Prawn and Potato Quiche

Ingredients:

Pastry:
Oven: 180 deg.C (fan)
6ozs. plain flour
2.75 ozs. butter (hard)
1 large egg,
salt, pepper.
1 egg for egg wash - you can then add the egg you haven't used to the Savoury Custard. 

1.Crumb the flour and butter, add the egg, seasoning -
bring ingredients togther to make pastry and chill - (the pastry that is :) ) - for about 30 mins.
2.Roll out fairly thinly, and line a greased flan tin/dish with your pastry* and prick all over with a fork.
3.Place greaseproof paper on top and pile in your baking beans, spreading them evenly.
4.Bake blind for about 20 mins.
5.Remove beans and paper, wash the pastry with beaten egg and place back in the oven for approx. 10 mins. (You may need a little longer).

Filling:
1 pack of large cooked prawns (roughly chopped)
1 large cooked potato (roughly chopped)
small amount of smoked salmon - optional

 Place into pre-baked pastry case.

Savoury custard:
5 eggs - beaten
3.5 fl.ozs. milk
7 fl.ozs. double cream
salt, black pepper
small amount of dried or fresh thyme/oregano
small amount of grated hard cheese, if wanted

Pour over the savoury custard, and bake until the custard is set and just beginning to golden.

I think this is nicest eaten cold with a good salad.

* some people dont trim the pastry until it is baked, but I find the edge is neater if trimmed when the pastry is raw.

Evaporated Milk Lemon Ice Cream - easy

Ingredients:
1 can (13ozs.) evaporated milk - chilled in freezer for a couple of hours.
1 large metal bowl - chilled in fridge
1.1/4 cups of icing sugar (or little less if you dont like the ice cream too sweet)
1 or 2 tsps. good vanilla essence
1 lemon - finely grated rind

1. Pour the very cold evaporated milk into the cold metal bowl, and whip/beat until fluffy.
(- about a minute or less)
2.  Slowly add the icing sugar - 1/4 cup at a time, then add the vanilla.
3. Place the bowl (or smaller plastic bowl will do), in your freezer and leave for about an hour - then well whip the ice cream for a minute and replace into the freezer.
Repeat this 4* times.   The ice cream becomes thicker and creamier each time.

*I added the lemon zest on the 3rd beating - but I dont think it matters quite when you do this. 

I added the lemon zest as I thought the ice cream was very sweet, and this seems to cut into the taste a little more.   

Keep in freezer until wanted, then leave at room temperature until the ice cream texture is 'just right' - it is delicious.

Potato Gnocchi - easy

Ingredients:
approx. 500 grams nice potatoes that are easily mashed - leftover mashed potatoes are just fine - just alter the amount of flour used if you dont have the correct amount for this recipe.
approx. 200g. plain flour
1 large egg - beaten
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper

1. If starting from scratch - boil your potatoes till soft, drain then mash them.

2. In a large bowl, add your mash, beaten egg and about half of the flour,  plus seasoning.
Mix this into a firmish dough - adding more flour as you need, so that the dough is firm enough to handle and not too sticky.
Well flour a surface and knead the potato dough for a minute or so.

3. Meanwhile, place a large pan of water on to boil, and lightly butter a serving dish.

4. Break off a largeish piece of dough and roll into a sausage, roughly 1" in diameter.
Cut this into 1" pieces.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.

 5. Carefully drop them into the boiling water - a batch at a time.

7. When they've popped up to the top - leave them another few seconds, then carefully take them out with a slotted spoon, and place in your serving dish.
Taste one (or so) - to make sure they are nicely seasoned ...... :)

Serve either just with butter, or tomato or pesto sauce, and scatter some nice chopped green herb over the top - i.e. flat parsley, coriander, and also some grated parmesan/cheese of choice.

Speedy Shepherds Pie - with Cooked Lamb

I bought a ready-prepared piece of lamb in red wine sauce and roasted it - I didn't think it was that good so I minced the meat in the food processor (saving the gravy).  I also had a pack of Ready-Mashed Potatoes  ...........  Perfect! ........  made a Shepherds Pie .........

Ingredients & Method:
1. Place the minced cooked lamb into your oven-proof dish.
2. Fry over some roughly chopped Chestnut Mushrooms and a small chopped onion - fry until just softened.
3. Add the layer of mushrooms and onion on top of the meat.
Season to taste.
4. Pour some (or all) of the sauce/gravy on top of the meat - depending how wet you like the dish.
5. Break up the ready-mashed-potato and fork it on top of the meat.
If wanted, pour a little melted butter over the potatoes and bake at approx. 190 deg.C until the mixture is bubbling and the potatoes are just 'tipping' brown.

Serve with a nice green veg such as sprouts - (this may be contraversial! :) ) and Heinz Baked Beans - (excellent).

