Spiced lamb koftas with mint and tomato salad

I love this dish, a taste of the Kasbah!  Fresh zingy flavours mixed with minced lamb and loads of salad and yoghurt too.  Really simple but looks and tastes amazing.  Another family friendly recipe taken from BBC Good food.

The Koftas
500g pack of minced lamb
2 small or 1 large preserved lemon, flesh and seeds removed and skin finely chopped (I buy these from Sainsbury's in a jar)
10 pitted green olives, finely chopped
Small bunch parsley, chopped
1 and a half tbsp ras el hanout spice mix
1 tbsp sunflower oil
Plain yoghurt, salad and wraps to serve.

Salad
4 large tomatoes, chopped
Half a red onion, very thinly sliced
Small bunch of mint, leaves picked
Juice of half a lemon
Good pinch of sugar.

Method
In a large bowl, combine the lamb mince, preserved lemon, olives, parsley, ras el hanout and some seasoning.  Be careful with the salt though as the olives and lemon are quite salty.  Divide the mixture into 4 and shape each piece around a long skewer.  Chill for 30 minutes.....
Combine the ingredients for the salad with some seasoning and set aside.
Heat the grill to high.  Rub the oil over the koftas and wrap a little foil around the bottom of each skewer if using wooden ones.  Place on a baking tray and grill for about 7 minutes each side until nicely browned, checking the meat is cooked through to the centre.  Serve with the tomato salad, a dollop of yoghurt and some couscous or in wraps.

Off to the souk!

Thai pork and peanut curry

I like shortcuts and this is one that tastes good too. It uses ready made Thai red curry paste which really speeds things up so the prep only takes about 10 minutes and cooks in 30 minutes.  I found it on the BBC Good Food website.

Ingredients
Sunflower oil
Bunch of spring onions, sliced at a jaunty angle
Small bunch of coriander, stalks finely chopped and leaves picked
500g pork tenderloin or chicken breast, sliced
Sliced red pepper
4 tbsp Thai red curry paste
3 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
400ml tin of light coconut milk
Juice of a lime
Pineapple segments, and chilli strips(optional)
Thai basil for garnish if you can find it.

Method
Heat the oil in a large pan.  Add the spring onions and coriander stalks and cook for 1 minute.  Add the pork slices and cook for 5 minutes until starting to brown.
Stir in the curry paste and peanut butter.  After 30 seconds add the sugar, soy and coconut milk plus 1/2 a tin of water and the red pepper strips.  Mix well, put a lid on and leave to simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the lid, and increase the heat.  Bubble for 3 minutes adding the pineapple and chilli if desired. The sauce should have thickened a little.  Stir in the lime juice and taste for seasoning. Sprinkle with coriander leaves for a final flourish.

Serve with boiled rice or even chips!

Roasted chicken thighs with Med Veg

This was an easy, speedy Monday night supper.

The Chicken
I placed the thighs in an oven proof and drizzled them with olive oil and sprinkled on dried Italian herbs and salt and pepper.  Into the oven at 180C for 30 minutes.

The Mediterranean Vegetables
I used tomatoes, courgette, red onion and red pepper.  I chopped the veg into good sized chunks, threw in a couple of bashed garlic cloves, salt and pepper, ripped basil and drizzle with olive oil.  Place in the oven with chicken for 20 minutes.  We had garlic bread too.  Ta Dah!

Must try harder

As predicted it was a bit of a car crash.  Firstly, I couldn't get any smoked haddock and I wasn't going to use that fluorescent yellow imitation of a fish so I plumped for a splendid loin of haddock. Secondly, the idea of poaching eggs in cling film made sense in theory. In practice I struggled as it was fiddly and they took longer than the recipe stated.  Perhaps the water wasn't quite hot enough.  Anyway, I am going back to the traditional method from now on.  It tasted lovely, especially the champ.

Today my kitchen is closed as we're having a late Sunday lunch at The Hop Pole Inn, Bewdley. The food is always delicious and the staff are lovely.  Tomorrow, I think I will play very safe and cook roasted chicken thighs and Mediterranean vegetables.  

The Saturday Challenge - Haddock and Poached Egg

Well my Hubby really has thrown down the gauntlet today.  I asked him last night what he fancies for supper tonight....12 hours later he asks for Haddock on a bed of spinach with a poached egg on top.  Oh my giddy Aunt! My poached eggs taste great but look dreadful so I'm going to need serious help with this one.
After scouring the online cook books I found a recipe that I'm going to try.  It's slightly different from the original request but does involve haddock and poached egg and my mum's favourite, champ.  Fingers crossed and wish me luck. 

