Corned Beef Bubble and Hash

So this is a spin of two of my fav dishes. I know corned beef is pretty old school but it is delish. The only way to serve either bubble and squeak or corned beef hash is with a free range fried egg on top.






You will need:

Serves 1

2 good quality slices of corned beef
2 x free range eggs
1 x hand full left over vegetables : in this case i used roast potatoes, cabbage, courgettes and mange tout. Whatever you use, they must include potato in some form, be previously cooked and cold.
1/2 cup breadcrumbs


Place all the veg in a blender / food processor and crack in an egg. Add a pinch of salt and pulse for 10 - 15 seconds but so the vegetables are still visible. Remove and place in a bowl, with your hands crumble in the corned beef then squeeze into a burger shape and roll in some breadcrumbs. Heat some butter in a frying pan and place the bubble in the pan. Fry for about 5 mins on both sides until crispy then carefully remove and serve with a fried egg on top.

Pan Roasted Rib of Pork

This is probably my favorite dish so far. The quality is very important so I do not recommend buying this from the supermarket. In fact I recommend never buying meat from the supermarket as it is not aged for the same time as local butchers which results in tougher meat. Make sure the skin in scored, either do it yourself with a Stanley knife in criss cross shapes or ask your butcher to do it. This is a free range 900g rib of pork. It should feed 4 people but i managed to eat it with my wife. Pre heat the oven to about 200 degrees then pat dry the skin with a paper towl, as this is essential for good crackling. Then i rubbed sea salt into all the creases of the scored skin while heating a little olive oil in an oven proof shallow pan. If you have a cast iron one, this will be best. When the oil is nice and hot, place the pork, skin down into the hot oil. When it is spluttering away just shake the pan so it doesn't stick. About 2 minutes should do it then carefully turn over for 30 seconds on the other side. The skin should have blistered which is a good sign for the crackling. Turn the pork back over so it is skin side up and pop in the oven in the same pan. Leave in for a good hour and a half, then remove to rest. The longer you leave it in, the crispier the crackling. Rest for about 15 mins and serve with maybe some steamed savoy cabbage and roast tatties (best if you cook in the fat from the pork as you go!)

Enjoy

The Best Shepherds Pie

Everyone thinks their shep's pie is the best but I beg you to try my one! I've had a lot over the years and this is, in my opinion, the best i have tasted (sorry mum). The equality of meat you use is very important as much of the cheaper minced lamb contains a lot of fat which needs be drained off, then you loose a lot of the flavour. Always try to buy organic as this is much leaner and tastier. Enjoy. Serves 4 (or 2 if you keep picking at it with a fork from the dish all night!) :

1 Onion - chopped

2 Large garlic cloves - sliced 

1 kg organic lean lamb mince (you can use beef for a cottage version but lamb is much more tasty)

2 carrots - chopped

1/2 bottle red wine 

1 beef or lamb stock cube (pref Callo organic as they are the best!)

1 stick of celery - sliced

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp rosemary (a sprig of fresh if you can)

1 tsp steak seasoning

1 tsp tyme

2 bay leaves

1 bouquet di garni 

3 potatoes chopped into cubes

Large know of butter

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 tbsp horseradish 

2 tbsp single cream

Start by heating a little oil in a deep dish that is suitable for the oven. Add the chopped onion, garlic and  herbs (excl the bay leaves and steak seasoning) and stir continuously until the onions clear. Now add the minced lamb and brown with the onions. Add the steak seasoning at this point and a splash of red wine. Once the lamb has turned to a darker colour add the rest of the wine and dissolve the stock cube in 1/2 pint of boiling water. Add this when it is dissolved together with the bay leaves and a bouquet de garni. Now add the carrots and celery. Cook on the hob on a low heat, so its just bubbling nicely for a good hour until it has reduced. Keep stirring as the meat at the bottom may go cloggy. Once the juice level has reduced to just below the meat and veg, turn off the heat, cover and rest. 

Now time for the spuds. This is also a great method for a yummy mash. Boil the cubed pots in a pan with a good tablespoon of salt for a good 10 mins until they break up when you push in a fork. Drain and with a potato ricer (if you havent got one, use a masher but you MUST get one. They are amazing) squeeze the smooth mash back into the pan (removed from the heat). Mix in a large knob of butter together with the cream, horseradish, mustard and a good cracking of salt and black pepper. Stir well and with a large, flat spoon, set the mash on top of the mince. Don't worry if its seems quite thin as when you smooth it over it will spread it out more evenly.  Once it is covered smooth over with fork to create small ridges which will go crispy. A pinch more salt and now pop under the grill for 10 mins until the ridges turn brown and crispy. You can add a grating of cheese for extra calories if you feel you haven't reached your daily quota! 

Enjoy with some steamed savoy cabbage or tasty brussels in butter.

Potato dauphinoise florentine

This I discovered by accident but its a perfect winter comfort dish. Keeps the veggies happy too. It's delicious but you will suffer a serious cream-coma after eating. Beware, it has about 50,000 calories per serving but soooo worth it.
Serves 3-4:



3 large baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 x 250 ml pots double cream (pref organic) - you may not need all of the 2nd pot.
2 large cloves garlic - grated
1 large double handful of baby spinach leaves (washed thoroughly)
A nice chunk mature cheddar

Wash and soak the spuds for half an hour in cold, fresh water then remove and pat dry then season with salt and black pepper. Preheat the oven to 160-180. In a ceramic baking dish, lay 2 layers of the potatoes then lay the spinach leaves and sandwich the rest of the potatoes on the top. Pour the cream over the spuds making sure to cover as much as possible. Fill with cream until the top layer is just sitting proud of the cream. Grate the cheese and garlic and season with more black pepper and a splash olive oil on the top and cook

for 45 mins or until the top is crispy and brown. Sit for a few minutes before serving.