PS: Apologies - this is not my photo - we ate it too quick!

Quiche/Flan - no pastry required :)

Oven: 180C/ : 160(fan) : (Gas 4) (preheated)
Ingredients:
butter for greasing dish
small amount of oil and small knob of butter
3 rashers of streaky bacon - chopped
4 or 5 sliced mushrooms
4 spring onions - trimmed and sliced
250ml evaporated semi-skimmed milk (canned) OR milk and double (thick) cream mixed.
3 large eggs
75g hard cheese - grated

1. Grease a round flan dish - 19-21cm - (not loose bottomed)
2. Dry fry the bacon in a non-stick pan for a couple of minutes. Set aside.
3. Lower the heat, add the oil and butter and saute the mushrooms and onions for a minute or two. Set aside with the bacon.
4. Beat together the evaporated milk and eggs and add the bacon, onions, mushrooms and cheese.*
Season to taste, dont oversalt, as the cheese may be quite salty - - mix well, taste and pour into your greased flan dish.
5. Bake for approximately 20 - 25 mins. until just set and golden.

This is nice eaten cold with a green salad and vinaigrette.

*maybe some fresh breadcrumbs on the base - and of course omit the bacon for a Veggie Quiche.

American Pancakes

Ingredients: batter is best made in advance*
Dry ingredients:
1 cup of plain flour (cake flour)
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. baking powder

Wet ingredients:
1 beaten egg added to
1 cup of buttermilk (or yogurt and milk) and
1-2 tablspns. melted butter

1. Sift all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
2.  Add the wet ingredients and mix well, but dont overbeat.

I left my batter in the fridge overnight, covered, but dont think it's necessary to leave it this long - probably *anywhere from 3-6 hrs. is ok.  If the mixture looks a little too thick, you can add some milk.

3. Using a large hot frying pan, place carefully in - ladlefuls of batter.

Just heat your frying pan - you dont need to put any extra fat in to fry the pancakes.  
(A non-stick pan is easy.)
Wait until bubbles rise to the surface of the pancake, and making sure the surface is almost dry, loosen around the edges with a flat knife, and carefully turn over with a spatula - cook for another minute or so and remove with a spatula.    

If you manage to have two pans going at once, you can obviously get more done.

The first lot - for some strange reason :) - dont come out as well as the rest of the batch! This seems to be a universally accepted  'rule' with most pancakes!!

These are really easy to make, and are delicious any way, but we like them with streaky bacon, Maple Syrup (and a little lemon juice).

Rice Balls & Tomato Sauce

Ingredients for Rice Balls:
4ozs. of cold, cooked white rice ('sticky' is fine)
2 eggs
handful of chopped corriander or parsley
and enough dried breadcrumbs to make a nice 'balling' mix
grated parmesan (to taste)
salt, black pepper, pinch of  chilli flakes (to taste)

Seasoned flour to roll rice balls in before frying
Corn Oil for deep frying

1. Process the above (red) ingredients, plus seasoning together in the food processor until you have a nice mixture that you can roll easily into balls. Taste for seasoning.
2. Roll each ball into the flour - patting off any excess and deep fry until golden.  Drain on kitchen paper.

Ingredients for Quick Tomato Sauce:- made in the Micro
1 can of tomatoes
dried basil and oregano - approx. teaspoon of each - or to taste
little sugar
olive oil
small amount of chopped onion
crushed clove or two of garlic
salt and black pepper
and about a teaspoon of Arrowroot with a little water to add to the sauce - this just takes away the acidity.

1. Place all the ingredients into a micro bowl,  and zap for a good 10 mins - longer is fine. Stir after about 5 mins.
2. Taste for seasoning and while still hot, stir in the slaked Arrowroot.

Serve the rice balls either hot or cold with the tomato sauce - also either hot or cold.

These rice balls are also called Arrangini - Italian Rice Balls - you can also fill them with meat, cheese or veg. before rolling them into balls and frying - they are lovely as a snack, but even nicer in the tomato sauce or using it as a dip.

You can also make them all by hand, so that the rice isn't so squished as when using the food processor, and you dont need to roll them in flour - so there are several different ways of making them - but the basic ingredients are generally the same.

Chocolate and Brandy Muffins

Oven: 180 deg. C - bake for approx. 25 mins.
Ingredients:  (makes 12)

approx. 80g - (large handful) of prunes (or raisins)
3 tspns brandy
170g self-raising flour
50g cocoa powder
2 tsps. baking powder
130g brown sugar
2 eggs
85 ml sunflower oil
85 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (or bean paste)
60g dark choc chips

GLAZE: 3 tblspns. icing sugar
1 tblspn. cocoa
3 tblspns of the reserved brandy liquid (top up with water if needed)

Instructions:
1. soak the fruit in the brandy for about an hour (or longer) - if you are in a rush add a little boiling water.
2. Mix all the ingredients until just combined - except for the fruit and choc chips -
3. Drain, reserving the liquid, - and chop the fruit into small pieces (no need to chop the raisins)
4. Add to the mix along with the choc chips.
5. Spoon the batter into muffin cases and bake.

once the muffins are done, drizzle the glaze over them.

