Recipe for the best World's Best Goulash on the BBC website!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/goulash_archipelago.shtml
British jazz bass player Arnie Somogyi and his friend the Hungarian guitarist Zsolt Bende travel through the Carpathian mountains, only eating what they are given in exchange for playing their music.
With Arnie's double bass squeezed into their tiny hire car, they go in search of Hungarian specialities, including the country's staple dish, goulash.
Friday 21 November
Arnie and Zsolt begin at the Restaurant Rosenstein on Mosonyi Street, Budapest, before they head out on the open road to test their ability to charm food from the kitchens of rural Hungary by just turning up unannounced and knocking on the chef’s pantry door.
A plate of bean soup keeps the wolf from the door until they fetch up at a very festive occasion in a family restaurant in the town of Band. It's a Christening party and Arnie and Zsolt offer to play for their supper.
Friday 28 November
Arnie and Zsolt reach Komando, a little logging village over 3,500 feet up in the Carpathian Mountains.
Along the way, they make an unscheduled stop at the ancestral home of Count Kalnoky, who invites to join his guests for dinner, in exchange for a fantastic performance, and insists they stay the night.
Thursday 20 November 2008
Thursday 25 September 2008
Mushroom Dhal - Mike Gorman
Ingredients:
250 grams red lentils
1 large onion
4 Cloves garlic chopped
1 piece thumb sized ginger chopped
1 long dried red chilli
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large vine tomato
10 chesnut mushrooms (or 3 portabello mushrooms)
Boiling Water
1 tsp salt
Method:
1. Chop half the onion, and place in a pan with the lentils, ginger, garlic, tumeric, red chilli and salt. Cover with boiling water and bring down to a simmer. Cover the pan.
2. When the lentils are cooked, chop the tomato and add to the lentils. Simmer for 5 more mins then remove from the heat.
3. Pour 1 tbls of vegetable or sunflower oil into a frying pan and turn the heat up.
4. Slice the remaining half of the onion, and slice the mushrooms into thin slices.
5. Put the mustard seeds and cumin seeds into the hot oil. They should spit and splutter.
6. After about 30secs add the sliced onion, and fry until browned well. Then add the mushrooms.
7. Fry until the mushroom is soft then pore the whole contents of the frying pan into the dhal, stir, and serve.
250 grams red lentils
1 large onion
4 Cloves garlic chopped
1 piece thumb sized ginger chopped
1 long dried red chilli
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp mustard seed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large vine tomato
10 chesnut mushrooms (or 3 portabello mushrooms)
Boiling Water
1 tsp salt
Method:
1. Chop half the onion, and place in a pan with the lentils, ginger, garlic, tumeric, red chilli and salt. Cover with boiling water and bring down to a simmer. Cover the pan.
2. When the lentils are cooked, chop the tomato and add to the lentils. Simmer for 5 more mins then remove from the heat.
3. Pour 1 tbls of vegetable or sunflower oil into a frying pan and turn the heat up.
4. Slice the remaining half of the onion, and slice the mushrooms into thin slices.
5. Put the mustard seeds and cumin seeds into the hot oil. They should spit and splutter.
6. After about 30secs add the sliced onion, and fry until browned well. Then add the mushrooms.
7. Fry until the mushroom is soft then pore the whole contents of the frying pan into the dhal, stir, and serve.
Leftover Chicken Biryani - Mike Gorman
This is my own modification of the traditional Anglo Indian Biryani recipe, that works especially well with leftover roast chicken. I've actually tried it with guinea fowl, after making the pot roast recipe below, and it came out great.
These amount are based on a 4lb chicken that has already fed 2 people.
This recipe will easily feed 4 more from the same chicken.
The basic premise here, is to first, make a broth with the bones and whole spices.
Then make the Green Masala, and fry the leftover cooked chicken in that.
Then fry the rice, in the chicken / green masala.
Then add the broth, and cook till ready.
Ingredients:
Broth:
1 onion roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1 piece of thumb sized ginger roughly chopped
1 stick of celery roughly chopped
1 carrot roughly chopped
2 sticks of cassia bark (cinammon)
6 cloves
5 green cardomon pods
10 black peppercorns
2 pints of water
Green Masala / Rice:
10 curry leaves
1 onion finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 piece of thumb sized ginger finely chopped or grated
1 small bunch fresh green coriander (about the amount you get for 79p in a supermarket) - finely chopped.
1 tablespoon dried mint
2-4 green chillies
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 black pepper
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
leftover chicken
380g rice
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 lime (optional)
2 large pots....1 for the broth, one oven proof pot for the biryani.
Method:
1. First remove all the leftover chicken from the bones, and break the bones down into small single pieces.
2. Place all the broth ingredients into a large pot and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover the pot.
3. Next, heat 1tbls of sunflower or vegetable oil in the oven proof pot or casserole. Add the curry leaves and fry for about 1 min until they are slightly browned at the edges.
4. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry on medium heat until soft.
5. Add the green coriander, mint and green chillies, and continue to fry on a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the tumeric, ground coriander, cumin, mustard powder and black pepper. Fry for about 1-2 mins, then add the vinegar.
7. When the vinegar has evaporated, add the chicken and fry for 2-3 mins until well coated.
8. Add the rice and fry for another 2-3 mins and stir in the yoghurt. Take the pan off the heat. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
9. When the broth has had about 45 mins, remove from the heat and pass through a colander to remove the bones / veg etc from the liquid.
10. Pour the liquid into the rice pot, enough so that it covers the rice with about 1/2 inch to spare. If there's not enough liquid, add some hot water. Add the salt, and bring to a simmer.
11. Cover the pot and place in the oven. After 15 mins check to see if all the water has been absorbed. If not place back until this is the case. When all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat and leave in the oven for a further 15-30 mins. This gives a chance for the rice to absorb all the steam and improves the flavour even more.
12. Before serving, squeeze the lime into the biryani and mix. This goes especially well with Mushroom Dhal (see next recipe)..
These amount are based on a 4lb chicken that has already fed 2 people.
This recipe will easily feed 4 more from the same chicken.
The basic premise here, is to first, make a broth with the bones and whole spices.
Then make the Green Masala, and fry the leftover cooked chicken in that.
Then fry the rice, in the chicken / green masala.
Then add the broth, and cook till ready.
Ingredients:
Broth:
1 onion roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
1 piece of thumb sized ginger roughly chopped
1 stick of celery roughly chopped
1 carrot roughly chopped
2 sticks of cassia bark (cinammon)
6 cloves
5 green cardomon pods
10 black peppercorns
2 pints of water
Green Masala / Rice:
10 curry leaves
1 onion finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 piece of thumb sized ginger finely chopped or grated
1 small bunch fresh green coriander (about the amount you get for 79p in a supermarket) - finely chopped.
1 tablespoon dried mint
2-4 green chillies
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/4 black pepper
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
leftover chicken
380g rice
2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 lime (optional)
2 large pots....1 for the broth, one oven proof pot for the biryani.
Method:
1. First remove all the leftover chicken from the bones, and break the bones down into small single pieces.
2. Place all the broth ingredients into a large pot and bring to the boil. Turn down to a simmer and cover the pot.
3. Next, heat 1tbls of sunflower or vegetable oil in the oven proof pot or casserole. Add the curry leaves and fry for about 1 min until they are slightly browned at the edges.
4. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry on medium heat until soft.
5. Add the green coriander, mint and green chillies, and continue to fry on a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the tumeric, ground coriander, cumin, mustard powder and black pepper. Fry for about 1-2 mins, then add the vinegar.
7. When the vinegar has evaporated, add the chicken and fry for 2-3 mins until well coated.
8. Add the rice and fry for another 2-3 mins and stir in the yoghurt. Take the pan off the heat. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
9. When the broth has had about 45 mins, remove from the heat and pass through a colander to remove the bones / veg etc from the liquid.
10. Pour the liquid into the rice pot, enough so that it covers the rice with about 1/2 inch to spare. If there's not enough liquid, add some hot water. Add the salt, and bring to a simmer.
11. Cover the pot and place in the oven. After 15 mins check to see if all the water has been absorbed. If not place back until this is the case. When all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat and leave in the oven for a further 15-30 mins. This gives a chance for the rice to absorb all the steam and improves the flavour even more.
12. Before serving, squeeze the lime into the biryani and mix. This goes especially well with Mushroom Dhal (see next recipe)..
Really easy Buttered Parsley Rice - Mike Gorman
This is so simple, it doesn't really warrent being called a recipe, but it's a nice way to serve boiled rice. It goes very well with the Guinea Fowl recipe below, as well as with Indian dishes.
First rule is always use good quality Basmati rice.
Soak the rice in water for 1/2 hour minimum. The reason for this is that it rids the rice of a lot of starch, after washing it, and helps it to cook quicker and fluffier. Rinse well in a sieve.
Then place the rice in a pan, and cover with boiling water. The trick here is to use twice the amount of water than rice, (eg 1/2 cup of rice need 1 cup of water).
Add salt, and bring down to a gentle simmer.
Cover the pan.
After about 10 mins, the rice should be cooked. Have a look. If it looks like there's still water floating on the top, then leave for another couple of mins.
When cooked, take the rice off the heat and throw in about 2 tsp of good quality dried parsley (freeze dried is good) and a generous knob of butter, cut into small pieces. Make sure you distribute the butter pieces evenly. Don't stir the rice yet. Replace the lid and leave on the stove (but not on the heat) for 5 mins.
Immediately before serving, gently stir the parsley and melted butter into the rice.
First rule is always use good quality Basmati rice.
