Month: November 2016

Dad makes best

Scrambled Eggs

Good scrambled eggs takes time and patience.

Ingredients

Eggs – 1½ per person

A splash of milk

A generous knob of butter

Equipment

A sauce pan

Method

1. Add the eggs, a spalsh of milk and the butter to the pan. The more fat you add, in the form of butter, the richer the result.

 

img_2358 img_2359

2. Stir well until the mixture is uniform in colour.

img_2360

3. Place the pan on the smallest ring. Turn the heat up to full and stir until the butter has melted.

img_2364

4. Turn the heat to its lowest setting. Now you need to cook the eggs slowly, stirring frequently enough to make sure it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. If it does, scrap it off and keep stirring. You will need to stir quite frequently and this will take some time.

img_2377 img_2378 img_2379  img_2380 img_2381

5. Eventually the eggs will start to thicken. I like mine soft so for me they are ready when they will just hold their shape in the pan. If you like them firmer, then keep stirring on the heat.

img_2385 img_2386 img_2387 img_2393  img_2388

6. Serve immeadiately.

img_2401

Breakfast

Full Cooked Breakfast

There is no set formula for this but it should include:

  • eggs – fried, scrambled or poached
  • meat – bacon, sausage, black pudding
  • veg – tomatoes or mushrooms
  • potatoes – hash browns, potato waffles
  • toast
  • pot of tea

The breakfast below is sausage, black pudding, waffles, hash brown, tomatoes, mushrooms, scrambled eggs, toast and tea.

A full cooked breakfast is complicated – there are a lot of things to cook using different methods and it all needs to be ready at exactly the same time. You will only learn by doing.

Ingredients

Sausages

Blackpudding

Mushrooms

Eggs

Potato Waffles

Hash Browns

Tomatoes

Bread

Butter

Milk

Salt and Pepper

Tea

img_2355

Equipment

Frying pan

Sauce pan

Oven

Grill

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC

1. Place the tomatoes and sausage in oven proof dishes. Grind black pepper over the tomatoes. Put in the oven for 30 mins.

 

img_2357 img_2356

2. Slice the mushroons, heat butter in the frying pan, add the mushrooms.

img_2365 img_2367 img_2368 img_2369

3. Fry the mushrooms striing occaisionally.

img_2376  img_2389

4. Set the gril to a high heat. Place the balck pudding, waffles and hahs browns on the grill pan and place under the grill for 7 mins. Then turn and cook for 5 mins.

img_2370 img_2383

5. Make enough toast for everyone.

 

img_2391

6. Take the sausages and tomatoes out of the oven.

img_2392

7. Take the waffles, hash browns and black pudding from the grill.

img_2394

8. Serve on warmed plates.

img_2395

 

Uncategorized

Maria’s Chilli

This is the chilli recipe you are looking for.

Equipment

  • A heavy bottomed pan

Ingredients

img_4201

For 4 people.

  • 1 kg of at least 15% fat steak mince
  • 1/2 a cup of pancetta
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1-3 Green chillis, finely sliced, depending on heat required
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground corriander
  • 2 tins of peeled plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tin of red kidney beans, rinsed with cold water
  • Salt and pepper

Method

  1. Set the pan over a high heat and add the mince
  2. Fry the mince until browned, reducing the heat as necessary
  3. Using a plastic potato masher, “grind” the mince so it consists of small granules of the same size
  4. Add the onions and chillis,increasing the heat as necessary
  5. Cook until the onion is soft, reducing the heat as necessary
  6. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes
  7. Add the spices and cook for 2 more minutes
  8. Add the tomatoes and tomatoe puree and bring to a simmer
  9. Simmer for 20 minutes
  10. Add the red kidney beans
  11. Season with salt and pepper to taste
  12. Simmer for 20 minutes
  13. Serve with rice and if desired grated cheddar chese

Photos

 

img_4205 img_4206img_4203 img_4208 img_4215  img_4209img_4218 img_4214 img_4219  img_4221 img_4222 img_4223 img_4224

Dad makes best

How to Steam Greens

The quantities of oyster sauce, seasame oil and light soy sauce are just a guide. I never actually measure it – I just pour in what I know works for me.

Ingredients

Bok Choi (or any other type of greens such as Choi-Sum, Kai Lan, Broccoli, etc).

1 tbsp oyster sauce

1 tbsp light soy sauce

1 dsp toasted seasame oil

img_2484

Equipment

A steamer

img_2488

img_2490

Method

  1. Set the steamer
  2. Prepare the greens by rinsing in cold water, trimming the ends, and the slicing (or quartering if you prefer).

img_2485 img_2486

3. Place the greens in the steamer and cover with a lid. Cook for about 3 minutes. The white stems should turn slightly translucent.

img_2491

4. Add the soy sauce, oyster sauce and seasame oil.

img_2492 img_2493

5. Place the lid on the pan and hold it down tightly as you shake the pan to mix the greens and the dressing.

img_2494

6. Serve immediately.

img_2503

Dad makes best, Recipe

Belly Pork

The point of this dish is the crackling. Belly pork is tasty and cheap.

