Category Archives: Cooking

Super Tasty Burgers

                                                                                                        For the burger:

• 10 round cracked black pepper crackers (aldi)
• 8 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 500 g quality minced beef
• 2 heaped tablespoons Dijon mustard , optional
• 1 large free-range egg
• Salt & Black pepper
• 2 tblsp tomato sauce
• 1 Finely chopped medium onion
• olive oil  or  flour for coating
• For the dressing:
• 3 Pickled Gerkins
• 1tblesp American mustard
• 1tblsp Caesar salad
• 1 tblspTomato sauce
• Some V Finely chopped onion

Method

1. Wrap the crackers in a tea towel and smash up until fine, breaking up any big bits with your hands, then tip into a large bowl.
2. Finely chop the onion and parsley (stalks and all), then add to the bowl with the mustard tomato sauce and the minced beef.( save some chopped onion for the sauce)
3. Crack the egg into the bowl, then add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
4. With clean hands, scrunch and mix everything up well. Divide into 6 and pat and mould each piece into a roundish shape, roughly 1cm thick.
5. Place the burgers onto a plate, sprinkle with flower, then cover and place in the fridge until needed – this will help to firm them up.
6. To cook the burgers, preheat a large griddle or frying pan for 4 minutes on a high heat, then turn the heat down to medium.
7. Place the burgers on the griddle or into the pan, then use a spatula to lightly press them down, making sure the burger is in full contact with the pan.
8. Cook the burgers for 3 or 4 minutes on each side, depending on how you like them – you may need to work in batches.
9. Dress with lettuce , tomato, red onion and cheese if required.

Tiger Prawns With Sweet And Sour Red Onion Stir-Fry

Ingredients and Method

            You will need :

Ingredients

• Groundnut oil – 1 tablespoon
• Red onion – 2 medium, peeled and sliced into half moon slices
• Shaosing rice wine – 1 tablespoon, or dry sherry
• Soft brown sugar – 1 teaspoon
• Chinkiang black rice vinegar – 1 tablespoon
• Fresno chilli – 1 green, or Jalapeno chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• Tiger prawn – 150g large pre-cooked
• Low sodium light soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
• Toasted sesame seeds – some

STEPS

• Prepare the onions. Slice them into half moon slices. Prepare the green chilli, deseed and finely chop.
• Heat a wok over high heat and when wok starts to smoke, add thegroundnut oil. Give the oil a swirl and then add the red onions and cook stirring for 2 minutes until they start to turn golden brown at the edges. Then add the Shaosing rice wine, the brown sugar and the vinegar and toss cooking for 1 minute. Then add in the green chilli pieces and then toss together cooking for 30 seconds.
• Finally add in the cooked Tiger Prawns and toss all the ingredients. Then add 1 tablespoon of low sodium light soy sauce. Then take it off the heat and add a small sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with steamed Jasmine rice or brown rice.

Umami Miso Ribs

Ingredients

• Pork spare rib – 500g / 1.1 lb, 2 inches in length
• Vegetable oil – 500ml / 2.11 cups, for deep-frying

For the marinade

• Garlic – 2 tbsp minced
• Miso paste – 2 tbsp
• Ginger – 1 tbsp, grated
• Low sodium light soy sauce – 2 tbsp
• Honey – 2 tbsp
• Dark soy sauce – 1 tsp

For the coating

• Cornflour – 100ml / 0.42 cup
• Salt – ½ tsp
• Black pepper – ½ tsp cracked

For the garnish

• Japanese chilli pepper seasoning – ½ tsp
• Red chilli – sliced
• Spring onion –

STEPS

• Make the marinade by mixing together the garlic, ginger, miso paste, soy sauces and honey together. Add the pork ribs and allow to marinade for at least one hour, or overnight if you have time.
• For the coating, combine the corn flour with salt and pepper. Add this to the marinated ribs and mix lightly.
• Heat the oil in a wok over a moderate heat, and when hot, fry the ribs in two batches until the coating is crisp and the meat tender, this should take around 4-5 minutes per batch. Remove from the pan, drain on absorbent paper and serve sprinkled with the Japanese chilli pepper and garnish with red chillies and spring onions.