Soak the rice in water for 1/2 hour minimum. The reason for this is that it rids the rice of a lot of starch, after washing it, and helps it to cook quicker and fluffier. Rinse well in a sieve.
Then place the rice in a pan, and cover with boiling water. The trick here is to use twice the amount of water than rice, (eg 1/2 cup of rice need 1 cup of water).
Add salt, and bring down to a gentle simmer.
Cover the pan.
After about 10 mins, the rice should be cooked. Have a look. If it looks like there's still water floating on the top, then leave for another couple of mins.
When cooked, take the rice off the heat and throw in about 2 tsp of good quality dried parsley (freeze dried is good) and a generous knob of butter, cut into small pieces. Make sure you distribute the butter pieces evenly. Don't stir the rice yet. Replace the lid and leave on the stove (but not on the heat) for 5 mins.
Immediately before serving, gently stir the parsley and melted butter into the rice.
Pot Roast Guinea Fowl (or Chicken) with Chickpeas - Mike Gorman
This recipe works equally as well with a good free range chicken.
Ingredients:
1 Guinea Fowl (about 4lbs or 1.8kg)
1 onion (chopped)
4 shallots (chopped)
1 stick of celery (chopped)
6 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 carrots (chopped)
1 tin of chick peas
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 anchovy fillets (chopped)
2 bay leaves
250 ml white wine
250 ml water (boiling)
olive oil
a small knob of butter
You will need a large pot or casserole with a tight fitting lid, and a large frying pan.
Method:
1. In the large pot, fry the anchovy fillets in olive oil and the butter, for about 30 secs - 1 min, until they've more or less disintigrated into a paste.
2. Add the onion, shallots and garlic, and fry them until softened.
3. Add the celery and carrots, and fry for 5 mins on medium (careful not to burn)
4. Add the smoked paprika, and stir into the mixture for about 1 min.
5. Add the wine, bring to the boil and then add the boiling water and bay leaves, and bring down to a gentle simmer. Add the chickpeas and cover the pan.
6. Pour about 1tbls of olive oil into the large frying pan, and heat up. Brown the guinea fowl on all sides. It will spit and splatter quite a lot, but you can turn it by using a cloth to protect your hands, and manipulating it by the legs and wings.
7. When browned, carefully place the bird into the casserole or pot, sitting in the broth. Cover with a double layer of foil, shiny side down, and place the lid firmly on top of this.
8. Cook in a 200 degree oven for 1 hour, then remove the lid for 15 mins, to crisp up the skin.
9. Remove the bird to a warmed plate, and let rest for 10 mins. Meanwhile, place the Casserole on the stove, and bring the broth to a simmer. Mashing a few chick peas and carrots with a fork at this stage will help thicken it a litte.
10. Serve with boiled rice or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients:
1 Guinea Fowl (about 4lbs or 1.8kg)
1 onion (chopped)
4 shallots (chopped)
1 stick of celery (chopped)
6 cloves garlic (chopped)
2 carrots (chopped)
1 tin of chick peas
1 tsp smoked paprika
3 anchovy fillets (chopped)
2 bay leaves
250 ml white wine
250 ml water (boiling)
olive oil
a small knob of butter
You will need a large pot or casserole with a tight fitting lid, and a large frying pan.
Method:
1. In the large pot, fry the anchovy fillets in olive oil and the butter, for about 30 secs - 1 min, until they've more or less disintigrated into a paste.
2. Add the onion, shallots and garlic, and fry them until softened.
3. Add the celery and carrots, and fry for 5 mins on medium (careful not to burn)
4. Add the smoked paprika, and stir into the mixture for about 1 min.
5. Add the wine, bring to the boil and then add the boiling water and bay leaves, and bring down to a gentle simmer. Add the chickpeas and cover the pan.
6. Pour about 1tbls of olive oil into the large frying pan, and heat up. Brown the guinea fowl on all sides. It will spit and splatter quite a lot, but you can turn it by using a cloth to protect your hands, and manipulating it by the legs and wings.
7. When browned, carefully place the bird into the casserole or pot, sitting in the broth. Cover with a double layer of foil, shiny side down, and place the lid firmly on top of this.
8. Cook in a 200 degree oven for 1 hour, then remove the lid for 15 mins, to crisp up the skin.
9. Remove the bird to a warmed plate, and let rest for 10 mins. Meanwhile, place the Casserole on the stove, and bring the broth to a simmer. Mashing a few chick peas and carrots with a fork at this stage will help thicken it a litte.
10. Serve with boiled rice or mashed potatoes.
Monday 22 September 2008
The Greatest Fastest Pasta Sauce Ever-Sagat Guirey
The Greatest Fastest Pasta Sauce Ever.
Ingredients
Olive Oil
Onion, medium size
Tinned Tomatoes, 1 can
Garlic
Mixed Herbs
Wine
Bacon Or Lardons*
Courgettes*
Mushrooms*
* = Optional
The sequence of cooking is important because the initial frying is only possible if vegetables with a lot of water content are not put in too soon.
Heat Olive Oil in a large heavy metal cooking pot/frying pan/casserole dish, the more room the ingredients have to spread out in the pan; the quicker the sauce will cook.
The heat can be very high, as long as ingredients are stirred and not allowed to burn.
If not in a hurry; low heat; less monitoring.
There should be enough oil in the pan to fry the finely chopped onions deeply.
Fry onions until golden brown and transparent.
Soon after onions are cooking also fry mixed herbs or any mediterranean herbs you have to hand; thyme, rosemary, oregano. Can add chilli at this time for spicy sauce.
At this time the chopped bacon or lardons can be added, if this is to be a non-vegetarian sauce.
Add finely chopped garlic, fry for a short time, before vegetables are added, until light brown, not burnt.
At this point vegetables could be added (or not) they need to be chopped finely, courgettes, or peppers or mushrooms, fry up until soft. Most vegetables work out ok.
(Boil Kettle, put boiling water into large sauce-pan, add drop of olive oil and pinch of salt, when the water is boiling, put in and cook spaghetti/pasta, which should be ready just before sauce).
Whole or chopped tinned tomatoes, using a spoon or fork hold back tomatoes and strain tomato juice from can into sauce and then reduce quickly using high heat, use a knife to chop tomatoes in can, add them to sauce, reduce over high heat.
Also can use fresh tomatoes: remove skin by plunging them into boiling water.
Wine, not too much, can be added at this point, or used at end, when tomatoes are cooked down to more solid texture, to clean any small bits of mildly burnt bits of sauce from side of pot into sauce.I like the sauce to be a dense texture but less cooking makes a more liquid sauce.
You can also add a small bit of butter at end to increase cholesterol levels.
Fresh basil leaves on top of finished sauce and pasta are good. Fresh chopped parsley can also be good.
Hope you like it.
Sagat
Ingredients
Olive Oil
Onion, medium size
Tinned Tomatoes, 1 can
Garlic
Mixed Herbs
Wine
Bacon Or Lardons*
Courgettes*
Mushrooms*
* = Optional
The sequence of cooking is important because the initial frying is only possible if vegetables with a lot of water content are not put in too soon.
Heat Olive Oil in a large heavy metal cooking pot/frying pan/casserole dish, the more room the ingredients have to spread out in the pan; the quicker the sauce will cook.
The heat can be very high, as long as ingredients are stirred and not allowed to burn.
If not in a hurry; low heat; less monitoring.
There should be enough oil in the pan to fry the finely chopped onions deeply.
Fry onions until golden brown and transparent.
Soon after onions are cooking also fry mixed herbs or any mediterranean herbs you have to hand; thyme, rosemary, oregano. Can add chilli at this time for spicy sauce.
At this time the chopped bacon or lardons can be added, if this is to be a non-vegetarian sauce.
Add finely chopped garlic, fry for a short time, before vegetables are added, until light brown, not burnt.
At this point vegetables could be added (or not) they need to be chopped finely, courgettes, or peppers or mushrooms, fry up until soft. Most vegetables work out ok.
(Boil Kettle, put boiling water into large sauce-pan, add drop of olive oil and pinch of salt, when the water is boiling, put in and cook spaghetti/pasta, which should be ready just before sauce).
Whole or chopped tinned tomatoes, using a spoon or fork hold back tomatoes and strain tomato juice from can into sauce and then reduce quickly using high heat, use a knife to chop tomatoes in can, add them to sauce, reduce over high heat.
Also can use fresh tomatoes: remove skin by plunging them into boiling water.
Wine, not too much, can be added at this point, or used at end, when tomatoes are cooked down to more solid texture, to clean any small bits of mildly burnt bits of sauce from side of pot into sauce.I like the sauce to be a dense texture but less cooking makes a more liquid sauce.
You can also add a small bit of butter at end to increase cholesterol levels.
Fresh basil leaves on top of finished sauce and pasta are good. Fresh chopped parsley can also be good.
Hope you like it.
Sagat
Ragam South Indian Restaurant -57 Cleveland Street London W1T 4JN
By Anita Wardell
Another South Indian haunt.
The Ragam Restaurant. Wonderful South Indian Food- It looks a bit rundown from the outside, but don't let that put you off. It's quite small and dated but the food is too die for. I had a Dosa for a starter and it was amazing- they are huge and filling so you could stop there! but it's so reasonably priced you wont! I had the fish nadan- which was delicious! washed down with a kingfisher!I recommend that you book as it gets packed!!!! This restaurant was introduced to me by the fabulous Norma Winstone. I've been back many times!
57 Cleveland Street, London, W1T 4JN - Tel: 0871 4263469.
Another South Indian haunt.