Ingredients

A slice of belly pork per person

Soy sauce

img_2472

img_2474

Equipment

A dish for marinading

A roasting tin with a rack

Method

Pre-heat the overn to 180ºC

1. Marinade the pork by placing it skin side down in the dish and adding 100ml of soy sauce. If ncessary add water to bring the level up. Mariande for at least an hour.

img_2475

2. Place the prok on the roasting tin rack, skin side up. You may need to prop it up with scrunched up tin foil to stop it falling over.

img_2479

img_2481

3. Roast the pork in the oven for 45 mins or longer until the skin is crispy.

img_2495

5. Remove from the oven and place on a chopping board.

img_2496

6. First remove the rib bone.

img_2497

7. Then using a sharp knife (cleaver works well) cut across the pork to create bite size pieces topped with crackling.

img_2498

img_2499

8. Serve immediately with rice, greens, and chilli oil.

img_2503

 

Dad makes best, Recipe

Stir-fried spinach with ginger, chilli and garlic

Tasty accompaniment to any Chinese style dish and rice. You can vary the quantities of chilli, ginger and garlic to taste.

Ingredients

1 large red chilli

1 clove of garlic

4cm piece of ginger

1 dsp ground nut oil

1 bag of washed, baby spinach

1 dsp of seasame oil

1 dsp of light soy sauce

1 tbsp oyster sauce

Equipment

A wok

Method

1. Slice the garlic and chilli very finely; juliene the ginger.

2. Heat the oil in the wok on a high heat, then fry the garlic, chilli and ginger.

3. Add the spinach, turn down the heat, and stir until the spinach has wilted.

4. Turn off the heat, then add the seasame oil, soy sauce and oyster sauce.

5. Mix well, then serve immediately.

Photos

img_2244 img_2245 img_2251 img_2255 img_2257 img_2258 img_2259 img_2260 img_2262 img_2263 img_2264 img_2265 img_2266 img_2269

 

Uncategorized

How to Make Mashed Potato

The key to perfect mashed potato is in the equipment. If you use a potato ricer it will never be lumpy. You need to adjust the quantities of milk and butter to taste. A little milk helps loosen the potato; the addition of butter makes it more, well, buttery. Use a floury potato.

Ingredients

Floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper

Salt

Milk

Butter

Equipment

A pan for boiling potatoes

A potato ricer

Method

1. Bring a pan full of water to the boil, add salt.

2. Peel the potatoes, rinse in cold water.

3. Cut the potatoes in 5cm pieces.

4. Add the potatoes to the boiling water, and bring back to the boil.

5. Simmer the potatoes for 2o mins, test if they are cooked through with a fork.

6. Drain the potatoes.

7. Use the potato ricer to mash the potatoes.

8. Add milk and butter to the mashed potatoes

9. Mix well, until you have smooth mashed potato.

10. Serve immediately.

img_2288 img_2292 img_2290 img_2293 img_2296 img_2300 img_2309 img_2318 img_2319 img_2320 img_2321 img_2322 img_2324

Dad makes best, Recipe

Oriental Beef (Or Ribs Or Chicken)

A simple bit amazingly good dish. This version uses brisket of beef and is slow cooked for at leat 2 hours. Serve with rice.

It works brilliantly with pork ribs. Use a whole rack of ribs, cut so there are two rib bones in each piece. The method is identical, except cook at 180ºC for 50 minutes without a lid, turning the meat after 25 minutes.

Skinned, boneless chicken thighs are also good. The method is identical, except cook at 180ºC for 40 minutes, turning the meat after 20 minutes.

Ingredients

1kg Brisket of Beef

150ml Shaosing (Chinese brown rice wine)

75ml Japanese Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Toasted Seasame Oil

5 Whole Star Anise

4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed

6cm Piece of Ginger, grated

(Optional) Dried red chillis

2 Spring Onions

1 Large Red Chilli

Corriander Leaves

Equipment

Casserole dish

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC.

1. Mix the rice wine, soy sauce and seasame oil together.

2. Add the grated ginger, the crushed garlic and star anise.

3.  Optionally add the dried red chillis, if using.

4. Place the beef into the casserole dish, and pour over the liquid.

5. Heat the casserole dish on a high heat until the liquid is simmering.

6. Place casserole dish into the oven and cook for 2 hours, turnign the meat every 30  minutes.

7. While it cooks prepare sliced red chilli, sliced spring onion and chopped corrinader leaves as garnish.

7. Remove the meat and slice.

8. Strain the cooking liquid into a jug to serve as a gravy.

9. Serve immeadiately, with the gravy and garnish.

Photos

img_2231 img_2228 img_2233 img_2234 img_2238 img_2239 img_2240 img_2248 img_2249 img_2267 img_2268 img_2270 img_2272 img_2273 img_2274 img_2275 img_2276

Oriental Ribs

Dad makes best, Salad

Caesar Salad

A classic salad and perfect accompaniment to steak.

This recipe makes enough dressing for about four salads. Keep in a jar with a lid in the fridge.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

1 clove of gralic

1 egg

1 heaped tsp of English mustard powder

Juice of a lime

150 ml of blended olive oil

4 anchovy filltes (or 1 tsp of Worcster suace)

img_2180

For the salad:

1-2 Romaine lettuces depending on size

4 anchovy fillets

Handful of croutons

Parmesan cheese

Caesar salad dressing

img_2199

Equipment

A salad bowl

A blender

A salad spinner

Method

1. First make the dressing by blending all the ingredients together. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.

img_2189img_2190img_2191img_2196

 

2. Cut up the lettuce, wash it with a salad spinner then add to the salad bowl

img_2201img_2203img_2207

3. Finely chop the anchovy fillets and add to the lettuce and mix.

img_2204img_2205

4.  Add the croutons and mix again.

img_2208

5. Add two tablespoons of the dressing, mixing again.

img_2217img_2218

6. Grate parmesan cheese over the salad and serve.

img_2219img_2221img_2224