Recipes

[lewist]

As a result of some requests for recipes in the Countdown thread, here is a new thread for recipes.

To start, here is a repeat of my Pasta recipe. I'll post something else later when I have time. Please note that in my family we tended to chuck some in, rather than measure precisely, so quantities are not always given. You'll usually know when there's enough.

Boil and drain the pasta and put in:

double cream
herbs
grated cheese

then stir in some braised vegetables, mushrooms on their own are good. Serve with buttered ciabatta if you have any.

Simple and yummy.

[Firebrand]

Sounds lovely. Do you just use any herbs?

[lewist]

Sounds lovely. Do you just use any herbs?

I normally use the dried mixed herbs I keep in the cupboard, plus some basil, fresh if I have it, dried if not.

[Alan C.]

Lewist
Serve with buttered ciabatta if you have any.

My recipe for Ciabatta.
For the starter.
Half tsp dried yeast
1/4 pint water.
3 tbsp tepid milk.
1/4 tsp honey or sugar (to feed the yeast)
5 oz strong white flour.

For the dough.
1/2 tsp dried yeast.
8 fl oz water.
1/2 tbsp olive oil.
12 oz strong white flour.
One and a half tspns salt.

To make the starter, put the milk and water in a large bowl and sprinkle on the yeast, leave for 5 mins then stir in the honey or sugar, mix in the flower to form a batter, cover with a T-towel and leave 12 hours or overnight, to rise.

To make the dough. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast into the water and leave for 5 mins, then stir add this yeasted water plus the olive oil to the starter and mix well. (I find a plastic pastry scraper best for the job)
Now mix in the flour and salt to form a wet sticky dough, beat with a wooden spoon for about 5 mins till the dough becomes springy and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, (it's still too soft to knead) cover with a tea towel and leave to rise about 3 hours, it should now be trebled in size and full of air bubbles.
Liberally flour 2 baking sheets and have extra flour to dip your hands in.
Use your pastry scraper to divide the dough in two (while still in the bowl)
then scoop out one piece onto the floured baking sheet and with floured hands, pull and stretch it to form a rectangle about 12" long, work your fingers up and down the length of it "tucking in and plumping up" as you go. Repeat with the other half.

Leave the loaves uncovered to prove (around 20 mins) as it proves it will spread out as well as rising. Before putting in the oven, dust the loaves with a little flour, this will keep them soft.
Bake in pre-heated oven 220c gas mark 7 for about 25/30 mins, or till it smells done
It may seem like a lot of work for two loaves, but really you only spend about 20 mins actually making the stuff, the rest is just waiting time.
And of course it's much better than supermarket stuff.

[Felicia]

I think I shall definitely try Lewist's pasta, but Alan's ciabatta just seems too complicated.

Can I share with you my favourite quick pasta sauce? (Not for vegetarians). It's the simplest thing ever; drain the olive oil from a tin of anchovies and gently fry some garlic in it. Add 2 tins of (more or less drained) sardines, the anchovies and mess it around with a fork. Meanwhile, cook pasta of your choice, drain when done. Mix and serve.
Serves 2-3.

I've tried adding tomatoes, olives, herbs, all sorts, but really nothing makes it any better. It's quick, store-cupboardy and I find addictive (also, not at all bad for you!)

[lewist]

Can I share with you my favourite quick pasta sauce? (Not for vegetarians). It's the simplest thing ever; drain the olive oil from a tin of anchovies and gently fry some garlic in it. Add 2 tins of (more or less drained) sardines, the anchovies and mess it around with a fork. Meanwhile, cook pasta of your choice, drain when done. Mix and serve.
Serves 2-3.

In fact, Felicia, if we used mixed sliced olives and olive oil in place of the fish, it would make quite a good veggie dish, I suspect! I must try it sometime.

[Felicia]

Let me know if it works, Lewist, I keep trying to be more veggie. (|Difficult, living with w relentless carnivore!)

[Alan C.]

Lewist
I normally use the dried mixed herbs I keep in the cupboard, plus some basil, fresh if I have it, dried if not.

Lewis, get a pot of growing basil from the supermarket, pinch out the growing tip to make it "bush out" after a couple of weeks on the kitchen windowsill you should have a nice big plant, now take off all the leaves and chop them, then put a good pinch of leaves into all the cells of an ice cube maker, fill with water and freeze.
When making a dish simply pop in one or two of the cubes, it's as good as fresh and much better than dried.
Got to dash now, catch you all in the morning.
PS I suppose it will work with all herbs.

[gcb01]

Lewist
I normally use the dried mixed herbs I keep in the cupboard, plus some basil, fresh if I have it, dried if not.

Lewis, get a pot of growing basil from the supermarket, pinch out the growing tip to make it "bush out" after a couple of weeks on the kitchen windowsill you should have a nice big plant, now take off all the leaves and chop them, then put a good pinch of leaves into all the cells of an ice cube maker, fill with water and freeze.
When making a dish simply pop in one or two of the cubes, it's as good as fresh and much better than dried.
Got to dash now, catch you all in the morning.
PS I suppose it will work with all herbs.

best to tear the leaves rather than chopping them as this bruises them less. Who said humanism was pointless?

[lewist]

...Alan's ciabatta just seems too complicated.

It may sound complicated, but it's a variation on a normal bread recipe and has two parts, the yeast starter and then making the actual bread. It's easier than it sounds! I haven't made ciabatta but at one time we made all our own bread.

[Nick]

Living alone, I'm a very lazy cook, but I do enjoy the excitement and danger of cooking for friends on occasion (like next week! Yay!)

Speaking as a consumer, rather than a cook, having tasted fresh pasta, rather than the ordinary stuff, I find I've been spoilt. I'm even thinking of trying to make my own. Thoughts, anyone?