The Ragam Restaurant. Wonderful South Indian Food- It looks a bit rundown from the outside, but don't let that put you off. It's quite small and dated but the food is too die for. I had a Dosa for a starter and it was amazing- they are huge and filling so you could stop there! but it's so reasonably priced you wont! I had the fish nadan- which was delicious! washed down with a kingfisher!I recommend that you book as it gets packed!!!! This restaurant was introduced to me by the fabulous Norma Winstone. I've been back many times!
57 Cleveland Street, London, W1T 4JN - Tel: 0871 4263469.
Sri Lankan Chicken Curry- Anita Wardell
Veg oil
1 onion- chopped
2 Cloves garlic- crushed
3-4 red or green chillies- cut lengthways into thin strips and seeds removed
1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
1 tablespoon of ground coriander
1.5 Kg chicken pieces
2@1/2 cups of coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut cream
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
Method
Heat the oil in a pan. Add onion, garlic,chillies, turmeric,coriander. Saute for 2 mins
Add Chicken pieces and coconut milk. Bring to boil reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 45 mins or until the chicken is tender
Add the coconut cream and lemon juice simmer uncovered for 5 mins.
Serve with Rice and some fresh cucumber slices sprinkled with lemon juice.
serves 4-6
1 onion- chopped
2 Cloves garlic- crushed
3-4 red or green chillies- cut lengthways into thin strips and seeds removed
1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
1 tablespoon of ground coriander
1.5 Kg chicken pieces
2@1/2 cups of coconut milk
2 tablespoons coconut cream
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
Method
Heat the oil in a pan. Add onion, garlic,chillies, turmeric,coriander. Saute for 2 mins
Add Chicken pieces and coconut milk. Bring to boil reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 45 mins or until the chicken is tender
Add the coconut cream and lemon juice simmer uncovered for 5 mins.
Serve with Rice and some fresh cucumber slices sprinkled with lemon juice.
serves 4-6
Restaurant Recommendation - Geeta, London
Geeta, 57 Willesden Lane, London.
By Mike Gorman
Having grown up eating South Indian food, I'm always looking for a restaurant that reminds me of this type of home cooking.
There are a few of these in the Tooting area, since there's a South Indian community there, but the only place I've come across in the rest of London that really fits the bill for me, is Geeta.
The food is unpretentious, with sensible sized portions, incredibly reasonably priced, and very very good indeed.
Some favorites for me are Kerala Fried Lamb, Potato Vadas (sometimes known as bondas), Rasam (a spicy tamarind based soup, which is also known as pepperwater), Kerala Fish Curry, Special Chicken Curry (on the bone, which is a rarity in many indian restaurants), Prawn Madras, Dhal with spinach (an amazing combo), Lemon Rice and Coconut Rice, to name a few.
Also, virtually all of their veg dishes are stunning, and the Masala Dosai is a showpiece of the restaurant, with an incredibly light crisp pancake rolled around some sumptuous potato curry.
One thing that separates Geeta from many of the regular Indian restaurants around (many of which use a North Indian Bangladeshi style of cooking), is that all the dishes are prepared to an individual recipe, rather than the standard practice of having a single base sauce for everything and then adding precooked chicken or lamb to various spice powders and tomato puree in a big wok, which inevitably results in many dishes tasting very similar.
Some of the characteristic ingredients of South Indian food are curry leaves, mustard seeds and coconut, which are used to great effect in many of the dishes at this establishment.
Another thing worth a mention is the discretion of the staff, who are always extremely polite and helpful, but never intrusive or inappropriately over familiar.
By the way, the nearby South Indian restaurant VJ's, is also very good indeed, but in my opinion, Geeta has a more homecooked feel, and is much better value.
Mike Gorman.
By Mike Gorman
Having grown up eating South Indian food, I'm always looking for a restaurant that reminds me of this type of home cooking.
There are a few of these in the Tooting area, since there's a South Indian community there, but the only place I've come across in the rest of London that really fits the bill for me, is Geeta.
The food is unpretentious, with sensible sized portions, incredibly reasonably priced, and very very good indeed.
Some favorites for me are Kerala Fried Lamb, Potato Vadas (sometimes known as bondas), Rasam (a spicy tamarind based soup, which is also known as pepperwater), Kerala Fish Curry, Special Chicken Curry (on the bone, which is a rarity in many indian restaurants), Prawn Madras, Dhal with spinach (an amazing combo), Lemon Rice and Coconut Rice, to name a few.
Also, virtually all of their veg dishes are stunning, and the Masala Dosai is a showpiece of the restaurant, with an incredibly light crisp pancake rolled around some sumptuous potato curry.
One thing that separates Geeta from many of the regular Indian restaurants around (many of which use a North Indian Bangladeshi style of cooking), is that all the dishes are prepared to an individual recipe, rather than the standard practice of having a single base sauce for everything and then adding precooked chicken or lamb to various spice powders and tomato puree in a big wok, which inevitably results in many dishes tasting very similar.
Some of the characteristic ingredients of South Indian food are curry leaves, mustard seeds and coconut, which are used to great effect in many of the dishes at this establishment.
Another thing worth a mention is the discretion of the staff, who are always extremely polite and helpful, but never intrusive or inappropriately over familiar.
By the way, the nearby South Indian restaurant VJ's, is also very good indeed, but in my opinion, Geeta has a more homecooked feel, and is much better value.
Mike Gorman.
Sunday 21 September 2008
Horse Tartare - Arnaud Delafosse
One of my favourite of all times. Unfortunately, I had to forget it while I spent my 14 years in London*. Now Im back in France, Im having this for breakfast everyday (...well, not quite).
You can either present it all separate in the plate (like this), for each to do their own mix, or Brasserie-style, prepared just before serving. Here is how (for 1 person):
optional:
Mix all the ingredients (but the egg) in a salad bowl then add the meat. Mix well then add the egg yolk.
Serve immediately in a plate with French fries, a bit of Mache salad and a glass of red wine... et voilà !
You can now play Donna Lee @ 320 bpm, Ascot style.
*Apparently it's illegal for UK butchers to sell horse meat (although it's totally OK to kill them at the races for ridiculous amounts of money), nevertheless some are still bred in the UK and exported for slaughter for the French and Italian markets. Complètement crazy, n'est-ce pas ?!
You can either present it all separate in the plate (like this), for each to do their own mix, or Brasserie-style, prepared just before serving. Here is how (for 1 person):
- 250 gr of freshly minced horse steak
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons of French mustard
- 2 teasp of freshly chopped flat parsley
- 2 teasp of finely chopped shallots
- 2 teasp of finely chopped cornichons (small gherkins)
- salt
- ground black pepper
optional:
- 1 teasp of capers
- few drops of Worcestershire sauce
- few drops of Tabasco (or even better proper chilli sauce)
- few drops of virgin olive oil
Mix all the ingredients (but the egg) in a salad bowl then add the meat. Mix well then add the egg yolk.
Serve immediately in a plate with French fries, a bit of Mache salad and a glass of red wine... et voilà !
You can now play Donna Lee @ 320 bpm, Ascot style.
*Apparently it's illegal for UK butchers to sell horse meat (although it's totally OK to kill them at the races for ridiculous amounts of money), nevertheless some are still bred in the UK and exported for slaughter for the French and Italian markets. Complètement crazy, n'est-ce pas ?!
Tuna Pasta - Marie Murphy
One of my easiest and most popular dishes amongst young 'uns!
Students the world over have thanked me for it.
For 4/5 people (ish) -
Take two tins of tuna, penne pasta, red pesto, olives,
capers, anchovies, (optional, kids no likey much) chillies,
extra virgin, and some freshly chopped spinach if you wish.
(To feel a wee bit healthy hah!)
Cook pasta al dente, drain, season, back into pot, stir through the
oil and pesto, add all the other ingredients including the drained
tuna, which you flake through last of all.
Aye, it's that simple!
Thai/Japanese/Oriental Noodle Soup - Marie Murphy
If you can get to a Wing Yip, (the big Chinese supermarket), they do
fantastic deals on seafood.. tiger prawns, green lipped mussels,
squid etc. etc. Even their pak choi is incredibly cheap for a
large bunch!
Each soup is made individually.
Into a nice china soupbowl, (also good price at Wing Yip)
put a teaspoon of thai curry paste (red or green)
and a sachet or large spoonful of miso.
Meanwhile, as you cook your noodles gently in a bit
of hot water, steam some mussels, prawns or
whatever takes your fancy on top in a little bamboo
basket (Wing Yip again!) and chop some chinese
leaves/ pak choi, spring onions, ginger,
red peppers if you wish, nice and fine.
Boil a kettle of hot water, drain the noodles,
pour water into each bowl and quickly mix
the paste and miso, add a tong-full of noodles
then the other ingredients, including the seafood
(you can just have veg if you wish),
into the dish, with a little fish sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce
and chopped coriander, stir altogether and taste the
broth to suit your palate, I usually also
add chilli oil - and serve straight away.
Orgasmic!!!!!
Dreamy Pasta - Marie Murphy
Pasta as shown to be by Italians one dreamy night on a rooftop in Milano...
Serves at least 6.
Cover a bowl of cherry tomatoes, or if large, halved or quartered, but GOOD toms,
with a full bottle of extra virgin olive oil, add some chillis (flakes or fresh) if you wish, and
some ground black pepper and bit of salt.
Cook a big pot of linguine (or spaghetti) - drain.
Chop at least ten cloves of garlic and fry quickly til they are almost burned.
Toss the pasta into the bowl and mix through, sprinkle the smoked garlic
on top - serve with large chunks of ciabatta and crispy green salad with juice
of fresh lemons for dressing.
