Month: October 2009

Categories
food ham leeks mustard potatoes

gammon, leek and cider pie

gammon leek and cider pie with mustard mash

I had a bleedin’ horrible commute home from Enfield on Friday, involving miles of tailbacks, a blown tyre and crazed BMW drivers. So imagine my relief to see this pie waiting for me when I get home.

It’s taken from the pages of this month’s delicious magazine, involving chunks of salty gammon and rich cider in a creamy liquor, topped with browned and fluffy mash with a hint of mustard heat. Just the job.

Gammon, leek and cider pie:

1kg gammon joint

1 onion, diced

2 leeks, sliced

3 carrots, sliced

1 teaspoon thyme leaves

4 tablespoons flour

500ml cider

For the mustard mash top:

8 tablespoons creme fraiche

1kg potatoes

1 tablespoon wholegrain mustard

  1. Boil the gammon joint for 2 – 3 hours until tender. You may wish to add aromatics to the water to lend extra notes; an onion, a couple of carrots, a bay leaf, some juniper – whatever is to hand. Remove the meat from the water and cut into chunks. Save some of the water for the next step.
  2. Fry the leeks, thyme, onion and carrots until softened and add the flour. Add the gammon, cider, 300ml gammon water and bring to the boil. When simmering add half the creme fraiche and season. Allow to simmer for ten minutes.
  3. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water and drain, then mash with the remaining creme fraiche and mustard. You may wish to add a little milk and/or butter to loosen it up.
  4. Pour the sauce into an ovenproof dish, top with mash and bake in a 180C oven for 25 minutes.
Categories
food mince stock tomato wine

tagliatelle bolognese

This was another test for the slow cooker – a sturdy bolognese recipe. This one is lifted from this month’s Delicious magazine. It’s much more complicated than my personal favourite recipe but they both have merit. The results were very good – it was missing something, perhaps a little acidity – but very satisfying for something left alone for 7 hours.

I made enough for ten here, so I have two future dinners perfectly preserved 🙂

Bolognese:

1kg beef mince

1 onion, finely diced

2 celery stalks, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, finely sliced

1 tin tomatoes

100ml whole milk

300ml beef stock

200ml red wine

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons tomato puree

  1. Brown the mince in a hot pan to develop a lovely brown crust.
  2. Put the mince along with all the other ingredients in a slow cooker on high for 6 – 7 hours.
  3. Check for seasoning and serve with the pasta of your choice – I’m a sucker for the wide, flat chewiness of tagliatelle. Top with parmesan.
Categories
food lemon mackerel

mackerel pate

I can’t claim the slightest bit of credit for this one. A friend and I were rummaging through the Tesco cook books and I stumbled on the Fay Ripley’s book Fay’s Family Food, which was jolly homely and decidedly honest. I glimpsed this mackerel pate, which I’m ashamed to say I memorised the recipe and put the book back. However on the strength of this and other interesting things I saw, I think I’ll pick it up again – but pay for it this time…

This makes an excellent lunch on a piece of toast.

Mackerel pate:

200g mackerel

2 tablespoons cottage cheese

1 tablespoon creme fraiche

Juice of 1 lemon

Black pepper to taste

Pinch of smoked paprika

  1. Bung the lot in a food processor and whiz until as smooth or as chunky as you’d like it. Alternatively mash with a fork.
Categories
food onion soup

onion soup

You can’t go wrong with a rich brown bowl of onion soup, with deep beefy flavours and soft sweet onions. And for me it isn’t complete without a crisp crouton bobbing on top, with a layer of melted cheese. Gruyere is best, but I’ll settle for cheddar. Just the thing when the nights draw in.

The milk powder isn’t essential but is packed with proteins and sugars; when heated they brown up really well adding colour and the sugar and butter give a beautiful shine to the finished soup.

The stock is crucial to this. It’s the body of the flavour and has nowhere to hide so get the very best you can.

Onion soup:

50g butter

1 bay leaf

Pinch each of dried thyme, sage and rosemary

6 onions, peeled and finely sliced

1 heaped tablespoon milk powder

300ml white wine

2 pints of your best beef stock

Toasted bread and cheese, to serve

  • Melt the butter in a large pan. When it starts to foam, add the herbs and tip in the onions with a pinch of salt.
  • Allow the onions to caramelize on a low heat. You need to allow them to catch on the bottom of the pan, as this gives the finished soup it’s colour. After ten minutes of this add the milk powder and cook away for another 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the wine and turn the heat up, allowing this to bubble away and reduce to almost nothing.
  • Add the stock and simmer for 20 mins. Adjust the seasoning, then top with toast and melted cheese.
Exit mobile version