Ray D'Arcy's

SMOKED HADDOCK WITH POACHED EGG
Serves 4

Ingredients
4 x 200 g haddock fillets (naturally smoked)
1 tblsp  vegetable oil
75 g Rudd’s black pudding
4 organic eggs
For the champ
700 g potatoes
40 g butter
8 scallions, trimmed and sliced
Salt and black pepper


Method
First peel the potatoes and place in some cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until they are tender, then mash thoroughly. Put the butter in a hot frying pan and stir in the scallions. Cook gently for 3-4 minutes until they are soft and slightly brown. Stir into the mashed potatoes, season well and keep warm.

In hot frying pan, place the haddock flesh side down with a little oil and cook over a medium heat for 6-7 minutes. When ready the meat will be cooked through and the skin can be peeled off easily. 

In another frying pan, fry the black pudding slices until they are crispy, then use a fork to crumble them into small pieces.

To make the poached eggs, line 4 cups with Clingfilm and place one egg into each cup. Season with a little salt, and twist the Clingfilm tightly so that you have an egg ‘bag’. Place the eggs in a pot of simmering water and gently poach for 3 minutes, so that the yolks are soft.  Place some champ on the serving dish and put a slice of haddock on top.  Remove the cling film from the eggs and place on the haddock and sprinkle the dish with some crumbled black pudding.  

Spaghetti Bolognese

I was treated to an Italian meal last night at Pomodoro with my lovely nieces, Lily and Megan.  So, as I didn't actually cook last night I thought I should stick with the Italian theme and share my take on Spaghetti Bolognese.  I have switched from using San Marzono tomatoes (hideously expensive) to a brand the lovely chap from Bewdley Deli recommended and there's a picture of the tin below.  Apparently it's the brand used in many Italian restaurants.  This is a quick version of a dish that is beautiful when cooked long low and slow to make a scrumptious ragu. Sometimes I add some cubes of pancetta to the mince for added flavour.

It all goes very well with an episode of the Borgias.  Ciao!

Ingredients

500g of the best quality minced beef you can find
1 tin of tomatoes
Large knob of butter
1 teasp smashed garlic
1 large onion finely chopped
1 teasp of mixed oregano and marjoram
2 tbsp of tomato puree
Salt and pepper
Bay leaf
Pancetta cubes if you fancy it.

Method
Add butter, onion, garlic and herbs to the pan and cook without colour
Add beef and season well
Once the beef has browned cook slowly for 20 minutes
Add the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil
Stir in the tomato puree to thicken and remove from the heat
Taste and adjust seasonings

Add to a pan of spaghetti cooked al dente and combine together.
Serve with a side salad, freshly grated parmesan and a nice glass of Chianti.

Pork steaks in a creamy cider and mushroom sauce

I've been making this dish that we call Somerset Pork for about 30 years which explains why the recipe is looking very tatty.  I use my trusty cast iron skillet that was a 21st birthday present from a lovely chap called Bob - it will be a family heirloom one day.
This is something I would normally cook at the weekend but just fancied something rich and creamy last night after a very wet and muddy walk to see the bluebells in Hurcott Woods.  I served it with crispy potato wedges, broccoli, asparagus and help from the family.

Ingredients
4 boneless pork steaks
2 tbsp seasoned flour
3 tbsp butter
1/2 lb chestnut mushrooms sliced
3/4 bottle of dry cider - the remainder is for the cook
Dash of Henderson's relish or Lea n' Perrin's
Salt and Pepper
Double cream
Chives

Method
Trim the pork and coat in the seasoned flour.
Fry in the melted butter until lightly browned on both sides and almost cooked.
Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook gently for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the remaining flour and cook for 1 minute, then gradually add the cider and bring to the boil stirring to make a smooth sauce.
Add the Lea n' Perrins and replace the pork in the pan.
Simmer for about 5 minutes.
Stir in the cream and chives, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed and reheat without boiling.

Serve with potato wedges and any veg, or try the Mum's special potatoes recipe I blogged last week.

Sausage pasta bake

I think this is one of the quickest suppers we make.  It's a really versatile 'Useup' style meal.  Last night's version included Matteson's pork sausage, local asparagus, black olives and my red pepper and tomato sauce from the freezer.  All topped with freshly grated parmesan. 