MAMA MIA... I CAN TASTE IT NOW!!!!!!!
Warm Avocado Boats with Bacon and Brie - Liz Stanley
This is great for a starter and very very easy,
Serves 4
You'll need
2 Avocados - ripe
Non-smoked bacon - thick cut
Decent wedge of brie
Rocket
olive oil
- heat up the grill med-high and put on some jazz
1. Remove all fat from the bacon so you have the main part of it. Grill or fry it until it's cooked but not crispy-cooked.
2. (How to cut your avocado in style) Take the Avocado and cut round them length ways, you will need to cut around the stone. When cut, twist the avocado and pull apart. The stone will remain in one of the half. To remove the stone, take a sharp knife point and dig it in, twist and wiggle until it pops out. You will the have 2 avocado boats with holes in.
3. Stuff the hole with brie, leaving off the mouldy-white bits
4. Take your cooked bacon and a place a slice over the avocado
5. The place a big slice of brie on top (you can leave the mouldy-white bits on if you like)
6. Whack it under the grill on a baking tray untill the brie melts and the avocado is warm
7. Serve with Rocket and olive oil.
In the words of Gordon Ramsey.... DONE.
Serves 4
You'll need
2 Avocados - ripe
Non-smoked bacon - thick cut
Decent wedge of brie
Rocket
olive oil
- heat up the grill med-high and put on some jazz
1. Remove all fat from the bacon so you have the main part of it. Grill or fry it until it's cooked but not crispy-cooked.
2. (How to cut your avocado in style) Take the Avocado and cut round them length ways, you will need to cut around the stone. When cut, twist the avocado and pull apart. The stone will remain in one of the half. To remove the stone, take a sharp knife point and dig it in, twist and wiggle until it pops out. You will the have 2 avocado boats with holes in.
3. Stuff the hole with brie, leaving off the mouldy-white bits
4. Take your cooked bacon and a place a slice over the avocado
5. The place a big slice of brie on top (you can leave the mouldy-white bits on if you like)
6. Whack it under the grill on a baking tray untill the brie melts and the avocado is warm
7. Serve with Rocket and olive oil.
In the words of Gordon Ramsey.... DONE.
Saturday 20 September 2008
Penne with Chicken, Rocket and Pine nuts - Steve Brown
Serves 4.
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts
250g penne
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
125g rocket
1 tbsp. wholegrain mustard
200ml extra-thick double cream
150ml dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Parmesan. freshly pared, to serve
Method:
1. Chop the chicken into 2cm cubes and brown in the oil. Remove from the pan.
2. Fry the shallots, garlic and pine nuts for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the white wine and boil rapidly until reduced by half.
4. Stir in the cream, mustard, salt and pepper
5. Cook the pasta and drain well.
6. Toss the pasta, chicken and rocket in the sauce and serve with the freshly pared parmesan.
The dish goes well with a tomato and basil salad.
Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts
250g penne
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
50g pine nuts, lightly toasted
125g rocket
1 tbsp. wholegrain mustard
200ml extra-thick double cream
150ml dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Parmesan. freshly pared, to serve
Method:
1. Chop the chicken into 2cm cubes and brown in the oil. Remove from the pan.
2. Fry the shallots, garlic and pine nuts for about 3 minutes.
3. Add the white wine and boil rapidly until reduced by half.
4. Stir in the cream, mustard, salt and pepper
5. Cook the pasta and drain well.
6. Toss the pasta, chicken and rocket in the sauce and serve with the freshly pared parmesan.
The dish goes well with a tomato and basil salad.
Moroccan Lamb - Steve Brown
PREPARATION 1 HOUR
COOKING 1½ HOURS.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground ginger
1.5kg/ 3lb 5oz boneless shoulder of lamb, cut into chunky strips
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion. Finely chopped.
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
200g/ 8oz ready-to-eat dried apricots, halved
200g/ 8oz stoned ready-to-eat prunes, halved
700ml/ 1¼ pints hot lamb stock
6 tomatoes, roughly chopped
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh coriander
1-2 tsp. harissa (see tip)
Salt and black pepper
FOR THE SAFFRON RICE
½ tsp. saffron strands
Knob of butter/ or 2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, halved lengthways
450g/1 lb. basmati rice
1 bayleaf
1 cinnamon stick, halved
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan oven 170C) Gas 4. Mix the spices with salt and pepper, then rub them into the lamb. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole and cook the lamb for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until beginning to brown.
2. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until just starting to soften. Stir in the apricots, prunes, hot stock and tomatoes; bring to the boil. Cover and transfer to the oven for 1½ - 2 hours until the meat is tender.
3. Cooking the rice: in a large pan, bring 850ml/ 1½ pints lightly salted water to the boil. Add the saffron, remove from the heat, cover and infuse for 1 hour. In another large pan, melt the butter and fry the onion for 10 minutes until softened and browned. Add the garlic and rice and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the saffron water, bay leaf and cinnamon, bring to the boil, and then simmer for 12-15 minutes.
4. Stir the lemon rind, juice and coriander into the lamb; season if necessary; Spoon the rice on to plates (pick out the cinnamon and bay leaf), then spoon over the lamb and top with a little harissa.
Harissa is a pungent chilli-based condiment from Morocco and Tunisia. You'll find it in specialist stores and larger supermarkets. To make your own blend six seeded fresh red chillies and four garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar or mini food processor. "Then you just stir in two to three tablespoons of olive oil (exactly how much really depends on the size of your chillies, but you need just enough to make a paste). Finally, add two teaspoons of white wine vinegar, two teaspoons of ground coriander and salt aid pepper to taste."
COOKING 1½ HOURS.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground ginger
1.5kg/ 3lb 5oz boneless shoulder of lamb, cut into chunky strips
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion. Finely chopped.
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
200g/ 8oz ready-to-eat dried apricots, halved
200g/ 8oz stoned ready-to-eat prunes, halved
700ml/ 1¼ pints hot lamb stock
6 tomatoes, roughly chopped
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh coriander
1-2 tsp. harissa (see tip)
Salt and black pepper
FOR THE SAFFRON RICE
½ tsp. saffron strands
Knob of butter/ or 2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, halved lengthways
450g/1 lb. basmati rice
1 bayleaf
1 cinnamon stick, halved
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan oven 170C) Gas 4. Mix the spices with salt and pepper, then rub them into the lamb. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole and cook the lamb for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until beginning to brown.
2. Stir in the onion and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes until just starting to soften. Stir in the apricots, prunes, hot stock and tomatoes; bring to the boil. Cover and transfer to the oven for 1½ - 2 hours until the meat is tender.
3. Cooking the rice: in a large pan, bring 850ml/ 1½ pints lightly salted water to the boil. Add the saffron, remove from the heat, cover and infuse for 1 hour. In another large pan, melt the butter and fry the onion for 10 minutes until softened and browned. Add the garlic and rice and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the saffron water, bay leaf and cinnamon, bring to the boil, and then simmer for 12-15 minutes.
4. Stir the lemon rind, juice and coriander into the lamb; season if necessary; Spoon the rice on to plates (pick out the cinnamon and bay leaf), then spoon over the lamb and top with a little harissa.
Harissa is a pungent chilli-based condiment from Morocco and Tunisia. You'll find it in specialist stores and larger supermarkets. To make your own blend six seeded fresh red chillies and four garlic cloves in a pestle and mortar or mini food processor. "Then you just stir in two to three tablespoons of olive oil (exactly how much really depends on the size of your chillies, but you need just enough to make a paste). Finally, add two teaspoons of white wine vinegar, two teaspoons of ground coriander and salt aid pepper to taste."
Cold Cherry Soup (Meggyleves) - Arnie Somogyi
Ingredients:
500g Morello cherries - available in jars from most supermarkets
A bottle of Riesling wine
60g sugar
A piece of cinnamon stick
600 ml of cream - half soured, half whipping
The rind from one lemon and the juice from two
A very large brandy (not optional)
A large Palinka (fruit brandy - plum, peach etc.....)
Method:
Pour the Palinka into a glass and knock it back in one go.
Start cooking.
Put the cherries in a pan.
Add the wine, sugar, cinnamon, lemon rind and juice.
Slowly bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes.
Strain into a clean pan and slowly bring to the boil again.
While you are waiting, liquidise some of the strained cherries.
When the soup is boiling add the cherries - whole and pureed.
Quickly remove the pan from the stove and cool.
Stir in the brandy.
Put the cream into a large serving bowl.
Stir in the soup.
Serve - well chilled!
500g Morello cherries - available in jars from most supermarkets
A bottle of Riesling wine
60g sugar
A piece of cinnamon stick
600 ml of cream - half soured, half whipping
The rind from one lemon and the juice from two
A very large brandy (not optional)
A large Palinka (fruit brandy - plum, peach etc.....)
Method:
Pour the Palinka into a glass and knock it back in one go.
Start cooking.
Put the cherries in a pan.
Add the wine, sugar, cinnamon, lemon rind and juice.
Slowly bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for about 15 minutes.
Strain into a clean pan and slowly bring to the boil again.
While you are waiting, liquidise some of the strained cherries.
When the soup is boiling add the cherries - whole and pureed.
Quickly remove the pan from the stove and cool.
Stir in the brandy.
Put the cream into a large serving bowl.
Stir in the soup.
Serve - well chilled!
