Chevyman

I knocked this up for Mrs Chevyman as she was on her way back from her labours.
Even if you can't cook you can manage this.
We had it as an accompaniment to some grilled lamb kebabs




Serves Two

Ingredients

1 Tin Butter Beans ( 227g)
1 Yellow or Orange Pepper diced
1 Clove Garlic crushed
1 Green Chilli chopped (optional)
100gr Chorizo, salami or similar*
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Pinch Smoked Paprika*
Fresh basil if available


Method
Drain the tinned beans and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Set aside.
In a saucepan bring the olive oil to a medium heat.
Add the garlic, chilli and diced pepper and cook until the pepper has released its juices.
Add the drained butter beans and chorizo/salami. Sprinkle on the paprika and stir thoroughly.
After two minutes empty the mixture into a serving dish and allow to cool naturally.
Sprinkle a few torn basil leaves over the finished dish
Serve as a side salad or, with crusty bread as a light lunch.

[b]Tips[/B]*Vegetarians may like to substitute pecorino or shaved parmesan cheese for the chorizo
* Some brands of Smoked Paprika can be very pungent. Little by little?

TippleA glass of chilled rose
Sparkling mineral water

If I wasn't meant to drive that fast, the pedal would stop half way!!

Dame Starry

That looks lovely but, unfortunately, I am unable to comment as I have a 'pepperphobia' - I can't stand them.
I have never picked one up or cooked with one.

DS x.

Chevyman

You could try it with Beef Tomatoes. As there's not much heat involved they should retain their texture?

But worry not Dame, there's another concoction ( sans poivrons et sans epices ) on the kitchenstove. If it works I'll write it up and place it here

If I wasn't meant to drive that fast, the pedal would stop half way!!

David Brent

I have recently got into cooking and decided to buy a couple of DVD's on the subject for beginners.

What a rip-off! After watching two hours of 'Amateur Creampies' I didn't see a single recipe or reference to pastries.

I'm hoping my next DVD 'Amateur Spit-Roast' will be more informative.

Dave.

Dame Starry

You really should be wary of anything that is advertised as being 'sent in a plain, brown envelope', Dave.

DS x.

Brigger

A bit naughty... but nice one Dave..

Dame Starry

This is a slightly more sophisticated curry than the 'easy' one I posted earlier.
The first time I ever made this, it nearly separated my gums from my teeth!

Madras Beef Curry

Ingredients:

1½ lbs Chuck Steak (Braising Steak)
1 Large Onion
2 Cloves Garlic
3 ozs Lard or Dripping (or something healthier if you prefer)
1½ Heaped Tablespoons Curry Powder
2 pints Beef Stock
Juice of Half a Lemon
2 Bay Leaves
Salt & Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Tomato Puree


Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.

Melt half the lard in a heavy-based, stir in 1 heaped tablespoon of curry powder and fry over a low heat stirring continuously for 1 minute.
Add the onion and garlic and fry for a further 2 minutes.

Pour in the stock and lemon juice and add the bay leaves.
Bring this to the boil and simmer over a low heat for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim any fat and gristle from the meat and cut into 1 inch pieces. Season the meat with salt and black pepper and dust with the remaining curry powder.

Melt the rest of the lard in a heavy-based pan and fry the meat for 2-3 minutes over a high heat until it is brown on all sides.

Strain the curry stock through a coarse sieve over the meat, stir in the sugar and tomato puree.

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for about 1½ hours or until the meat is tender. By this time, the stock will have reduced and become a thick sauce.

**You can add more curry powder at this stage – but it should be lightly fried in a little fat before adding it to the sauce.**

Set the curry aside to cool and, before reheating, skim off any fat which has settled on the surface.

Serve with rice (although you probably knew that already).

NB: Curry improves by leaving it to stand - and usually freezes well too.

DS x.

Chevyman

Morning Dave,

You might find this link useful:-
UKTV Food: Video

And it's free.

As you're on Oz you might take a peek at Bill Grainger's books. "Every Day" is quite good as it centres on meals he prepares for his family.

I began cooking in 1980 when I split with my first wife. Not long after she and I went our ways I began to feel hungry, so I attempted a chilli con carne. It was an absolute disaster. I seemed to have done everything the wrong way round

The next chilli was better and then I tried different dishes and life became easier.

But stick with it.

Good luck

If I wasn't meant to drive that fast, the pedal would stop half way!!

Dame Starry

I don't think David Brent was being serious, Chevyman................but those are wise words for any man looking in who hasn't found the kitchen yet!

DS x.

Chevyman

Oh those kind of Amateur Creampies

I'll leave the post in place then pour encourager les autres

If I wasn't meant to drive that fast, the pedal would stop half way!!

Chevyman

Serves four

Ingredients

1.5 lbs Braising Beef cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large Onion, cut into thick slices
2 cloves Garlic, roughly chopped
2 carrots peeled and cut into large chunks
2 sticks Celery, topped, tailed, and cut into large chunks
Basil
Oregano
3 tbsp Plain flour
Olive Oil
Bottle of full bodied red wine.

Method

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan
Dust the beef cubes in the flour then add, in batches, to the pan and brown on all sides.
When browned place in a casserole
Add the carrots, onion, garlic, celery and any juices left from browning the beef.
Add the herbs and season to taste.
Pour over two thirds of the bottle of wine.
Bring to the simmer and cook for one hour.
By now the wine should have absorbed some of the flower and should have evaporated a little. If the stew looks dry, add some more of the wine.
Repeat this after another hour.
After a further thirty minutes the stew should be ready.

To serve
Mashed, or boiled, potatoes.

Tip
With one hour left to go, add some sliced potatoes to the stew and cook everything in one pot………..saves on washing up? (As shown below)

Tipple
Barolo goes well but carries high price tags due to small production
Try a Chianti Classico or a Merlot

If I wasn't meant to drive that fast, the pedal would stop half way!!

Chevyman

Yep. I've started making double/triple portions of curry, chilli, ragu bolognese, shepherds/cottage pie mix, for the fridge or freezer.............if I can keep Mrs Chevyman from pilfering the lot

An overnight stay in the fridge develops wonderful flavours

Cooking extra portions saves money too.

I might try your recipe with lamb. I think it would go vey nicely

If I wasn't meant to drive that fast, the pedal would stop half way!!

TimR

Bread sauce is indeed found in the parts of northern and rural New England where the pilgrims first settled even today. That is where I had it, as part of Thansgiving dinner. There are some New England inns in the Boston area that have it on the menu in November and December, along with various puddings that are New England variants on the original British dishes, such as Indian (molasses) pudding, pumpking pudding and bread pudding with raisins. The word "pudding" is always used, but is not in common usage elsewhere.

From my experience, bread sauce is virtually unknown in the US outside of that area.

TimR

If one of you has a good tested recipe for Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding, my wife will put it to good use. And I will benefit as well.

Dame Starry

I have a vacuum-packing system, so I freeze and vacuum pack a lot of food into single portions.
I cook a large joint, chill it overnight and then slice the whole joint, portion it out , vacuum pack it and freeze it in packs of a few slices each.

I cook several chicken breasts in one go and vacuum pack them individually.

I love cooking - but I don't want to do it every day - not from scratch.

I reckon that the Madras Curry would be excellent with lamb.

DS x.

DS x.