Ingredients

1 bag of fresh pasta - I used penne

A dash of olive oil

1 pasta sauce - check out my recipe for red pepper and tomato sauce/soup

1 pack of Matteson's pork sausage thinly sliced

Some thinly sliced saucisson such as Forest Pig Charcuterie for extra flavour

Local asparagus blanched

Sliced black olives from a jar

Freshly grated parmesan or cheddar

Seasoning and some fresh basil if you have some

Method

Cook the pasta in boiling water (with the oil) for 3 minutes, adding the asparagus for the last minute only. 

Heat the sauce until almost simmering

Mix pasta and sauce together

Add the sausage, olives, asparagus and herbs

Taste to check the seasoning

Transfer into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the cheese of choice.

Set aside ready for cooking later

Cook for 20 minutes at 180C.

Serve with a green salad or more asparagus. 

Ready for the oven so off to the Hop Pole Inn for a quick drink with Hubby

Ready to eat 

 I think it needed 5 minutes less cooking.... whoops, but the crispy top was lovely.

Hot hot hot Chilli con Carne

A firm favourite in our house and the hotter the better!  If I am organised I try to make it in advance and leave in the fridge overnight to mature.  That doesn't happen often...... so I make a double batch and freeze.  I like to buy my mince from either Hopley's Farm Shop, Bewdley Butchers or Hodge Hill Farm Shop as their meat tastes so much better than supermarket meat. My cast iron slow cooker is the star of the show from Netherton Foundry.
When it comes to chillies I love the Scotch Bonnet for the lovely fruity flavour but it is an acquired taste.  If I am cooking it for family or friends who prefer less heat I use jalopeno chillies but still leave the seeds in.

Ingredients
500g of the best quality minced beef you can find
Sunflower oil
2 small onions finely chopped
3 squished cloves of garlic
A generous teaspoon of cumin seeds (lightly toasted and ground if I have time)
1/2 a cinnamon stick
Fresh chilli - I use three jalopeno chillies quartered with the seeds included.
Spare chillies if it needs to be hotter
1 beef stock pot
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin of kidney beans - rinsed and drained
Tomato puree - a good squeeze
A couple of inches of Unami paste (optional)
Bay leaf
Salt and pepper

Method
Add a couple of tbsp of oil to a large skillet and heat
Add the finely chopped onions and garlic and cook until softened
Add the cumin seeds and chillies stir and cook for another 5 minutes on a gentle heat
Once the onions start to take on a little colour whack up the heat and then add the mince
Cook until browned stirring only occasionally
Then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, bay leaf and stock pot adding extra water/tomatoes depending on how much sauce you like
Finally add the rinsed kidney beans, stir, cover and then cook on a low heat for as long as you can. Season to taste.
 In the slow cooker I leave it on low for 4 hours or a couple of hours in the oven on 130C.

I serve with boiled basmati rice.  Sides of guacamole, salad, sour cream and relish are added as a bonus if doing this at the weekend.  Have a cool lager ready to put out the flames!

htpps://www.netherton-foundry.co.uk

Salmon and cream sauce

I'm blogging on the move again today as I'm off to the  Royal Albert Hall to see "Imaging the Future of Medicine", hosted by Dara O Briain.  Really looking forward to hearing Ali Parsi speak.

Anyway, Nick and Harriet have requested that I post this simple supper dish.  I prefer to use salmon as it doesn't flake too easily but any firm fish will do.  Sometimes I like to use a mix of fish including scallops, mussels or smoked haddock.  Just choose the family favourites or what's on offer . The most important part of the meal is to have plenty of crusty bread on the table to mop up the scrumptious sauce.  A generous handful of baby spinach leaves thrown into the pan at the end of cooking adds colour and great flavour.  If you want something more substantial and chowder like then half and cook some new potatoes and add to the dish and warm through.

Ingredients
Salmon fillets - one per person and cut into generous chunks
Large knob of butter melted in a large sauté pan
2 shallots finely chopped
Flat leaf parsley - finely chopped with a sprig set aside to use as garnish
A bay leaf
Double cream
Vegetable or chicken stock
A pinch of paprika
Salt and pepper to taste.
Boiled new potatoes - optional.