Salmon in cheese & mushroom sauce - Clark Tracey
Ingredients:
2 salmon fillets
shittake mushrooms
1 unwaxed lemon
1 small pot of single cream
baby leeks
grated emmental cheese
chives
fresh basil
salt & pepper
Method:
Thinly slice mushrooms, discard stalks. Finely chop leeks.
Grill salmon (medium heat) on thin layer of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Fry leeks and mushrooms until mushy.
Add single cream, cheese, chives and basil and grated lemon zest.
When salmon is cooked, pour sauce over and squeeze lemon juice.
Great with: Roast potatoes.
About 45 minutes on gas mark 5.
Peel medium sized potatoes and quarter. Parboil in salted water for 5 minutes, then add to a preheated roasting tray with plenty of oil. Sprinkle with salt and rosemary.
Add 2 finely sliced garlic cloves 10 minutes before serving.
2 salmon fillets
shittake mushrooms
1 unwaxed lemon
1 small pot of single cream
baby leeks
grated emmental cheese
chives
fresh basil
salt & pepper
Method:
Thinly slice mushrooms, discard stalks. Finely chop leeks.
Grill salmon (medium heat) on thin layer of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Fry leeks and mushrooms until mushy.
Add single cream, cheese, chives and basil and grated lemon zest.
When salmon is cooked, pour sauce over and squeeze lemon juice.
Great with: Roast potatoes.
About 45 minutes on gas mark 5.
Peel medium sized potatoes and quarter. Parboil in salted water for 5 minutes, then add to a preheated roasting tray with plenty of oil. Sprinkle with salt and rosemary.
Add 2 finely sliced garlic cloves 10 minutes before serving.
Mercimek Corbasi (Turkish Red Lentil Soup) - Steve Rose
Ingredients:
75 grams red lentils, washed thoroughly
1 litre stock, or water
1 tablespoon flour
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, finely sliced
1 tablespoon butter
salt & pepper to taste
Method:
Lightly saute onion in butter.
Add flour & lightly brown.
Add water/stock, lentils & carrot pieces. Cook until carrot & lentils soften.
When cooked, remove from heat & place soup mixture through a sieve or blender.
Return to heat & allow to come to a boil.
Fresh finely cut coriander or dried mint, plus some lemon juice squeezed on top on the table can be added at the end for that authentic "Green Lanes Turkish Restaurant" flavour.
75 grams red lentils, washed thoroughly
1 litre stock, or water
1 tablespoon flour
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, finely sliced
1 tablespoon butter
salt & pepper to taste
Method:
Lightly saute onion in butter.
Add flour & lightly brown.
Add water/stock, lentils & carrot pieces. Cook until carrot & lentils soften.
When cooked, remove from heat & place soup mixture through a sieve or blender.
Return to heat & allow to come to a boil.
Fresh finely cut coriander or dried mint, plus some lemon juice squeezed on top on the table can be added at the end for that authentic "Green Lanes Turkish Restaurant" flavour.
Pepper Mince - Mike Gorman
Ingredients:
1lb of beef mince
2 medium potatoes (preferably maris piper) diced
1 large onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 1.5 inch piece of fresh ginger
4 green chillis
5 curry leaves
6 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp natural yohurt
¾ tbsp vinegar
½ tsp haldi (tumeric) or saffron
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1tsp salt
1 cup water
Method:
Chop the onion, ginger, garlic and green chillis and fry with the curry leaves until soft. Add the beef mince and fry. When mince is brown, add pepper, salt and haldi or saffron. Fry for a few minutes. Next add the vinegar. After about 1 minute add the water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Then add tomatoes and potatoes and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Stir in the yoghurt and cook for a further 10 minutes. Serve with rice.
1lb of beef mince
2 medium potatoes (preferably maris piper) diced
1 large onion
6 cloves of garlic
1 1.5 inch piece of fresh ginger
4 green chillis
5 curry leaves
6 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp natural yohurt
¾ tbsp vinegar
½ tsp haldi (tumeric) or saffron
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1tsp salt
1 cup water
Method:
Chop the onion, ginger, garlic and green chillis and fry with the curry leaves until soft. Add the beef mince and fry. When mince is brown, add pepper, salt and haldi or saffron. Fry for a few minutes. Next add the vinegar. After about 1 minute add the water. Simmer for 20 minutes. Then add tomatoes and potatoes and simmer for a further 20 minutes. Stir in the yoghurt and cook for a further 10 minutes. Serve with rice.
Penne in a bacon in red wine sauce - Carl Orr
Ingredients:
400 grams of unsmoked streaky bacon or pancetta(cut into matchsticks)
2x medium red onions, diced
2x tins peeled plum tomatoes, chopped
handful of fresh basil
3x glasses full bodied red wine(eg.shiraz cabernet, merlot)
500 grams Penne Rigate
Method:
In a large saucepan fry the bacon in a little olive oil at a high temperature until golden brown. Add the onions and fry for a few more minutes until the onions are clear.
Add the basil, mix it in well and fry for a further minute.
Add one glass of red wine and boil rapidly until almost completely evaporated.
Add the tomatoes and the remaining two glasses of wine, bring to the boil and simmer gently with the lid off for 30 mins.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Meanwhile, cook the penne for 10-12 minutes in plenty of salted boiling water.
Drain the penne and combine with the sauce, mixing them well.
Serve with grated parmesan.
400 grams of unsmoked streaky bacon or pancetta(cut into matchsticks)
2x medium red onions, diced
2x tins peeled plum tomatoes, chopped
handful of fresh basil
3x glasses full bodied red wine(eg.shiraz cabernet, merlot)
500 grams Penne Rigate
Method:
In a large saucepan fry the bacon in a little olive oil at a high temperature until golden brown. Add the onions and fry for a few more minutes until the onions are clear.
Add the basil, mix it in well and fry for a further minute.
Add one glass of red wine and boil rapidly until almost completely evaporated.
Add the tomatoes and the remaining two glasses of wine, bring to the boil and simmer gently with the lid off for 30 mins.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Meanwhile, cook the penne for 10-12 minutes in plenty of salted boiling water.
Drain the penne and combine with the sauce, mixing them well.
Serve with grated parmesan.
Penne with tuna and black olive sauce - Carl Orr
Ingredients:
2 x 400 gm cans of plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 x 185 gm can of tuna
10 black olives, de-seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced into fine slivers
2 bay leaves
500 gms of penne rigate pasta
1 teaspoon of olive oil
Method:
Fry the garlic in the olive oil over a very low heat for a few minutes, until turning brown. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, olives and tuna and season with black pepper and salt. Mix the ingredients together and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, boil the penne in salted water for ten minutes and drain well. Combine the pasta and sauce in a single pan and serve.
2 x 400 gm cans of plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 x 185 gm can of tuna
10 black olives, de-seeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced into fine slivers
2 bay leaves
500 gms of penne rigate pasta
1 teaspoon of olive oil
Method:
Fry the garlic in the olive oil over a very low heat for a few minutes, until turning brown. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, olives and tuna and season with black pepper and salt. Mix the ingredients together and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 30 minutes.
While the sauce is simmering, boil the penne in salted water for ten minutes and drain well. Combine the pasta and sauce in a single pan and serve.
Anglo Indian Lamb Fry - Mike Gorman
Ingredients:
Paste:
4 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1-2 tbs vinegar
For the fry:
500g cubed lamb (shoulder or leg)
2 pints water
1 tbs groundnut, sunflower or vegetable oil (not olive oil)
1tsp black mustard seeds
4 cardamon seeds
2 pieces cassia bark or cinnamon (about 1 inch long each)
5-6 cloves
8-10 curry leaves
2 medium onions
4-5 garlic cloves
1 piece of ginger (1-2 inches)
2 green chillies (or more if required)
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
some chopped fresh green coriander
1/2 lime (optional)
Method:
First place the lamb in a pan with the water, bring to the boil and simmer for 1/2 hour on low.
Meanwhile, chop the onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies.
Then, place the spices for the paste in a large bowl, and blend with the vinegar until a smooth paste is achieved (using more or less vinegar as necessary).
When the lamb has simmered for 1/2 hour, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon (reserving the water) and place in the spice paste.
Mix well.
(You can do all this in advance, since the longer the lamb sits in the paste the better, but it'll still be nice if cooked straight away.)
When you are ready, heat the oil in a pan until hot.
Add the whole spices (mustard seeds, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves) and the curry leaves.
The pan will splutter and spit.
When the curry leaves are slightly brown (probably 1/2 minute) add the onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies.
Fry until the onion is soft, brown and translucent.
Add the Lamb to the pan with and remaining spice paste from the bowl.
Fry until the lamb is brown.
Add the salt.
Add 1-2 ladles of the water that the lamb was boiled in and simmer gently (open not covered), until all the water has evaporated.
(You can add more of the water if you require the lamb to be tenderer and simmer again until dry.)
Before serving, add the green coriander and lime juice if required.
Serve with rice or chappatis
Paste:
4 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp black pepper
1-2 tbs vinegar
For the fry:
500g cubed lamb (shoulder or leg)
2 pints water
1 tbs groundnut, sunflower or vegetable oil (not olive oil)
1tsp black mustard seeds
4 cardamon seeds
2 pieces cassia bark or cinnamon (about 1 inch long each)
5-6 cloves
8-10 curry leaves
2 medium onions
4-5 garlic cloves
1 piece of ginger (1-2 inches)
2 green chillies (or more if required)
1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
some chopped fresh green coriander
1/2 lime (optional)
Method:
First place the lamb in a pan with the water, bring to the boil and simmer for 1/2 hour on low.
Meanwhile, chop the onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies.
Then, place the spices for the paste in a large bowl, and blend with the vinegar until a smooth paste is achieved (using more or less vinegar as necessary).
