Vegetarians Look away

Recipe Sweet Potato & Pork

Christmas Countdown. We all need a quick warming meal, in the run up to Christmas. this recipe for Sweet Potato & Pork fits the bill. All you need is a roasting tin, some veg and your pork, which has been placed in a quick, cheats marinade for a few hours. Throw it all in the oven & forget about it, while you wrap those presents. In 45mins to 1hr, depending on the thickness of your meat, you have a delicious, one pot pork dish ready for the family. If you want to add another veg, serve on some lightly steamed, kale or Cornish spring greens. Yum.

Veggies Look away NOW

Spicy Pork & Sweet Potato Bake.  

Serves 4. Equipment: Large Roasting Tin. Oven temp 200c 400F Gas 6. G/F D/F

For the cheats Marinade:

4 Tbspns Sweet Chilli Chutney.

2 Tbspns Runny Honey

2 Tbspns Light Soy Sauce

5 cm Fresh Ginger, grated.

2. Cloves garlic Crushed

2 Tbspns Red Wine Vinegar

Mix all the above ingredients together in a bowl, spread over the meat, turning occassionally.

1 kg Belly Pork Slices, or 4 Pork Chops.

4 Sweet Potatoes, Quartered, unpeeled.

2 Large red onions, peeled & quartered.

1/2 kg Carrots, cut into large chunks.

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  Veggie Base

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  Chilli Marinade

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  Marinade in the mixing

METHOD:

Place the chunky veg, in a single layer, in a large roasting tin.

Place in a preheated oven & cook for 45mins -1hr, depending on the thickness of the meat.

(If you do not like your meat as crispy as in the photo, move the tray down a shelf, 15mins before the end of the cooking time.

Serve with freshly steamed veg.

If you have any particular recipe requirements or questions, please leave a comment below & I will answer tomorrow.

Until then. Have a great evening.

Turkey thigh bake

Turkey Thigh Recipe

Day 15 of Christmas Countdown. Its that time of year, when everyone is talking Turkey, but do you want to be eating it for days?  As well as being an ecconomical dish to serve, at this time of year, you can also make variations, by changing the vegetables & spices. Turkey thighs can be bought quite cheaply at this time of the year, from you local butcher http://W J Beaven Quality Butchers    Your butcher will be selling the turkey breasts to local resaurants & will then bone & roll the thighs for sale in his shop. These are a far better buy £2.99 per kilo, (last week) than if you buy the Turkey drumsticks which you see in the large Supermakets, they are roughly the same price per kilo, but you are paying for a large amount of bone & gristle. If  you are a family of 2 or 3 this Christmas & don’t want to be eating Turkey until New Years Eve this could also be an cheap & time saving solution.

Of course, you don’t have to use a turkey thigh for this recipe, just as you can change the veg & spices, you can also use chicken thighs. But. You do have to adjust the cooking times *See note in recipe below.

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  Roasted Medditerranean Veg

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  How do you like your chicken

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  Bake me

RECIPE Serves 4. G/F D/F Lowfodmap. Prep time 30mins Cooking Time 1.5 hrs. Oven temp 350f 180c Gas Mk 4

1. Boned & Rolled Turkey thigh joint ( approx 2.5k )
2. 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, Unpeeled, & scrubbed, chopped into large chunks.
3. 2. Red Onions, Peeled, Quartered & seperated.
4. 4. Medium Carrots,  Unpeeled & scrubbed. Cut into large chunks.
5. 4 Large sticks of celery. Cut into 5cm lengths.
6. 1/2 medium Swede, Peeled & cut into large chunks.
7. 4 Tbspns Cranberry Sauce.
8. 2 Tbspns Rapeseed Oil
9. Fresh Rosemary, Thyme, & Parsley Chopped
10. 2 Tbspns Cider Vinegar.
11. Seasoning.

METHOD

Preheat the oven, to the above temperature.  At the same time place the rapeseed oil in a large roasting tin in the oven. When the oven has reached the right temp. Remove the tray & place the turkey thigh in the oil, turning to coat.