Method
I melt the butter and add the shallot and bay leaf then cook gently until softened then add the fish.  If I'm using different types of fish I try to add them according to how quickly they cook.
After three minutes gentle cooking I add the stock and poach for another 3 minutes or until the fish is cooked.  Throw in the parsley and spinach leaves and stir in the cream using as much as you like - naughtier the better! Add the potatoes if you are really hungry and warm through.
Stir carefully so the fish doesn't break apart.  Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with paprika and taste.  Garnish with the parsley and serve in the pan with the crusty bread on the side.
A glass of chilled Chablis or Sancerre goes down well too!

Mum's special potatoes

My lovely daughter Abi has asked me to blog this family favourite so here goes.  A lovely Parisian  lady taught me how to make these many years ago when I stayed with her family as a teenager.  Thank you Madame Brutman.  Over the years I have made them for the family and pair them up with pretty much anything...... chops, chicken, fish and salad.  Posh folk might call them Sautéed potatoes.

Peel enough potatoes for your family.  I like to use Maris Piper or Desiree as they hold their shape.
Cut them so they look like chunky chips and then into a large dice - about 2 cm.
Place them in a bowl and cover with cold water until you want to cook them.
Finely chop 2 cloves of garlic and keep to one side as you need this almost at the end of cooking.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil - I use the kettle to speed things up. Cook the potatoes for 3 minutes and don't be tempted to leave them in for longer!
Drain, and place on a a kitchen paper lined tray and leave to cool.
When ready to finish, heat the oil in a large frying pan until hot.  If the pan isn't large enough do 2 batches rather than overfilling the pan. Have more kitchen paper ready to drain them on. Add the potatoes on a single layer.   Turn the heat to medium- high, so that the potatoes sizzle and don't be tempted to turn until they start to brown underneath.
Turn them all evenly 2 or 3 times until nicely browned all over - it takes about 7 minutes. Add the crushed garlic to the pan for the last minute only.
 Lift out using a slotted spoon and drain on more kitchen paper.  Sprinkle with salt and black pepper - it might sound odd but it does work! Style it up with lemon edges and a sprig of rosemary.

Serve with whatever takes your fancy for a great Saturday supper.

Curry Goat

My lovely hubby is taking me for a drink after he finishes work so I have raided the freezer for a home made ready meal and it's Curry Goat!  I buy my goat meat from Chestnut Meats and they deliver.  There is a lot of information on their website,  recipes like this one and other more exotic meats.   If you cook it from scratch just go for the long low and slow approach.  It works really well in a slow cooker too.
It is such a yummy and healthy meat that I use the Chestnut Meats recipe and freeze it for a lazy supper mid week.  Hopefully, it will look something like this tonight.

Ingredients

2kg lean goat meat (shoulder)
Oil for frying
1 sliced onion
Chopped tinned tomatoes (I use 2 tins)
3 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
3 cm piece of cinnamon
8 whole cloves
1tbsp crushed ginger
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1 tbsp paprika
3 dessertspoons curry powder (I use Madras)
1 tbsp hot paprika
1/2 to 1 tsp chilli powder
1tsp cardamon

Method

1. Cut meat into small pieces.  Pour enough oil into a pan to just cover the base and heat well. Add the sliced onion and cook until softened. 
2. Add the cumin, fenugreek, cinnamon and cloves.  Cook gently until the onions are browned.
3. Add ginger and the crushed garlic, fry for 30 seconds.  Add meat and cook until browned.  Reduce the heat and coolly gently for 10 minutes.
4. Add curry powder, paprika and chilli powder.  Add peeled chopped tomatoes and stir well to combine the ingredients.  Place in an ovenproof dish.  Stir in 500 mls of water and sprinkle the cardamon on top.
5. Cover and simmer for 3-4 hours on the stove or in the oven at 150C.  Add more water if necessary during the cooking time. 

Feel free to add mushrooms, spinach, or chard for the last few minutes of cooking to up the veg count. 

Fresh from the freezer! 

Last night's Chicken with chorizo transforms!

That went down well with all of us.  It wasn't that quick to make but jam packed with flavour.  I made too much sauce so in a moment of pure brilliance (doesn't happen often) decided to add it to a batch of what I call Useup Soup.   Useup Soup literally involves throwing into a pan all the veg you have to hand and needs using up.  It makes a great base to add flavours to and can be brought to life by adding punchy flavours such as curry powder, chorizo, bacon, garlic, chilli or coriander.

I made it this time with......