When the lamb has simmered for 1/2 hour, remove from the pan with a slotted spoon (reserving the water) and place in the spice paste.
Mix well.
(You can do all this in advance, since the longer the lamb sits in the paste the better, but it'll still be nice if cooked straight away.)
When you are ready, heat the oil in a pan until hot.
Add the whole spices (mustard seeds, cardamon, cinnamon, cloves) and the curry leaves.
The pan will splutter and spit.
When the curry leaves are slightly brown (probably 1/2 minute) add the onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies.
Fry until the onion is soft, brown and translucent.
Add the Lamb to the pan with and remaining spice paste from the bowl.
Fry until the lamb is brown.
Add the salt.
Add 1-2 ladles of the water that the lamb was boiled in and simmer gently (open not covered), until all the water has evaporated.
(You can add more of the water if you require the lamb to be tenderer and simmer again until dry.)
Before serving, add the green coriander and lime juice if required.
Serve with rice or chappatis
Menamen - Clark Tracey
Ingredients:
6 mushrooms, sliced
4 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
half green pepper, half yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
halloumi or goat's cheese diced
sucuk (available from Turkish stores) or salami or pepperoni, sliced
mixed herbs
salt and pepper
opt. small finely sliced green chillis
Method:
Low/medium fry onions in oil in a large frying pan until they change colour. Add peppers and tomatoes, herbs, chillies, salt and pepper on a medium heat. 5 minutes later add sucuk. 5 minutes later add cheese and mushrooms, with 1/2 cup of water. Turn heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. Break eggs in and stir gently for 3 minutes. Serve with Turkish bread (pide) or warm pitta bread.
6 mushrooms, sliced
4 medium tomatoes, quartered
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
half green pepper, half yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
halloumi or goat's cheese diced
sucuk (available from Turkish stores) or salami or pepperoni, sliced
mixed herbs
salt and pepper
opt. small finely sliced green chillis
Method:
Low/medium fry onions in oil in a large frying pan until they change colour. Add peppers and tomatoes, herbs, chillies, salt and pepper on a medium heat. 5 minutes later add sucuk. 5 minutes later add cheese and mushrooms, with 1/2 cup of water. Turn heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. Break eggs in and stir gently for 3 minutes. Serve with Turkish bread (pide) or warm pitta bread.
Kerala Lamb - Julian Crampton
Ingredients:
For paste:
3 tblsp coriander seeds
1 tblsp fennel seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cloves
2 inch cinnamon stick
6 green cardamoms
4 whole dried red chilies (deseeded if required)
6 cloves of garlic
2-inch piece ginger
1tsp turmeric
For curry:
2 lbs lamb cubed (neck or shoulder).
1 tsp mustard seeds.
20 Curry leaves.
2 onions sliced (not chopped).
1 tsp salt .
2 green chilies sliced.
1/2 bunch fresh coriander leaves.
3 tblsp coconut milk.
Method:
Heat a frying pan dry (no oil).
Dry Roast seeds and chilies in dry pan for few seconds.
Grind in pestle and mortar.
Soften ginger in hot oil, then add garlic and turmeric.
Add this to ground spices to make paste with a little water if required.
Heat 2 tblsps oil in a large pan.
Fry mustard seeds for a few seconds in hot oil until they start to pop.
Add curry leaves then onions and fry until brown.
Add paste and fry for 2 mins.
Add lamb fry for 5 mins.
Add enough water to just submerge the lamb.
Cover pan and simmer, for 2 hrs.
Remove lid to reduce liquid for 15 mins or until consistency thickens.
Add sliced green chili, fresh coriander and coconut milk.
Serve with chapattis or plain rice.
For paste:
3 tblsp coriander seeds
1 tblsp fennel seeds
1tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cloves
2 inch cinnamon stick
6 green cardamoms
4 whole dried red chilies (deseeded if required)
6 cloves of garlic
2-inch piece ginger
1tsp turmeric
For curry:
2 lbs lamb cubed (neck or shoulder).
1 tsp mustard seeds.
20 Curry leaves.
2 onions sliced (not chopped).
1 tsp salt .
2 green chilies sliced.
1/2 bunch fresh coriander leaves.
3 tblsp coconut milk.
Method:
Heat a frying pan dry (no oil).
Dry Roast seeds and chilies in dry pan for few seconds.
Grind in pestle and mortar.
Soften ginger in hot oil, then add garlic and turmeric.
Add this to ground spices to make paste with a little water if required.
Heat 2 tblsps oil in a large pan.
Fry mustard seeds for a few seconds in hot oil until they start to pop.
Add curry leaves then onions and fry until brown.
Add paste and fry for 2 mins.
Add lamb fry for 5 mins.
Add enough water to just submerge the lamb.
Cover pan and simmer, for 2 hrs.
Remove lid to reduce liquid for 15 mins or until consistency thickens.
Add sliced green chili, fresh coriander and coconut milk.
Serve with chapattis or plain rice.
Serbian Cheese Pie - Mark Doffman
Ingredients:
500g Puff Pastry
200g Feta cheese, crumbled
250g Cottage Cheese
50g Cheddar Cheese, grated
4 large eggs
Pepper
Method:
Pastry:
Roll out 2/3 of the pastry and line a baking tin (10" x 7" x 2" works) with the pastry just overlapping the rim of the tin.
(No need to grease the tin, but you can line it with foil if you wanna). Keep 1/3 of pastry back and roll it out to a size that covers the tin.
Mixture:
Beat eggs and then add the 3 cheeses and mix everything well. Add pepper to taste.
Pour the mixture into the pastry base. Then cover with the remaining 1/3 of pastry and fold the edges of the pastry base in with the pastry top.
Put in the middle of the oven. Gas mark 7 for 10 min. and then Gas mark 6 for a further 30-40 minutes. Pastry should be golden brown when you take it out.
Serve with tomato and onion salad. Book a dep, take the phone off the hook, open bottle of red wine and enjoy.
You can add cooked spinach to the cheese mixture for a bit of a change!
500g Puff Pastry
200g Feta cheese, crumbled
250g Cottage Cheese
50g Cheddar Cheese, grated
4 large eggs
Pepper
Method:
Pastry:
Roll out 2/3 of the pastry and line a baking tin (10" x 7" x 2" works) with the pastry just overlapping the rim of the tin.
(No need to grease the tin, but you can line it with foil if you wanna). Keep 1/3 of pastry back and roll it out to a size that covers the tin.
Mixture:
Beat eggs and then add the 3 cheeses and mix everything well. Add pepper to taste.
Pour the mixture into the pastry base. Then cover with the remaining 1/3 of pastry and fold the edges of the pastry base in with the pastry top.
Put in the middle of the oven. Gas mark 7 for 10 min. and then Gas mark 6 for a further 30-40 minutes. Pastry should be golden brown when you take it out.
Serve with tomato and onion salad. Book a dep, take the phone off the hook, open bottle of red wine and enjoy.
You can add cooked spinach to the cheese mixture for a bit of a change!
Mussels in tomato and saffron sauce with Catalan tomato bread - Mike Gorman
Ingredients:
For main dish:
500g live mussels
250g white fish (eg cod, haddock, black halibut, plaice) with skin on
1 onion
1 shallot
2 large cloves of garlic
1 small red chilli
1/2 tsp saffron
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 green pepper
1/2 glass red wine (preferably rioja)
3/4 pint of fish stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
1 small slice of butter
3 tblsp olive oil
For Tomato Bread:
1 fresh french stick or similar bread
4-5 fresh vine tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
2-3 large cloves of garlic
Method:
For main dish:
Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy lidded pot. Chop onion, shallot, garlic and red chilli, and fry in oil and butter until soft. Add saffron, salt and pepper and fry for 2 more minutes. Add the green pepper and the red wine, cook for 5 minutes. Add fish stock and tomatoes, place lid on pot and simmer for 30-40 mins. Prepare mussels by washing and removing beards. Discard any that do not shut when tapped sharply on the kitchen sink. After sauce has simmered for 30-40 mins add white fish, replace lid, and simmer for a further 20 mins. The fish will disintegrate and add flavour and body to the sauce. Add mussels and parsley, chopped, replace lid and cook for a further 5-10 mins. The mussels will open when cooked.
Discard any mussels that have not opened after about 5 mins. Serve with Catalan tomato bread (below).
For Tomato Bread:
First slice the tomatoes in half, and cut the garlic cloves in half, across the grain (no need to peel them).
Then (and in this order), rub a slice of the bread with the exposed surface of the garlic, followed by one of the tomato halves, and drizzle with olive oil. Simple as that!
For main dish:
500g live mussels
250g white fish (eg cod, haddock, black halibut, plaice) with skin on
1 onion
1 shallot
2 large cloves of garlic
1 small red chilli
1/2 tsp saffron
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1 green pepper
1/2 glass red wine (preferably rioja)
3/4 pint of fish stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 bunch flat leaf parsley
1 small slice of butter
3 tblsp olive oil
For Tomato Bread:
1 fresh french stick or similar bread
4-5 fresh vine tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
2-3 large cloves of garlic
Method:
For main dish:
Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy lidded pot. Chop onion, shallot, garlic and red chilli, and fry in oil and butter until soft. Add saffron, salt and pepper and fry for 2 more minutes. Add the green pepper and the red wine, cook for 5 minutes. Add fish stock and tomatoes, place lid on pot and simmer for 30-40 mins. Prepare mussels by washing and removing beards. Discard any that do not shut when tapped sharply on the kitchen sink. After sauce has simmered for 30-40 mins add white fish, replace lid, and simmer for a further 20 mins. The fish will disintegrate and add flavour and body to the sauce. Add mussels and parsley, chopped, replace lid and cook for a further 5-10 mins. The mussels will open when cooked.