This recipe comes from: http://makemydaycreative.wordpress.com/category/recipes/ - there are some super recipes (and other ideas) here.

Creamed Corn Casserole - (Cornbread) - very easy (and delicious!)

       

A friend gave me this recipe years ago, and I still love it. 

It's really handy to keep in the fridge, specially if you like grazing!

Oven: 350 deg.F or 180/90 deg.C
Ingredients:
1 can of whole corn (13.1/2 ozs) - rinsed and drained
1 can of creamed corn (13.1/2 ozs - 383 grms.)
1 cup of sour cream
3/4 cup of plain white flour (or self-raising but omit the baking powder*)
3/4 cup of corn meal
2 tblspns. sugar
3/4 tblspn. baking powder*
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. salt
4 ozs. butter
2 eggs - beaten

1. Stir all the ingredients together
2. Pour into a buttered ovenproof dish
3. Bake for approx. 1 hr.  It should be 'set'.
4. Cut into squares - and eat!

This keeps really well (covered) in the fridge and is lovely eaten cold too.

Chicken Balls/Patties - really easy

Ingredients:
1 medium chicken fillet makes approx. 4 (golf size) balls or patties.
+ some chopped corriander or parsley or oregano - if you like this - otherwise they are very nice plain.
Plain Flour
Salt and Pepper
1 Egg
Panko Breadcrumbs
Sunflower Oil for frying  (I use a wok, so you dont need that much oil - just a couple of inches should be fine.)

1. Whizz your chicken fillet(s) in your food processor and remove the 'paste' to a bowl.
2. Add some salt and a few grinds of black pepper -and some chopped corriander, if using herbs.

3. Using wetted hands, make into balls, then dip
(a) ino flour
(b) into beaten egg and then
(c) into the breadcrumbs and reshape them slightly in the palm of your hands, just to get rid of the excess breadcrumbs. You can leave them in ball shapes or flatten them out slightly.

4. Fry in hot oil, turning, until nicely golden.
I put a skewer through mine to test that the chicken is cooked well through.  When taking the skewer out, there should be no juices oozing out.
5. Cool on kitchen paper - eat hot or cold.

Calf's Foot Jelly / Brawn

This is my dad's ancient recipe - which I remember as being delicious but I'm afraid it could probably smell the kitchen out while it's cooking! Keep windows open or using your extractor fan - may help!

It's not really a fashionable dish, but could well be tarted up, cut into large cubes and served with some pretty mixed salad leaves sprinkled with a light vinaigrette. ......... if you like brawn you'll love this. It is very tasty and well worth the effort.

Ingredients: using a large saucepan -
2 ox legs chopped* - wash and rinse very well and scrub clean (if nec.)
Cover well with cold water
Add:
Approx. 1 tsp tomato ketchup
Approx. 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Salt.Pepper,
Peppercorns - a good handful.
A few (fresh if possible) Bayleaves
Large pinch of mixed dried herbs
peeled & crushed cloves of garlic - your choice, but approx. 4 would do
About 4 hard boiled eggs - sliced (to decorate) & and few bayleaves


Bring to the boil and cook gently until the meat falls off the bones -
remove the meat and marrow from the bones - discard the bones.
Put the marrow (from inside the bones) back into the stock, which should be really well seasoned.
Mince the meat and put about 1" deep into the base of a rectangular (glass) dish.
Pour over the strained liquid and cool till just setting, then
Place the egg slices with some bayleaves decoratively on top.
Spoon or brush a little of the liquid over the eggs & bayleaves.
Refridgerate until set.

I have to admit I haven't made this for years - the last time my dad made it he did it in my kitchen! but re-finding the recipe while browsing an old handwritten recipebook of mine, I think I might just give it a try again - (might wait till husband's out though!)

If anyone reading this does make it - I'd love to know how it went!

*I'm sure if you check with your butcher you could use pigs trotters or similar.

Love Spuds?

Love Potatoes for lots of recipes and ideas click on Photo
(gorgeous photo found on "Google")

Sausages

Going from one extreme - Health & Beauty - to another! but who doesn't love sausages? (apart from Vegetarians of course).
There are some good tips on this site too.

TeaTime Treat (or lunch snack)

This has to be one of my all-time favourite snacks and requires no cookery skills at all!
Squished Banana & Strawberry Jam (US:jelly) sandwich - (with butter of course) - on bog-standard ready-sliced white bread, with a good cup of tea.
That's it!