Large knob of butter melted in soup pan
4 large carrots sliced
2 onions chopped
2 sticks of celery sliced
2 large potatoes cubed
Half a celeriac cubed
Wedge of cabbage sliced
800 mls vegetable stock
Salt and Pepper to taste
A mixture of herbs such as thyme, bay, chives and marjoram

Bring to the boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until everything is softened.  Then blitz until smooth and enjoy your 5 a day.  This is a picture taken before adding the Chorizo beans and sauce.

Here's a picture of the Chicken 

Must dash as I really need to crack on with the day job!

Chicken with chorizo bean stew

This is always a crowd pleaser.  A 2 pot wonder that hubby enjoys making.  It comes from a James Martin recipe : Home Comforts.  It serves 2. 

Ingredients

3 tbsp olive oil

40g butter

2 whole chicken legs cut into drumsticks and thighs

2 shallots

1 lemon cut in half 

1 garlic bulb cut as shown in the photo below

200g chorizo, cut into small chunks

2 tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed, finely chopped

660g jar of white haricot beans, drained

2 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped

4 sprigs thyme, finely chopped

250ml chicken stock

2 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

sea salt and ground black pepper

Method

• Preheat oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7
• Heat an oven proof frying pan until hot, add half the olive oil and half the butter.  When the butter is foaming, add the chicken and fry until just golden brown.
• Cut one shallot in half lengthways and add to the pan along with the lemon and half the rosemary and thyme.  Add the garlic, reserving 2 garlic cloves.
• Roast in the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and the chicken s cooked through.
• Meanwhile, finely chop the remaining shallot and reserved garlic cloves.
• Heat a large frying pan until medium hot.  Add the remainder of the olive oil and the chorizo and cook for 5 minutes or until the oil has changed colour and the chorizo is crisp around the edges.
• Add the tomatoes and the chopped garlic and shallot.  Gently fry for a minute, then add the beans and the rest of the rosemary and thyme and cook for a further 2 minutes.
• Add the stock and bring to a simmer.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the shallot has softened and the volume of liquid has slightly reduced. 
• Stir in the last of the butter and the parsley.  Season to taste with plenty of black pepper.
• Ladle the beans into the middle of 2 soup plates, top with some chicken, then place a piece lemon shallot and garlic alongside.

Crusty bread is ideal with this to mop up the tasty sauce.  Off to Hopley's Farm Shop now for the ingredients. 

Wild garlic and potato soup

We've been away for a few days enjoying the sunshine.  The soup was great and here's a picture.......

and a lovely photo of Pepper helping me pick the leaves in the Wyre Forest.

Another version

I was lucky to spend a little time with my eldest at lunchtime and he pointed out that there isn't a lot of wild garlic in London.  Quite right, so I will try substituting the garlic leaves for spinach leaves and add garlic.  I will try it out and let you know.  Fingers crossed and pictures will follow.

Blogging on the move

Blogging on the move

I’m working in London today so this is my first attempt at a blog on the train.  I hate travelling backwards especially as I tried to book a forward facing seat.  Thanks Virgin Trains. So it was an early start for me this morning after a great night out at the Hop Pole Inn with hubby.

Here’s my take on Wild Garlic and Potato Soup.  It’s bang on season at the moment.  The forest floor looks like a wild garlic carpet and smells amazing too. 

Wild Garlic and Potato Soup

Large knob butter

A couple of generous handfuls of wild garlic leaves

2 medium-sized potatoes

1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock

Salt & pepper to taste – I use white pepper

Here goes

Melt the butter in a large pan.

Roll the leaves so they look like green cigars and then slice across into thin strips.

Add them to the pan and cover

I let them soften gently in the butter while I peel and chop the potatoes into cubes.

When the leaves are wilted I add the potatoes and the stock. Once it comes up to simmer then simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are really soft.

I add a dollop of cream and blitz the soup using my trusty stick blender.

I try to style it up, if I have time with a swirl of cream and a few baby leaves. Enjoy the garlic green.

Just need some internet access now so I can post. 

Soup's ready

Well that didn't take long.......... it's great if you just use tomatoes too.

Cheat's Red Pepper and Tomato Soup with Basil

It's Music Night so hubby and I will be eating at our favourite pub, The Hop Pole Bewdley and listening to One Tree Canyon play.  This means Harriet will be home alone for a couple of hours so I will make her this basic sauce/soup that she can have with pasta.  It freezes well for up to a month and its so quick and versatile.  Adapted from a James Martin recipe.

The Sauce

This is great as a basic pasta sauce to which I add anything that takes my fancy or needs eating up such as mushrooms, anchovies, black olives or even mascarpone.