Discard any mussels that have not opened after about 5 mins. Serve with Catalan tomato bread (below).
For Tomato Bread:
First slice the tomatoes in half, and cut the garlic cloves in half, across the grain (no need to peel them).
Then (and in this order), rub a slice of the bread with the exposed surface of the garlic, followed by one of the tomato halves, and drizzle with olive oil. Simple as that!
Frijoles Negros (Black Beans) - Simon Picton
Ingredients:
500g Dried Black Beans
1 small onion
1 green pepper
1-2 cloves garlic
Olive Oil
Ground cumin
Oregano
Bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Red Wine Vinegar
Method:
1. Soak the beans in plenty of cold water for a few hours (or overnight).
2. Transfer the beans, KEEPING the water they've been soaking in, to a pot, and if necessary add more water so they are well covered. Bring to the boil, and when the water is boiling, skim off the foam that accumulates on the top. Add a bay leaf or 2, cover and leave simmering until the beans are tender (somewhere around 40mins). Add water if the beans start to dry out. DO NOT add salt at this stage.
3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat plenty nice olive oil and add the onion and pepper (finely chopped) and some salt. Sauté the onion and pepper for a while and then add the crushed garlic, stirring occasionally and making sure it doesn't burn. After a while, add a pinch of ground cumin, a pinch of oregano, a twist of pepper and a tiny splash of vinegar. Keep cooking until the onion and pepper is really soft.
4. When the beans are cooked, add the sofrito (i.e. the onion and pepper mixture) to the pot with the beans and the bean stock and simmer for maybe 10 minutes or so. The beans should start to thicken up, but if there's too much liquid, take a ladleful of beans from the pot, place in a bowl and mash up with a fork or a masher, then return to the pot and stir in. Add salt to taste and also some more olive oil.
5. Serve over rice to accompany chicken/pork/beef/fish or if you're a skint musician (or just skint) just serve over rice or even on toast.
500g Dried Black Beans
1 small onion
1 green pepper
1-2 cloves garlic
Olive Oil
Ground cumin
Oregano
Bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Red Wine Vinegar
Method:
1. Soak the beans in plenty of cold water for a few hours (or overnight).
2. Transfer the beans, KEEPING the water they've been soaking in, to a pot, and if necessary add more water so they are well covered. Bring to the boil, and when the water is boiling, skim off the foam that accumulates on the top. Add a bay leaf or 2, cover and leave simmering until the beans are tender (somewhere around 40mins). Add water if the beans start to dry out. DO NOT add salt at this stage.
3. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat plenty nice olive oil and add the onion and pepper (finely chopped) and some salt. Sauté the onion and pepper for a while and then add the crushed garlic, stirring occasionally and making sure it doesn't burn. After a while, add a pinch of ground cumin, a pinch of oregano, a twist of pepper and a tiny splash of vinegar. Keep cooking until the onion and pepper is really soft.
4. When the beans are cooked, add the sofrito (i.e. the onion and pepper mixture) to the pot with the beans and the bean stock and simmer for maybe 10 minutes or so. The beans should start to thicken up, but if there's too much liquid, take a ladleful of beans from the pot, place in a bowl and mash up with a fork or a masher, then return to the pot and stir in. Add salt to taste and also some more olive oil.
5. Serve over rice to accompany chicken/pork/beef/fish or if you're a skint musician (or just skint) just serve over rice or even on toast.
Fish Curry - Tania Rosato
Ingredients:
Fish:
2 large pcs of boneless and skinless cod or monkfish tails.
For the Masala:
1/2 tin of coconut milk
4 very ripe large tomatoes
1 large onion (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1/2 inch of fresh ginger (chopped)
1/2 bunch of fresh coriander
1/2 cup of fresh lime juice
1 tsp of haldi
1 tsp of chilli powder (optional)
1 fresh green chilli (optional)
salt and pepper.
Method:
Fry the fish on each side in a little oil and haldi then place in an ovenproof dish.
Meanwhile blend all the masala ingredients in a blender.
Pour over fish and place in a preheated oven. Cook for 20 min or until fish is cooked. Sprinkle with a little fresh coriander and serve with basamati rice.
You can try an alternative with chicken pcs.
Try marinading the chicken overnight in the masala then drain and fry the chicken on each side.
Place in an ovenproof dish and cover with the remaining masala.
Cook in the oven for 40 mins at 180 degrees C.
Fish:
2 large pcs of boneless and skinless cod or monkfish tails.
For the Masala:
1/2 tin of coconut milk
4 very ripe large tomatoes
1 large onion (chopped)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1/2 inch of fresh ginger (chopped)
1/2 bunch of fresh coriander
1/2 cup of fresh lime juice
1 tsp of haldi
1 tsp of chilli powder (optional)
1 fresh green chilli (optional)
salt and pepper.
Method:
Fry the fish on each side in a little oil and haldi then place in an ovenproof dish.
Meanwhile blend all the masala ingredients in a blender.
Pour over fish and place in a preheated oven. Cook for 20 min or until fish is cooked. Sprinkle with a little fresh coriander and serve with basamati rice.
You can try an alternative with chicken pcs.
Try marinading the chicken overnight in the masala then drain and fry the chicken on each side.
Place in an ovenproof dish and cover with the remaining masala.
Cook in the oven for 40 mins at 180 degrees C.
Apple Crumble - Julian Siegel (Mothers Recipe)
Ingredients:
Filling:
bramleys cooking apples
peeled, cored and chopped
For crumble:
mix together the following
6oz plain flour
3oz butter
3oz caster sugar or replace a bit of brown sugar
Method:
To cook quicker heat and soften the apples in a pan for a short time before putting in the oven dish.Put crumble mix on top of fruit and bake at Gas mark 6 for 30 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream
Filling:
bramleys cooking apples
peeled, cored and chopped
For crumble:
mix together the following
6oz plain flour
3oz butter
3oz caster sugar or replace a bit of brown sugar
Method:
To cook quicker heat and soften the apples in a pan for a short time before putting in the oven dish.Put crumble mix on top of fruit and bake at Gas mark 6 for 30 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream
Chicken in White Wine and Boursin Sauce - Emma Blake
Ingredients:
Two fresh skinned chicken breasts.
Packet of pancetta strips, or smoked streaky bacon.
1 packet of herb Boursin cheese (Philadelphia doesn't work because it doesn't melt so well).
White wine.
Method:
Open out the chicken breasts, and with a sharp knife, carefully slice along one side to make a "pocket" rather like a pitta. Go with the "grain" of the chicken flesh.
Next, stuff the pocket with Boursin, as much as possible (use fingers!), then seal by wrapping pancetta/bacon strips around the chicken diagonally. Make sure the strips are not too tight or too close together, the Boursin needs to be able to ooze out!!
Grease a baking dish with butter, and pour in just over half a glass of white wine.
Set your oven to gas mark 5 (190 C).
Place chicken breasts in the dish, and cover with tin foil.
Place in the middle of the preheated oven and cook for ten minutes.
Remove the tin foil.
Replace in the oven and cook for a further 20 - 25 minutes.
The Boursin will have oozed out and mingled with the wine to create a sauce, which you then pour over the chicken and serve.
Dish up with asparagus, mushrooms, and either sautéed or rosti potatoes.
Two fresh skinned chicken breasts.
Packet of pancetta strips, or smoked streaky bacon.
1 packet of herb Boursin cheese (Philadelphia doesn't work because it doesn't melt so well).
White wine.
Method:
Open out the chicken breasts, and with a sharp knife, carefully slice along one side to make a "pocket" rather like a pitta. Go with the "grain" of the chicken flesh.
Next, stuff the pocket with Boursin, as much as possible (use fingers!), then seal by wrapping pancetta/bacon strips around the chicken diagonally. Make sure the strips are not too tight or too close together, the Boursin needs to be able to ooze out!!
Grease a baking dish with butter, and pour in just over half a glass of white wine.
Set your oven to gas mark 5 (190 C).
Place chicken breasts in the dish, and cover with tin foil.
Place in the middle of the preheated oven and cook for ten minutes.
Remove the tin foil.
Replace in the oven and cook for a further 20 - 25 minutes.
The Boursin will have oozed out and mingled with the wine to create a sauce, which you then pour over the chicken and serve.
Dish up with asparagus, mushrooms, and either sautéed or rosti potatoes.
Tagliatelle with Bacon and Red Pepper - Carl Orr
Ingredients:
250 gms streaky bacon, chopped into slivers
I large red pepper, finely chopped
1large red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon of rosemary, finely chopped
1.5 cups of peas
2 cups of vegetable stock
½ cup of double cream
1 bay leaf
Parmesan cheese
500 gms tagliatelle
Method:
In a saucepan, fry the bacon in a little olive oil until brown.
Add the onions, red peppers, garlic and rosemary and fry for a few more minutes; season with salt and black pepper.
Meanwhile, in another saucepan bring the vegetable stock to the boil, add the bay leaf and peas and simmer for around 4 minutes.
While these are cooking, boil the tagliatelle in salted water.
When the tagliatelle is cooked, drain it and combine with the rest of the ingredients in a single pan.
Add the cream and stir it through. Serve with grated parmesan.