As for bread-making, my folks have a bread-making machine. It seems all you have to do is open the lid and chuck in the stuff and .....pausing for effect....switch it on. They use it constantly, and the bread they produce is yummy. Is that cheating? I don't think so, but....

[gcb01]

Living alone, I'm a very lazy cook, but I do enjoy the excitement and danger of cooking for friends on occasion (like next week! Yay!)

Speaking as a consumer, rather than a cook, having tasted fresh pasta, rather than the ordinary stuff, I find I've been spoilt. I'm even thinking of trying to make my own. Thoughts, anyone?

As for bread-making, my folks have a bread-making machine. It seems all you have to do is open the lid and chuck in the stuff and .....pausing for effect....switch it on. They use it constantly, and the bread they produce is yummy. Is that cheating? I don't think so, but....

While bread making by hand can be fun and rewarding, it is very difficult to get consistently good results. We've a bread-making machine and it is used daily. I'd only had three duff loaves from it in four years and three of those were my omitting an ingredient of the machine's dough blade.

Apart from delicious bread it is also free from the gunk supermarkets add.

[Alan C.]

Nick
having tasted fresh pasta, rather than the ordinary stuff, I find I've been spoilt. I'm even thinking of trying to make my own. Thoughts, anyone?

I sometimes make it myself, but be warned it's more time consuming than the Ciabatta, and a lot more fiddly.

You need one of these, I think ours cost around £20, I use 6oz Durum wheat flour and 2 small eggs, that makes enough for two.
The machine we have, makes Tagliatelli or noodles.

[Alan C.]

I grow and use a lot of garlic, so I have quite a few garlicy recipes, this one's for Nick, quick, easy, (not saying it needs to be easy for Nick) and for one, it's not one I've tried yet, I'll give it a try next time Mary goes away.

Half an onion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic -- crushed
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 boneless skinless chicken breast half -- cut in strips
1/2 pint chicken stock
1/2 cup Basmati rice rice -- uncooked
1 tablespoon fresh parsley -- chopped
1/2 teaspoon Lemon peel -- grated

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix onion, garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, honey and ginger. Add chicken; cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

In a small saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil. stir in rice, parsley and Lemon peel. Simmer till rice is cooked (10/12 mins)
Meanwhile, cook the chicken and marinade in a hot pan until no longer pink. Serve over rice.

[Nick]

(not saying it needs to be easy for Nick)

Yes it does! On the odd occasion I've seen Rady Steady Cook, it's all I can do too get the apron on in the time allotted...

It does sound a nice recipe, though, Alan. Thanks very much.. I'll try it when I get back from Kendal in a couple of weeks

[Alan C.]

Nick
I'll try it when I get back from Kendal in a couple of weeks

Ah Kendal, the one way town.
Unless it's been changed in recent years, the whole town is one way traffic which can be a nuisance if you miss your turn off.
It's a nice town, if you haven't been before enjoy your stay.

[lewist]

Here's a new veggie/vegan one with a meat variation, something for everyone.

Stovies

This is a type of cooking that was introduced into Scotland with the court of Mary of Lorraine who married James V in 1538. Mary of Lorraine was best know as the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, who was born at Linlithgow in 1542. In French the dish would be Pommes Etouvees which the Scots corrupted to Stovies. Stovies are a traditional Scots dish and can be a delicious accompaniment to meat or veggie dishes. Originally it was a dish with meat but it can equally be vegetarian.

You need:

Potatoes – they are best to be a full flavoured floury textured variety. Golden Wonders are best but King Edward or Kerr’s Pinks are also ok.
A large onion
Tbsp Cooking oil
Half a cup of red lentils
Stock (Marigold as mentioned in several posts above is fine, and there is a vegan version)
Pepper to taste.

Method:

Peel and dice the potatoes, washing them.
Chop the onion fairly finely and sauté it in the oil in a large saucepan till it is singeing but not burnt
Add the lentils and sauté for a few more minutes
Drain the diced potatoes and add to the sautéed onion
Top up with boiling water to about the level of the potatoes (less rather than more water is best as you can always add more)
Add two rounded tsp Marigold and pepper

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer, stirring thoroughly till the potatoes and lentils are cooked (about 20 - 25 minutes) and the whole has reduced to a thick consistency.

Serve with veggie sausages or whatever takes your fancy.

Note: the meat version is made with the end of the Sunday roast beef. Use the lard to sauté the onion, leaving out the lentils, and the jellied juice to replace the marigold, along with some salt. Add the end of the meat finely diced. In my meat eating days I loved this!

Some people would use a tin of corned beef but I have always felt that to be very downmarket and slightly unpleasant.

[Alan C.]

Lewist
Some people would use a tin of corned beef but I have always felt that to be very downmarket and slightly unpleasant.

You philistine.Tattie hash! scrummy, throw in some cooked vegies, you got a good meal.

[lewist]

Lewist
Some people would use a tin of corned beef but I have always felt that to be very downmarket and slightly unpleasant.

You philistine.Tattie hash! scrummy, throw in some cooked vegies, you got a good meal.

No No! Alan! This is Stovies. I remember the delights of Corned Beef hash from Scout Camp. In that context it was yummy but you don't make stovies with corned beef!

Not a philistine!

[Alan C.]

Sorry lewis, I think we are at cross purposes now (my fault) Do you mean by "stovies" tattie scones/ cakes? cooked on a griddle?.

Do you have bannocks down there in the south of Scotland? (yes you are in the south) Or are they just a Shetland thing? they're a bit like Irish soda bread cut in triangles, but equally as good filled with either bacon or jam, or anything really.