Spaghetti  Bolognese

1. Spaghetti 50g per person
2. Mince Steak (round) 500g
3. Onion x 1
4. Garlic cloves x 2
5. Mushrooms 300g
6. Paprika x 1tsp
7. Fresh / dried Basil x 1 tsp
8. Fresh / dried oregano x 1 tsp
9. Tomato puree x 2 tbls
10. Tin chopped tomato x 1
11. Mango Chutney x 1 tbls
12. Olive Oil x 2 tbls
13. Small cube of butter.
14. Black Pepper to flavour
15. Grated Parmesan cheese.

Method:

1. Place spaghetti into large saucepan with cold water and boil until soft.
2. Finely chop onion and garlic, sauté in saucepan with olive oil.
3. Brown the mince on hot frying pan and set aside.
4. Add paprika, to garlic and onion and stir.
5. Add tin tomato and tomato puree, basil & oregano to onion and garlic.
6. Add the browned mince.
7. Stir in Chutney
8. Fry up the sliced mushrooms in butter and fold into the saucepan.
9. Rinse off spaghetti with boiling water and add small amount of olive oil before serving.
10. Sprinkle dish with Parmesan and black pepper, dress with fresh basil.

Thai Prawn Stir-Fry

You will need :

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp torn fresh mint leaves
• 75g torn fresh basil leaves
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 jalapeno chilli, thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 medium yellow pepper, seeded, cut in 2.5cm dice
• 1/2 medium red onion, cut in 2.5cm dice
• 450g large prawns, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 to 1 tsp red chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp grated, peeled, fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tbsp groundnut oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp Southeast Asian fish sauce
• 1 tbsp water
• Serving suggestion: Jasmine rice

Method:

1) In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, fish sauce, and sugar; set aside.

2) Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chilli flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3) Add the prawns and stir-fry until pink but still translucent in the middle, about 2 minutes. Transfer the prawns to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the onion, pepper, and chilli to the skillet, and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

4) Return the prawns to the pan along with the soy sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, and stir-fry until the sauce glazes the prawns, about 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes and stir until coated with sauce, about 15 seconds. Remove pan from the heat, stir in the basil, mint, and lime juice. Transfer to a serving dish, serve immediately.

Spiced Lamb Chops With Onion & Coriander Salad

Ingredients and Method

            You will need :

For the lamb rib chops

• Lamb rib chops – 4
• Shaosing rice wine – 2 tablespoons, dry sherry or
• Coriander – 2 teaspoons, ground
• Ground cumin – 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric – ¼ teaspoon, ground
• Dried chilli flakes – ½ teaspoon
• Sea salt – 1 large pinch
• Black pepper – 1 large pinch, cracked
• Groundnut oil – 1 tablespoon

For the salad

• White onion – 3 small white, peeled and sliced ½ moon slices
• Lemon – 1, cut into a third and save rest for squeezing
• Cold water – 500ml
• Sea salt – 2 large pinches
• Black pepper – 2 large pinches
• Soft brown sugar – 2 pinches
• Low sodium light soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
• Coriander leaves and stems – 1 small bunch, finely chopped

STEPS

• Prepare the onions. Slice and peel 3 small onions and cut them in half and then cut them thinly into nice crescent shaped pieces. Place them in a bowl of cold water. Squeeze a third of a lemon, and place in the bowl with the onions. (This will help get rid of the spicy raw bite of the onion and sweeten them up).
• Next make the spiced paste for the lamb rib chops. Pour the Shaosing rice wine over the ribs and this will enhance the natural sweetness of the meat. Then add the ground coriander.
• Heat a wok over high heat until smoking, and add two tablespoons of groundnut oil. Place the lamb rib chops into the peanut oil. Pour the rest of the spice marinade over the lamb. The lamb doesn’t take long to cook at all about 1 minute on each side for rare-medium and 2 minutes each side for medium-well. Turn off the heat. Keep it in the wok to cook on the other side.
• Drain the onions well and place into another bowl. Dress it with the remaining lemon. Season with 2 large pinches of sea salt, black pepper and soft brown sugar and add 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce. Finely chop a small handful of coriander with the roots and add it to the onions and toss to mix well.
• Transfer the lamb chops to a small serving plate and dress with juices from the wok. Transfer a serving of the salad to a bowl and serve together immediately.