Returm to oven & roast for 1/2hr. Remove the turkey thigh & add all the chopped veg, to the roasting tray. 

Add 2tbspns of Cranberry Sauce & toss with the juices & oil in the pan.

Coat the Turkey thigh with the remaining Cranberry sauce & place on top of the veg, together with the herbs & seasoning. Sprinkle over the Cider vingar. Return to the oven & roast for a futher hour, until the turkey is cooked through. ( Juices run clear when pierced with a knife).

Leave the turkey to rest for 15mins & carve into slices. Place on top of the veg & juices from the tin & serve with a green veg of choice.

Ready to serve.

*If using chicken thighs or breasts, place the poultry on top of the chopped veg & roast for 1hr (until cooked through). There is no need to roast the meat first, this only applies if you are using a larger joint of poultry.

*Use, courgettes, peppers & aubergine chunks & replace the Cranberry Sauce with pesto. Top with Chicken Thighs. Cook & serve with Pasta & grated Parmesan Cheese.

Well, there we have it. I hope I have given you the inspiration to ring the changes & think of your own combinations. There are many to be had. Enjoy.

The Italian touch.

The Christmas Starter

Smoked Trout & Avocado recipe

There’s a touch of vintage to day ten of the Christmas Countdown. 

If you want a nod to the 70’s you could fill the centre of this ring -when you have turned it out-. with good old Prawn Cocktail. This would make a substantial starter, or a fishy addition to the Boxing day Buffet. You could even serve Melba toast as an accompaniment.

For myself, I would fill the centre with some fresh leafy shoots & herbs, in a light lemon dressing.

This recipe can be make a couple of days ahead & kept, covered in the fridge. When the time comes to serve,  dip the mould in hot watet for a few seconds, place a plate on the mould & quickly turn over, to release. Place back in the fridge, until ready to decorate & serve.

Smoked Trout & Avocado

Smoked Trout & Avocado ring.

Serves 6.  G/F, V.  Allergens:  Dairy, Fish      Equipment: 800ml ring mould

Time taken:  45 mins + chilling time 

INGREDIENTS 

200g Pack Smoked Trout         

2. Ready to eat Avocado’s  Peeled & chopped 

Fresh Dill to decorate

225g Mascapone Cheese

225g Greek Yoghurt

1/2 level tspn salt

White pepper

1 Tbspn Creamed Horseradish

150ml Cold Water

15g powdered gelatine (Vegetarian)

METHOD

Measure the cold water into a small saucepan, add the salt & sprinkle over the gelatine. Allow to soak for 5mins, & heat gently, stiring, until the gelatine has dissolved. DO NOT ALLOW TO BOIL Remove from the heat & allow to cool.

Rinse out the rind mould with cold water & line,  with the smoked trout slices.

Place the Mascapone, 1/2 the yoghurt, horseradish & pepper to taste into a bowl & mix well to blend.

Stir in the cold gelatine & chopped avocado & gently fold in the remaining yoghurt.

Spoon the mixture into the fish lined mould. Cover with cling film & place in the fridge until set.

When ready to serve, turn out, see above. Decorate & serve.

Variations: 

Substitute the trout, for thinly sliced parma ham, & the avocado for diced sundried tomatoes & olives.  Fill the centre with rocket leaves, dressed in olive oil & shaved parmesan.

For a vegan option. Line the mould with thinly sliced cucumber. Replace the cheese & yoghurt with vegan substitutes.

I am sure you can all get your creative caps on & experiment with many different variations on the above recipe.

That all for today. As always, if you have any questions about your festive cookery. Please ask, by leaving a comment in the box below. I will answer tomorrow.

Have a great evening.

The Icing on the cake

Recipe for Fondant Icing

Day 9 of the Christmas Countdown. On day 7, you had The late Cake recipe  on day & Marzipan & today Home made fondant icing, for covering.

