mixture is cooking, using the back of a large spoon, keep pushing around the edges of the mixture to help create a rounded edge.
When the underneath is lightly browned and the mixture is starting to go firm you need to turn the tortilla over. Don't panic, there is a method!
Place a plate over the pan, one that is the same size or larger. Put one hand on top of the plate and the other hand on your pan handle and turn them over. Lift off the pan and you will have the tortilla on the plate, the cooked underside now visible. Now place another plate on top and turn over again. Now you will see the uncooked part, probably quite loose but don't worry. Now place the frying pan on top of the plate and turn over once more. Now the uncooked side is on the bottom of the pan. If you have lost any bits of potato in the turning process, add them back to the pan.
Return to the heat and cook on a low to medium heat until the underside is browned and the whole tortilla is quite firm. Again use the back of a large spoon to push the edges of the mixture in to create a rounded edge.
Note: If when you turned the tortilla the first time it looked like it could do with a little more browning, it should be a golden colour, just repeat the process when you have cooked the other side.
Once the tortilla is cooked, place your serving plate over the pan and invert again.
You can serve this immediately, hot, with any accompaniment of your choice, we quite like it with baked beans! Or leave to cool and serve at room temperature on its own as a tapa with some crusty bread. I also like to serve it with some Chorizo, Serrano Ham and some Tomato, Pepper & Onion Salad. It's also good with chargrilled peppers, the kind you can buy in jars in the supermarket.
Variations: You can add any other vegetables to the mixture if you choose. Any bits of peppers, courgettes etc that you may have left. The Spanish often add spinach or asparagus.
CREAM OF CAULIFLOWER SOUP
The easiest way to make this is with a stick blender as you can liquidize it directly into the pan. If you don't have one I recommend you invest in one, they are one of the most useful kitchen gadgets and the easiest way to rescue a lumpy sauce!
INGREDIENTS
Large cauliflower (I use 2 but then I make a large pan of soup)
Onions (I use 1 onion per cauliflower)
Chicken stock cube
Milk
Chopped fresh parsley
Tabasco
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated cheddar cheese
Cream
METHOD
Remove the outer leaves and stalk from the cauliflower. Break up into florets and place in a large pan. Peel and quarter the onion and separate the sections and add to the pan along with a stock cube. Only fill the pan about half way up with water and put on the lid. Cook until the cauliflower is very soft.
When the cauliflower is cooked, remove a good handful of cauliflower and reserve on a plate. Using a stick blender liquidise the cauliflower and onion into the cooking water until smooth. You will end up with something looking like baby food.
Add milk to the mixture until you reach a consistency of a thick soup. Add salt & pepper to taste and a few dashes of tabasco. Add a pile of grated cheddar cheese and stir until it has melted and incorporated into the soup.
When you are happy with the flavour of the soup add the reserved cauliflower (crumbled / chopped into smaller pieces), the chopped parsley and some cream to taste. Reserve a little parsley for a garnish.
Serve garnished with parsley and warm crusty bread.
Variation: For broccoli soup use exactly the same method but use broccoli instead. I also make cauliflower and broccoli soup but use twice as much cauliflower as broccoli.
INGREDIENTS
Large cauliflower (I use 2 but then I make a large pan of soup)
Onions (I use 1 onion per cauliflower)
Chicken stock cube
Milk
Chopped fresh parsley
Tabasco
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Grated cheddar cheese
Cream
Remove the outer leaves and stalk from the cauliflower. Break up into florets and place in a large pan. Peel and quarter the onion and separate the sections and add to the pan along with a stock cube. Only fill the pan about half way up with water and put on the lid. Cook until the cauliflower is very soft.
COCONUT CHILLI CHICKEN
This isn't one of my recipes but I've included it as it is so delicious that I'm sure it's going to become a favourite. I had this last night at a friend Carole's house and it is proof that making your own curry from scratch really is easier than you think. The simple combination of a few fiery spices and cooling coconut milk will give you a result that beats any takeaway!
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)
3 plump stalks lemongrass
3 plump stalks lemongrass
50g/2oz fresh ginger
2 hot red chillies
2 cloves garlic
a bunch coriander
2 limes
2 tbsp groundnut oil
200g/7oz tomatoes
2 tbsp fish sauce (nam plah)
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
8 chicken thighs
400ml/14oz can coconut milk
8 apricots, halved
Rice
2 hot red chillies
2 cloves garlic
a bunch coriander
2 limes
2 tbsp groundnut oil
200g/7oz tomatoes
2 tbsp fish sauce (nam plah)
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
400ml/14oz can coconut milk
8 apricots, halved
Naan Bread
METHOD
1. Peel and discard the outer leaves of the lemongrass - they can sometimes be tough. Cut the inner leaves into short lengths and put in the food processor. Peel the ginger, then slice into thin pieces and add to the lemongrass. Chop the chillies, discarding their stems and
1. Peel and discard the outer leaves of the lemongrass - they can sometimes be tough. Cut the inner leaves into short lengths and put in the food processor. Peel the ginger, then slice into thin pieces and add to the lemongrass. Chop the chillies, discarding their stems and
add to the ginger with the peeled garlic. Roughly chop the stems and half of the leaves of the coriander to add to the food processor, reserving the rest for later.