3 Cup Chicken

Ingredients and Method

            You will need :

1. 500g skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces
2. 3cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3. 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
4. 1 green pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
5. 250g bok choy, halved or quartered
6. 2 x 250g packets of ready- cooked rice
7. 1 tbsp cornflour
8. Salt, to taste
9. 1 tsp white pepper
10. 1 tbsp sunflower oil
11. 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
12. 75ml Chinese rice wine
13. 75ml reduced salt soy sauce
14. 3 tbsp sesame oil
15. 2 tbsp brown sugar

METHOD

1. Put the cornflour and pepper into a bowl and season with a pinch of salt. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat them and then set aside.
2. Place the wok over a medium–high heat and add the oil. Once the pan is smoking, fry the garlic, ginger and chilli for a minute or 2 before adding the chicken and green pepper. Leave for 30 seconds to seal the meat then quickly move around the pan.
3. Add the rice wine and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Cook for a further 5 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken.
4. Add the bok choy and cook until it is just tender, about 1–2 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked through, serve with warmed rice.

Beef & Broccoli Oyster Sauce Chow Mein

Ingredients and Method

            You will need :

Ingredients

• Groundnut oil – 1 tablespoon
• Garlic – 3 cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• Ginger – 1 knob, peeled and grated
• Red cayenne chilli – 1 fresh, sliced
• Sirloin steak – 1 free range or organic, excess fat trimmed off, slice into 1cm slices
• Shaosing rice wine – 1 tablespoon dry sherry or
• Tenderstem Broccoli – 250g, sliced into 1 inch pieces on the angle
• Dark soy sauce – 2 tablespoons
• Egg noodles – 400g cooked
• Bean sprouts – 1 large handful
• Low sodium light soy sauce – 2 tablespoons
• Oyster sauce – 2 tablespoons

STEPS

• Heat a wok over high heat. When the wok is smoking, add the groundnut oil. Give the oil a swirl in the wok and then quickly add in the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir-fry a few seconds. Quickly add the beef and stir-fry together for a few seconds.
• As the beef starts to brown, add the Shaosing rice wine and follow quickly with the broccoli. Stir-fry together for thirty seconds and then add the dark soy sauce and toss well.
• Add in the egg noodles and give it a good mix, then add in the beansprouts. Toss together and season with light soy sauce and oyster sauce, cook tossing and stirring for less than a minute then serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 8 oz / 250g of long strand pasta of choice
• 30 g / 2 tbsp butter , separated
• 300 g / 10 oz small peeled prawns / shrimp
• 200 g sliced button mushrooms
• 3 garlic cloves , minced
• 1/4 cup / 65 ml dry white wine  pref. chardonnay
• 1 cup / 250 ml Double Cream
• 1/2 cup / 125 ml fish stock)
• 3/4 cup / 50 g finely grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
• ½ teasp cayenne chilly pepper
• Black pepper
• Parmesan , for serving

Instructions

1. Bring to boil a large pot of water. Add pasta and cook per packet MINUS 1 minute.
2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large non stick skillet over medium high heat. Add prawns and cook for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until just cooked through. Remove prawns.
3. If using cooked frozen prawns use the large size ( jucier) and place in a bowl of boiled water to defrost and set aside
4. In a saucepan add 1 tbsp butter. Once melted, add garlic. Stir for 20 seconds until fragrant then add the cayenne chilly pepper.
5. Add wine and stir. Simmer for 1 minute and add the fish stock
6. Add parmesan and stir until melted, then leave to simmer for 1 1/2 minutes until it thickens slightly
7. Separately for 2 min fry sliced mushrooms in butter and set aside
8. Add prawns,mushrooms and cream to sauce, stir, and remove from the heat
9. Sprinkle with most of the parsley and chives and black pepper,
10. Serve immediately on a bed of pasta garnished with remaining parsley and parmesan if desired.
11. To insure pasta is not sticky drizzle with a little olive oil

 Recipe Tips

1. This recipe will work fine with any full fat cream, but the sauce thickens faster / better with heavy / thickened cream. If you use light cream, the sauce will be thinner but it will still work.

   2. PARMESAN: Must use freshly grated! Store bought won’t melt smoothly and weigh before grating

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