Clear the rest of the day and hit the sofa.

Venison and prune hot pot

This is an absolute favourite of mine and influenced by the delicate sweet and sour flavours of a tagine. The sweetness compliments the gamey strength of the venison. I only first made it a few nights ago and it serves about 4. It takes most of the afternoon but i think you'll find it's worth it! :



1 red onion - sliced
1 stick celery - chopped
2 large cloves garlic - chopped
1 pack lardons or smoked bacon bits
800-1000gms diced venison (doesn't have to be a prime cut as we're slow cooking)
8-10 stoned prunes
1 chopped carrot
Large glass red wine (pref a mini sized bottle, like you get on the plane)
1 beef stock cube
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
2 large potatoes

Preheat the oven to 150 deg and on the hob heat a little oil in a casserole dish. Add the red onion, garlic, herbs and lardons. Cook for a few minutes until the onions are clear and the bacon is cooked. Add a splash of wine to the mix and then remove with a slatted spoon and put in a jug or dish. Add half a pint of boiling water and the stock cube to the onions together with the rest of the wine and leave. Add the diced venison to the pan and the remainder of the juices that are still in the dish and brown the meat. I added a pinch of steak seasoning at this point. Once the meat is browned, add the stock and onions. Now add the celery, prunes, chopped carrot and bay leaves then season with some cracked black pepper. Cover, bring to the boil and remove from the hob. Place in the oven and cook for 2 hrs.
Thinly slice the potatoes with the skin still on and rinse thoroughly. Place in a colander, splash with olive oil and salt and mix together with your hands so the oil covers all the slices then set to rest and to allow the oil to soak in.
After 2 hrs in the oven, remove the dish and stir. If it is seeming a little dry, add a splash more water (or wine!). The juice level should just be below the meat at this stage. This should smell amazing by now. Carefully place the potato slices on the top of the meat in two layers and sprinkle with a little more oil and salt. Turn the heat up a little to 160 and put back in the oven for another 45 mins to an hour or until the potato slices become crisp and brown. You can always grate a little cheese on top about 10 mins before removing! Once bubbling and crisp, remove and set for a few mins before serving on maybe a bed of steamed savoy cabbage.

A simple Carbonara for 2

Small tub single cream
Grated parmesan (about 20gms)
80 gms of mature cheddar - grated
1 egg yolk
200 gms diced Italian pancetta or smoked bacon lardons
1 pack chestnut mushrooms sliced
2 cloves garlic - crushed
cracked black pepper
Spaghetti or linguini

Start the pasta in a pan of boiling water with a pinch of salt and a splash of olive oil and cook until al dente (6-8 mins). Remove from heat and drain (this can be done during the cooking of the carbonara as it takes a similar time to cook). Once drained sprinkle with a little olive oil.
Heat a little oil in a deep pan and add the garlic. Once browned add the mushrooms and the Pancetta and cook for a few minutes with a nice sprinkling of black pepper. Then add half the cream stirring continuously. At this point you should reduce the heat as you do not want the cream to boil to vigorously as it with thicken too quickly. If at any point it becomes too think just add a little milk. Add the parmesan and continue to stir until melted. Then add the rest of the cream with the grated cheddar, still stirring. When the cheddar has melted stir in the egg yolk and remove from the heat. Add the pasta to the Carbonara and stir well into sauce and serve. I always sprinkle a little parmesan and black pepper on the top.

Chickenham Casserole

serves 4

1 kg free range chicken thighs with skin on. (with bones are more tastey but also more fiddley so your choice)
1 small onion chopped
1 pack lardons/smoked bacon bits/pancetta
1 bottle red wine
1 kallo organic stock cube
2 carrots - chopped
1 stick celery with leaves on
1 pack chestnut mushrooms
2 bay leaves
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp thyme
1/2 cup white four (just for dusting the chicken)

First heat a little oil in a casserole dish. Add the onion and caraway and thyme. Sweat the onion and herbs but do not burn. When they are clear add the bacon and mushrooms.I chop the mushrooms in half but not sliced. Just cook long enough for the bacon to turn brownish. Then splash a little red wine in, mix well then remove everything. Place in a separate jug and add 1/2 pint water with the stock cube and a large glass of wine. (at this point i suggest having a glass yourself). Dust the chicken thighs in a bit of four mixed with salt and pepper. Place the floured chuc into the casserole dish and brown in the juices from the onions and herbs. When the meat is browned (the browner the skin the more tasty it will be, do not worry if it slightly burns as that all turns to taste) add the onions and stock and the rest of he wine. Pop in a couple of bay leaves, the celery stick with the leaves, carrots and bring back to the boil. Simmer until it just starts to reduce then cover, pop in a preheated oven for a good hour at about 180. If you have more time, cook at 150 for 2, it just makes it more tender and flavorsome but check every 20 mins that it hasn't dried up, you may need to add a bit more water. When cooked, remove celery and leaves and sit for 15 mins. This is a good time to pop on some rice. I steam some sliced curly kale in a sieve over the rice and just before serving, mix the kale in with the rice. Serve the casserole on the rice with kale.