Take a jar of roasted red peppers rinse and then empty into a large pan
Next add a tin of good quality chopped tomatoes (San Marzano are ideal)

Shred half a bunch of fresh basil and add that too
Finally throw in a crushed clove or two of garlic
Heat and simmer for 5 minutes
Blitz it using a stick blender
Season with salt and black pepper
This is the basic sauce.

The Soup
If you want to use it as a soup just add some extra stock or water at the end of the sauce making process until the consistency is how you like it to be. Swirl in some olive oil or creme fraiche and sprinkle on some shredded basil leaves to 'chef it up' a little and serve with a crusty bread roll.  If the troops are really hungry then I sometimes add in some kidney beans.

The next post will feature Wild Garlic from the Wyre Forest.......

Tried and tested

The Spicy Chicken Wings and Potato Wedges went down well, plates were cleared and very sticky fingers cleaned.  The sauce wasn't as thick as I would do it normally so I just reduced it a little.  It didn't look as glamorous as the photo I posted yesterday but very tasty.  Forgive my amateur photography but here's a pic of the end result.

Spicy Chicken Wings with Crispy Potato Wedges

This is a family favourite, cheap and very cheerful.  The sauce varies each time I make it as I don't normally write down what I do and sometimes hubby adds extra chilli powder!  Great for BBQs and sleep overs too.  I prefer to use Maris Piper potatoes as these crisp up beautifully.  A dollop of mayo, a salad and a wedge of lemon on the side and its done!

They should look something like this..........

The Wings - as many as you fancy
Maris Piper potatoes

To make the sauce I mix together the following ingredients

Tomato ketchup - 2 good squirts from the squeezy bottle
HP sauce - 1 good squirt
Honey - 2 good squirts
Orange juice - 200 ml
Worcestershire Sauce or Henderson's Relish - a dash
English mustard powder - one tsp
Paprika - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - as much as you dare but at least 1/2 a tsp

Next
I use a fan oven and heat up to 180
Cover the Chicken wings with the sauce and leave to marinade for 10- 15 minutes or so whilst you or your kitchen slave peel the potatoes.
Boil a kettle of water and add the boiling water to a large saucepan.
Cut the potatoes into chunky wedges and add to the boiling water and par boil for 5 minutes.
Drain and give a good shake to fluff them up.
Add a little sunflower oil to a roasting pan and when it is piping hot add the potatoes wedges and give a good shake.
Roast until crisp and golden, about 20-25 minutes.
Once the potatoes are in the oven place the chicken wings in too.
I find it better if I only turn the potatoes and the wings once.

I will serve this tonight with wedges of lemon, mayonnaise and a salad and my take on Chinese BBQ sauce will follow.
Wish me luck!

Simple Patatas Bravas

Recipe serves 2

Cooking time - 20 25 minutes and its so easy

I used:
175g piece of chorizo sliced
350g sliced new potatoes
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 sliced red chilli - I left the seeds in
1 clove of garlic
400g tin of chopped tomatoes


Slice the chorizo and dry fry in a large frying pan for a minute.
Add the sliced new potatoes and cook until golden.
Bash the cumin seeds, chilli and garlic together to make a rough paste.
Add to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Served with a green salad and buttered sweetcorn.

Gone

Why did I blog an untried recipe?  Silly woman I know, but it worked..... (phew)  Some tweaking needed but a lovely chilli hit on a Monday evening.   Here's a picture of the end result.  I will post the recipe tomorrow.  I'm thinking of sharing my fave sticky chicken recipe for tomorrow with the best potato wedges.  Quick and easy!

Get set!

All the prep done but do I use fresh tomatoes or tinned tomatoes? The recipe says tinned ..... oh and some sweetcorn has entered the fray.  Time for a dog walk now.

Wow I've made a blog!

So, why am I doing this......
I want to have more fun with food and share my cooking highs and lows with family and friends.  I plan to let anyone who is interested into my kitchen and see what's simmering tonight or a taster of family favourite recipes that I can always fall back on.  My aim is to save time, serve simple suppers that taste great and don't cost too much.  I will post the recipes I use, photos of the end result and keep you up to date on my food world.  Frank feedback from family and friends will follow I'm sure!

Tonight we start with Patatas Bravas with Chorizo and a green side salad.  I've found a cheat's recipe that gives a cooking time of 20-25 minutes.

 I remember eating this for the first time on honeymoon.  Hot stuff!