The Cookery Thread

[LAT]

I haven't baked a cake for ages either, in fact I can't remember the last time I did. The children stopped having birthday parties which was my main reason for making cakes.

[clvrlad]

Yorkshire puddings are twice the size they used to be.

try making them round someone elses and forgetting your using a muffing tin.....2/3's deep
10 mins later.... i say
"what do you mean there theyre touching the top of the oven???"
(i cooked sunday lunch round a mates i was bored of packaged food and hate cooking for one)

[clvrlad]

oh yeah b4 i forget just done myself roast chicken for tea (chocolate swiss roll for afters)
(anyone tell im off work with time on my hands )
id invite you up but by the time you get here ill be in bed :-p

[Bunnylump]

RECIPE FOR GILL
Tarragon Chicken

4 chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp chopped tarragon
salt and pepper
1/2 oz butter
3 tbs oil
1 onion
2 shallots
tin of tomatoes (I use organic, which taste nicer)
2 tbs tomato puree
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp oregano
1/4 pt chicken stock
black olives
4 thin slices of mozarella

OVEN: Gas mark 4

Season the chicken with garlic, tarragon, salt and pepper. Fry in the oil and butter.

Heat oil in a saucepan and fry the onions and shallots for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregaon, sugar, puree and stock and simmer for 15 minutes.

Put the chicken in an ovenproof dish and pour the sauce over. Cook for 25 minutes in the oven.

Put a slice of mozarella on top of each chicken breast and grill until the cheese bubbles.

Sprinkle the olives over and serve.

[Bunnylump]

ANOTHER RECIPE FOR GILL!!

Sticky toffee pudding with toffee sauce

75g soft butter
175g dark brown demerara sugar
200g self raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tbs golden syrup
2 tbs black treacle
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g pitted dried dates
1tbs bicarbonate of soda

For the toffee sauce
100g demerara sugar
100g butter
200ml double cream

Pre heat the overn to gas mark 6. Grease a 23cm tin with 25g of the butter then dust the inside of the tin with flour.

Using a food mixer, blend the remaining butter and sugar together. Slowly add the golden syrup, treacle, eggs and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and continue mixing. Turn ther mixer down to a slow speed and then add the flour. Once all the ingredients are combined, turn off the mixer.

Place the dates in a saucepan with 300ml water and bring to the boil. Puree the water and date mixture and add the bicarbonate of soda. While it is still hot, quickly add this mixture to the egg mix. Once the mix is combined, pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the top is just firm to the touch.

Remove the pudding from the oven and allow to cool, then turn out of the tin and cut into squares.

To make the sauce, melt the butten and usgan together in a small pan, add the cream and bring to the boil. Simmer for a few minutes until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.

To serve, re heat ther sponge in a mircowave or heat for 5 minutes in the over at gas 4. lace onto a plate with lots of teh sauce on the top and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The sponge and sauce can be made in advance. The sponge can even be frozen and both can be plated up and re heated in the microwave.

[LAT]

Can I come and stay with you one day please?

They both look yummy!

[Bunnylump]

Certainly!! I like these recipes, because you can make them in advance, and they are very reliable. The pudding doesn't LOOK like it's going to work - especially when you have fizzing date and bicarbonate goo all over the shop, but it works really well. It's not very good for the waistline, however...

[gill216]

They were yummy Thank you purple ears ( just to distinguish between purple and fluufy pink )

[Bunnylump]

Yes, folks. It's official. Scurra and I are related...

[LAT]

Well you do both write devilish puzzles.

[Bunnylump]

Yep. The puzzling rabbits will soon take over the world...

[gill216]

Has anyone ever made a pork pie? Would you make one again?

If the recipe I have is anything to go by I wont be doing so again. First attempt- but 9.5 hours start to finish? Either there are easier ways ( and if so just give me the recipe) or I'll buy them in future!!!!

[tricia]

I have been thinking of doing one ath New Year somtime - the Ricipe I ahve is from Good food by the Chef Alan Murchison and the time they give is 2hrs prep , 2 hrs cooking time. 91/2 hours would definitely put me off
tricia

[MBH]

First attempt- but 9.5 hours start to finish?

Wow! Did that include catching, slaughtering and butchering the pig?

[Bunnylump]

9 and a half hours to be in a kitchen dealing with meat? NO thank you. I think the longest time I've ever spent making anything was 7 hours making and icing K's grand piano cake. That nearly finished me off!!

[gill216]

That was before I started to make the picalili to go with it- 30 mins prep and 15 mins cooking. Then I discoverd the ingredients had to sit in a bowl of salt for 8 hours in between the prep and the cook

[tricia]

My sister and I hace been reminiscing. As children we used to have a stew made by our gran in sussex of lamb and vegetables served up in a soup bowl. -lots of gravy -It was always served up in a large soup bowl and we called it big stew. At the weekend I tried to reproduce this but failed. I wondered if anyone else had a recipe like this and could share with me

Tricia

[gill216]

I'm looking for freezable fresh mackerel ideas (not smoked). OH and his pal have just gone sea fishing for 3rd time this week and they are coming back with loads of fresh mackerel. So far its been barbecued and parcelled up then oven baked. The surplus has been given to everyone we know. Seems a shame to just freeze them whole.

[tricia]

this is one from Leslie waters
from the BBC good food website
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil , plus extra for drizzling
1 bunch spring onion , sliced
1 large garlic clove , crushed
zest 1 lemon and squeeze of juice
2 x 400g can chickpeas , drained and rinsed
150ml vegetable stock
85g SunBlush tomatoes , halved
4 mackerel fillets, skin on
1 large bunch basil





1.Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large, shallow pan. Add the spring onions, garlic and lemon zest, then cook for 2 mins until the onions are tender but still very green. Add the chickpeas, then stir until well coated in the onion mixture. Lightly crush with a potato masher, then add the stock and tomatoes. Simmer for 3-4 mins or until the liquid is absorbed, then set aside to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Season the mackerel fillets on both sides and fry for 3 mins each side, starting on the skin side. You'll probably need to cook these in two batches.
3. Add the basil and a squeeze of lemon juice to the chickpeas, then season to taste. To serve, spoon the warm chickpeas onto serving plates, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and top with the mackerel fillets.


Per serving

486 kcalories, protein 29g, carbohydrate 24g, fat 31 g, saturated fat 5g, fibre 7g, sugar 4g, salt 1.21 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, July 2008.

[gill216]

When I posted on here I noticed your previous post. Is it lamb chowder you're looking for? It looks like it could be.

Thanks Tricia.