250 gms streaky bacon, chopped into slivers
I large red pepper, finely chopped
1large red onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon of rosemary, finely chopped
1.5 cups of peas
2 cups of vegetable stock
½ cup of double cream
1 bay leaf
Parmesan cheese
500 gms tagliatelle
Method:
In a saucepan, fry the bacon in a little olive oil until brown.
Add the onions, red peppers, garlic and rosemary and fry for a few more minutes; season with salt and black pepper.
Meanwhile, in another saucepan bring the vegetable stock to the boil, add the bay leaf and peas and simmer for around 4 minutes.
While these are cooking, boil the tagliatelle in salted water.
When the tagliatelle is cooked, drain it and combine with the rest of the ingredients in a single pan.
Add the cream and stir it through. Serve with grated parmesan.
Lemon and Ginger Cake - Kate Williams
Ingredients:
6oz plain flour
2oz oats
5oz soft brown sugar
6oz margerine
2oz broken walnuts
1 tspn baking powder
1 tspn ground ginger (or more if you like)
1/4 tspn ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
rind of 1 lemon
Method:
Cream together the sugar and margarine.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, oats, spices, and baking powder.
Add flour mixture alternately with beaten eggs to the margerine.
Add lemon rind and nuts.
Bake in a shallow greased tin for 35 mins. gas mark 4/180
Slowly heat juice of the lemon in a pan, dissolve in 3oz sugar, and pour over cake before eating.
6oz plain flour
2oz oats
5oz soft brown sugar
6oz margerine
2oz broken walnuts
1 tspn baking powder
1 tspn ground ginger (or more if you like)
1/4 tspn ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
rind of 1 lemon
Method:
Cream together the sugar and margarine.
In a separate bowl, mix flour, oats, spices, and baking powder.
Add flour mixture alternately with beaten eggs to the margerine.
Add lemon rind and nuts.
Bake in a shallow greased tin for 35 mins. gas mark 4/180
Slowly heat juice of the lemon in a pan, dissolve in 3oz sugar, and pour over cake before eating.
Carrot Cake - Dave Frankel
Ingredients:
Cake:
225g self-raising flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder
140g light soft brown sugar
55g walnuts, chopped
110g carrots, washed, trimmed and grated
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
125ml corn oil
Topping:
85g soft butter or margarine
85g rich cream cheese
170g icing sugar, sieved
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
Method:
Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake tin.
Sift together the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and stir in the sugar.
Add the nuts, carrots and bananas and mix lightly.
Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and oil.
Beat well until thoroughly blended.
Turn the tin and bake in the oven for about 1¼ hours until golden brown.
When cooked, the cake will have shrunk slightly from the sides of the tin and a warm skewer pierced in the centre of it will come out clean. Turn out the cake, remove the paper and then leave to cool on a wire rack.
Topping: Place all ingredients together in a bowl and beat well until blended and smooth. Spread over the cool cake and rough up with a fork. Harden slightly by cooling before serving.
Cake:
225g self-raising flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder
140g light soft brown sugar
55g walnuts, chopped
110g carrots, washed, trimmed and grated
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
125ml corn oil
Topping:
85g soft butter or margarine
85g rich cream cheese
170g icing sugar, sieved
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
Method:
Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake tin.
Sift together the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and stir in the sugar.
Add the nuts, carrots and bananas and mix lightly.
Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and oil.
Beat well until thoroughly blended.
Turn the tin and bake in the oven for about 1¼ hours until golden brown.
When cooked, the cake will have shrunk slightly from the sides of the tin and a warm skewer pierced in the centre of it will come out clean. Turn out the cake, remove the paper and then leave to cool on a wire rack.
Topping: Place all ingredients together in a bowl and beat well until blended and smooth. Spread over the cool cake and rough up with a fork. Harden slightly by cooling before serving.
Chicken Biryani (My Mother's recipe) - Mike Gorman
Ingredients:
For The Broth:
2 lbs chicken on the bone
2 pints water
2 or 3 bay leaves
1 onion
1/4-1/2 tsp haldi (tumeric)
1 inch piece of ginger
2 cloves garlic
3-4 cinnamon sticks
1/4-1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4-6 cloves
1tsp salt
1 stock cube (optional)
For The Rice:
1 1/2 lbs rice
6 tblsps oil
natural yoghurt
2-3 onions
1 1/2 ozs garlic
1 1/2 ozs ginger
3-6 green chillies
1 tspn dried mint
1/2 bunch fresh green coriander
1 oz coconut
1/4 tsp haldi
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp pepper
8 cloves
2 black cardamons
Method:
Make the broth by boiling water with broth ingredients for 30-40 mins.
Make the "Green Masala" by frying the chopped onions, ginger, garlic, haldi, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamons, coriander, chillies and mint together in the oil. Remove the meat from the broth and fry in the "Green Masala".
Add the rice (which should have been soaked in cold water for half an hour previously) and fry in the "Green Masala" with the meat.
Add enouph broth to 1/2 cook the rice.
Add rest of broth and place in 180 degrees C oven, to dry off and finish cooking.
10 mins before rice is fully dried off, stir in 2-4 tablespoons of natural yoghurt.
Squeeze 1/2 lemon in before serving (optional).
Can be served with dhal, or on its own, or even with another curry.
For The Broth:
2 lbs chicken on the bone
2 pints water
2 or 3 bay leaves
1 onion
1/4-1/2 tsp haldi (tumeric)
1 inch piece of ginger
2 cloves garlic
3-4 cinnamon sticks
1/4-1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4-6 cloves
1tsp salt
1 stock cube (optional)
For The Rice:
1 1/2 lbs rice
6 tblsps oil
natural yoghurt
2-3 onions
1 1/2 ozs garlic
1 1/2 ozs ginger
3-6 green chillies
1 tspn dried mint
1/2 bunch fresh green coriander
1 oz coconut
1/4 tsp haldi
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp pepper
8 cloves
2 black cardamons
Method:
Make the broth by boiling water with broth ingredients for 30-40 mins.
Make the "Green Masala" by frying the chopped onions, ginger, garlic, haldi, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cardamons, coriander, chillies and mint together in the oil. Remove the meat from the broth and fry in the "Green Masala".
Add the rice (which should have been soaked in cold water for half an hour previously) and fry in the "Green Masala" with the meat.
Add enouph broth to 1/2 cook the rice.
Add rest of broth and place in 180 degrees C oven, to dry off and finish cooking.
10 mins before rice is fully dried off, stir in 2-4 tablespoons of natural yoghurt.
Squeeze 1/2 lemon in before serving (optional).
Can be served with dhal, or on its own, or even with another curry.
Bableves - Arnie Somogyi
Ingredients:
300g dried kidney beans (or other!)
two medium onions
3 cloves garlic
one green pepper
one large carrot
one parsnip
two sticks celery
Diced pancetta, sliced cooked sausage, left over Sunday joint or any other meat that needs eating! (optional)
2 tbsp paprika
one generous dollop of miso
sunflower or olive oil
bay leaf and mixed herbs
salt
pepper
soured cream
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
knob of butter
Method:
300g dried kidney beans (or other!)
two medium onions
3 cloves garlic
one green pepper
one large carrot
one parsnip
two sticks celery
Diced pancetta, sliced cooked sausage, left over Sunday joint or any other meat that needs eating! (optional)
2 tbsp paprika
one generous dollop of miso
sunflower or olive oil
bay leaf and mixed herbs
salt
pepper
soured cream
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
knob of butter
Method:
Soak the beans overnight. If you forget to do this, just boil them for 10 minutes in the morning and leave to stand until you need them.
Finely chop all the vegetables and gently fry for 5 minutes, stirring all the time. Add the paprika,beans, bay leaf and herbs, mix with the veg and then add enough water to make up the soup. Bring to the boil for 5 minutes, reduce the heat and simmer on a low heat until the beans have softened.
Add salt and pepper to taste, the miso and left over meat. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for as long as you can (at least 90 minutes). Remove the soup from the heat. Make a roux with the butter, flour and some cold water (if you don't know how to do this you can use cornflour as a thickener) and add to the soup. Bring the soup back to the boil, remove from the heat again and serve with crusty bread, soured cream and chopped fresh parsley.
300g dried kidney beans (or other!)
two medium onions
3 cloves garlic
one green pepper
one large carrot
one parsnip
two sticks celery
Diced pancetta, sliced cooked sausage, left over Sunday joint or any other meat that needs eating! (optional)
2 tbsp paprika
one generous dollop of miso
sunflower or olive oil
bay leaf and mixed herbs
salt
pepper
soured cream
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
knob of butter
Method:
300g dried kidney beans (or other!)
two medium onions
3 cloves garlic
one green pepper
one large carrot
one parsnip
two sticks celery
Diced pancetta, sliced cooked sausage, left over Sunday joint or any other meat that needs eating! (optional)
2 tbsp paprika
one generous dollop of miso
sunflower or olive oil
bay leaf and mixed herbs
salt
pepper
soured cream
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
knob of butter
Method:
Soak the beans overnight. If you forget to do this, just boil them for 10 minutes in the morning and leave to stand until you need them.
Finely chop all the vegetables and gently fry for 5 minutes, stirring all the time. Add the paprika,beans, bay leaf and herbs, mix with the veg and then add enough water to make up the soup. Bring to the boil for 5 minutes, reduce the heat and simmer on a low heat until the beans have softened.
Add salt and pepper to taste, the miso and left over meat. Bring back to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for as long as you can (at least 90 minutes). Remove the soup from the heat. Make a roux with the butter, flour and some cold water (if you don't know how to do this you can use cornflour as a thickener) and add to the soup. Bring the soup back to the boil, remove from the heat again and serve with crusty bread, soured cream and chopped fresh parsley.
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