Must just say, I am feeling very lucky today, the lovely Emma Coleman from BBC Radio Wiltshire visited my little Stable kitchen, last week, to interview me.  That was luck in itself, but just imagine my feeling of elation when my recorded interview appeared not just on one, but both the Rachel Houghton’s morning show & the lovely James Thomas afternoon show.

I will also be talking about Truffleicious & my blog on The Social, with Sue Kinnear & Tim Weeks. BBC Radio Wiltshire, Mon 17th December 2018 at 7pm 

• 

  Thanks white stuff

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  Icing Sugar

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  Boiling Sugar & Water Syrup

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  Home made, Fondant Icing

Now. If you heard the programmes & read my previous blog on store bought icing  – link in red below – you may wish to make your own Fondant Icing (Ready rolled). The recipe follows:

FONDANT ICING. Covers 1 x 10cm cake.

1, level dessertspoon powdered gelatine, mixed with 3 dessertspoons of cold water.

100gm Granulated Sugar

6.Tbspns hot water

1.Tbspn Fresh Lemon Juice

2.tspns vanilla essence

25ml Vegetable oil

1/2 – 3/4 kg Sifted Icing Sugar.

METHOD

Place granulated sugar, hot water & lemon juice in a small saucepan & bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve.

Cover & boil for 2mins, uncover & boil for a futher 5mins until a little of the syrup forms a soft ball when dropped into very cold water.

Add the gelatine mix, essence & oil & stir to dissolve. Cool until luke warm.

Put half the icing sugar in a large boil & add the syrup mixture,stir well to combine. Gradually work in the remaining icing sugar, with the fingers, kneading until the mix becomes, smooth & pliable.

Place in a plastic bag & leave at room temperature overnight.

Roll out on a board dusted with sifted icing sugar & use to cover your cake. At this stage you can knead any colourings into the icing. This icing is also suitable for moulding. See the little snow men in the photo above.

You will also find my original blog, regarding the nasties in store bought icing, by clicking the link below:How do you like your icing

If you have any questions on your Christmas cookery please feel free to ask.

Just leave your question in the comment box below.

If you have been. Thank you for reading & possibly listenening.

Warm Butternut Squash & Black Kale Salad

Salad, probably doesn’t spring to mind when you are thinking of warming winter food!

A bowl of goodness

We have an abundance of colourful, healthy vegetables available at this time of the year just crying out to be made into tasty dishes, which can be served either on their own as a side or turned into a main dish, with the addition of , meat, fish, cheese, pulses, grains or what ever takes your fancy. Add some warming spices and there you have it, an easy, healthy meal.

Serves 4,  Gluten free, Dairy Free, Vegetarian, Vegan,  Time Taken  40 mins

INGREDIENTS:

5 Tbspns Walnut Oil

1 Butternut Squash, Peeled, halved, seeds removed, cut into small chunks

1 Red Pepper, de-seeded & cut into small chunks

2 Large Red Onions, Peeled & thinly sliced

Bag of Black Kale, Washed & Sliced. I like to leave the stems in for a bit of crunch.

2 Cloves Garlic, peeled & chopped

2 Tbspns Walnuts

1 tspn Sumac

2 Tbspns Pomegranate Molasses or 2 taste

METHOD:

Heat the oil over a medium heat, add the onions a fry covered, for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, add the squash & fry covered for a further 10 mins.

A change from Sage & onion

Add Squash

Add red Peppers

Remove the cover, turn up the heat & add the red pepper & sumac, stir frying for a couple of mins.

Add the kale & garlic & walnuts & stir fry for a further 5 mins, Season to taste. Remove from heat & stir in the Pomegranate Molasses.

Serve at once.  I topped mine with some crumbled danish blue cheese, but you can add what ever takes your fancy.  As well as being a healthy meal, it also adds a liitle bit of colour to our dull winter days. Enjoy.

Healthy, colourful mix of winter veg