2. Grate the lime zest into the food processor, reserving the limes for later, then turn the machine on and let it chop everything to a coarse paste. Add a little groundnut oil and scrape the sides down with a spatula if it sticks. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce and the tomatoes and process for a few seconds longer.
3. Warm a further tablespoon of groundnut oil in a deep pan over a moderate to high heat and use it to brown the chicken pieces, turning them so they colour nicely on both sides. Lift the chicken pieces out and pour away anything more than a tablespoon of oil and juices. Add the spice paste and let it fry over a moderate heat for two minutes till fragrant, stirring almost constantly, then return the chicken to the pan. Pour over the coconut milk, stir, cover and leave to simmer over a low heat for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile halve and stone the apricots and leave them to one side.
4. Test the chicken for doneness making certain it’s cooked right the way through, then add the apricots. Leave to simmer for a few minutes, then add the juice of the limes and the reserved coriander leaves.
Serve with rice and naan bread
NB: The easiest way to cook rice is to measure the rice and water. Using a teacup measure one cup of rice for 2 people and place in a pan. For every cup of rice add 2 cups of water. Bring to the boil, simmer for a few minutes then put a lid on the pan and take off the heat. Leave it to stand and in 10 minutes or so you will find that the rice has absorbed all the water and all you have to do is fluff it up with a fork.
PS: My friend couldn't find fresh apricots and so used dried and it was just as good, I imagine you could use tinned as well.
The original recipe is by Nigel Slater and can be found here, including a video:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chicken_curry_with_59058
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/chicken_curry_with_59058
TOMATO, PEPPER & ONION SALAD
This is a traditional Spanish tapa. It's easy to make, delicious and a good accompaniment to Tortilla. It also keeps well in the fridge.
INGREDIENTS
Tomatoes
Red peppers
Onions
Olive oil
Sea salt
Lemon juice
You need roughly equal quantities of tomatoes, peppers and onions.
METHOD
Peel and chop the onion
Halve the tomatoes and deseed. Put the seeds in a sieve over a bowl, stir and leave to drain
Halve and deseed the pepper, chop into small chunks
Chop your tomatoes into small chunks
You want all the vegetables to be more or less equally sized
Place all the vegetables into your serving dish, sprinkle with salt and stir. Add a splash of lemon juice and then add enough olive oil to liberally coat all the vegetables, add any juice that has drained from the tomato seeds. Stir well and leave for at least 30 minutes before serving. The addition of salt encourages the vegetables to release their juices which when mixed with the olive oil produces a fabulous liquor...delicious mopped up with bread!
Serve on it's own with fresh crusty bread or as part of a Tapas spread.
CRISPY CORNFLAKE DESSERT
This recipe was given to me years ago by a friend who had trained as a chef with John Tovey at the Miller Howe in the Lake District. I think it may be one of his recipes but I couldn't swear to it. Anyway we love it, it is the easiest pudding in the world and is always a hit. It is also one you can make quickly from store cupboard ingredients as if you use tinned fruit the only fresh produce you need are butter and cream. My granddaughter helped make this one!
INGREDIENTS
For the base equal quantities of:
Dark chocolate, Golden syrup, Butter & Cornflakes
For the topping:
Fresh cream, double or whipping
Fresh fruit or your choice although fruit that is sharp is best.
I favour strawberries but raspberries, blueberries or a mixture of all three, kiwi and apple are all good too. I always keep a tin of pineapple rings and mandarin oranges in the cupboard as a mixture of these two is also very good.
Buy a large bar of good quality dark chocolate i.e. Green & Blacks Dark 70% Chocolate
Even though you might not like dark chocolate it is important to use it as you need the intense flavour. The weight of the chocolate gives you the weight for the other ingredients. Although the recipe calls for equal quantities I do reduce the amount of butter slightly. Do weigh your ingredients though, you will be surprised at how many cornflakes you need.
METHOD
Break up the chocolate into pieces and place in a large pan along with the syrup and butter. Put on a medium heat, stirring the mixture all the time until everything has melted and it is all combined into a lovely sauce. Don't allow the mixture to boil. Take the pan off the heat.
Immediately mix in the cornflakes, bit by bit, turning over the mixture after each addition with a large spoon. Don't stir but keep turning the mixture over and eventually the cornflakes will all be covered. You might not think that you will be able to get all the cornflakes covered but I promise you will, just keep turning!
For the base equal quantities of:
Dark chocolate, Golden syrup, Butter & Cornflakes
For the topping:
Fresh cream, double or whipping
Fresh fruit or your choice although fruit that is sharp is best.
I favour strawberries but raspberries, blueberries or a mixture of all three, kiwi and apple are all good too. I always keep a tin of pineapple rings and mandarin oranges in the cupboard as a mixture of these two is also very good.
Buy a large bar of good quality dark chocolate i.e. Green & Blacks Dark 70% Chocolate
Even though you might not like dark chocolate it is important to use it as you need the intense flavour. The weight of the chocolate gives you the weight for the other ingredients. Although the recipe calls for equal quantities I do reduce the amount of butter slightly. Do weigh your ingredients though, you will be surprised at how many cornflakes you need.
METHOD
Break up the chocolate into pieces and place in a large pan along with the syrup and butter. Put on a medium heat, stirring the mixture all the time until everything has melted and it is all combined into a lovely sauce. Don't allow the mixture to boil. Take the pan off the heat.
Immediately mix in the cornflakes, bit by bit, turning over the mixture after each addition with a large spoon. Don't stir but keep turning the mixture over and eventually the cornflakes will all be covered. You might not think that you will be able to get all the cornflakes covered but I promise you will, just keep turning!
When all your cereal is fully coated tip out the mixture into your serving dish. Push the mixture down with your hands and smooth out into all the edges, or you could use a palette knife. Leave to cool.
When it is cooled top with whipped cream and then the fruit of your choice and serve.
If you store it in the refrigerator take it out a little while before serving or the base can be hard to cut.
NB: It is also nice to make individual ones of these with a selection of different fruit toppings
NB: It is also nice to make individual ones of these with a selection of different fruit toppings
PATATAS BRAVAS
A wonderful Spanish tapa dish, really a variation on chips and tomato sauce but absolutely delicious!
INGREDIENTS
Potatoes
Olive Oil
Sea salt
Base tomato sauce with added garlic & chilli to taste
Click here for the tomato sauce recipe
METHOD
Peel and chop your potatoes into bite size pieces / cubes.
In a deep sided frying pan heat enough olive oil to cover the amount of potatoes you are cooking.
When the oil is hot cook the potatoes until soft and golden brown. You may have to cook them in batches, be careful not to cook too many in one batch or you may have problems with them browning. Once each batch is cooked place on a plate or baking tray lined with kitchen roll, sprinkle with sea salt and place in a medium oven to keep warm. I usually spread them out over a baking tray so that they stay crisp.
Heat through your tomato sauce.
Place the potatoes on either a large serving dish or individual dishes. The traditional way to serve them is in terracotta dishes. Top with the tomato sauce but don't drown them. Serve as a snack or as part of a tapas feast.
NB: If you haven't any home made tomato sauce and want to cheat Lloyd Grossman's Tomato & Chilli sauce is a good substitute.
VARIATIONS
A tapas bar that I go to in Spain makes this with a completely different sauce and although I prefer the traditional sauce this is good as well.
A mixture of mayonnaise and tomato ketchup to obtain a pink colour, add some tabasco and garlic to taste and dilute with a little water until a thick sauce consistency. Warm slightly.
INGREDIENTS
Potatoes
Olive Oil
Sea salt
Base tomato sauce with added garlic & chilli to taste
Click here for the tomato sauce recipe
METHOD
Peel and chop your potatoes into bite size pieces / cubes.
In a deep sided frying pan heat enough olive oil to cover the amount of potatoes you are cooking.
When the oil is hot cook the potatoes until soft and golden brown. You may have to cook them in batches, be careful not to cook too many in one batch or you may have problems with them browning. Once each batch is cooked place on a plate or baking tray lined with kitchen roll, sprinkle with sea salt and place in a medium oven to keep warm. I usually spread them out over a baking tray so that they stay crisp.
Heat through your tomato sauce.
Place the potatoes on either a large serving dish or individual dishes. The traditional way to serve them is in terracotta dishes. Top with the tomato sauce but don't drown them. Serve as a snack or as part of a tapas feast.
NB: If you haven't any home made tomato sauce and want to cheat Lloyd Grossman's Tomato & Chilli sauce is a good substitute.
VARIATIONS
A tapas bar that I go to in Spain makes this with a completely different sauce and although I prefer the traditional sauce this is good as well.
A mixture of mayonnaise and tomato ketchup to obtain a pink colour, add some tabasco and garlic to taste and dilute with a little water until a thick sauce consistency. Warm slightly.