Chevyman

Serves two

Ingredients
2 Chicken breasts, skinned and cut into strips
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 large Onion, sliced
2 cloves Garlic, chopped

Marinade
1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
2 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tbsp Dry Sherry
2 tsp Cornflour
1 piece Star Anise

Curry sauce
1 tbsp Dry Sherry
1 tbsp Curry Powder or Paste
1 tbsp Dark Soy sauce
1 tsp Honey
2 tbsp water

Method
Put the chicken in the marinade and leave for 30 mins (overnight is even better)
Prepare the remaining ingredients and the sauce
Heat the wok until it is very hot
Add the oil
Add the sliced chicken and stir fry for a few minutes only
Remove and set aside
Add the onions and garlic to the wok and stir fry for a minute or so. Don’t let them burn
Add the curry sauce and simmer for five minutes
Return the chicken to the wok and mix thoroughly
Serve with boiled rice

Tip
As with all stir fry recipes get everything ready in advance. The cooking is literally “all over in a flash”

Tipple
Cold lager
Mineral water

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

John Llewellyn Moxey

Another keeper! I have not tried your other one yet.

John

Chevyman

Thanks John. I've been in Burgundy for the past three weeks (think I mentioned that when I e-mailed you?)so once my feet are back on the ground I'll be posting up some french recipes.............shamelessly stolen from some "Greasy Spoons" we visited.

I've always enjoyed chinese curries but only recently discovered the secrets.

PM me or e-mail if you're interested in acquiring more curry recipes of the indian variety. I have a document I'll e-mail to you allegedly written by an indian chef/restaurateur who ran a small chain of curry houses in London

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

Dame Starry

I like the look of that curry as well, Chevy - but I couldn't get any star anise on-line this week so I'll have to make it at a later date.

It's a perfect day to make bread - and I'm sitting here on my PC listening to John Stewart on my i-Pod!
I'm going to go downstairs in a minute to do just that and then make some Fish Pies for the freezer.....even though it is the hottest day of the year so far.

But first, a raspberry ripple cornet I think...............

DS x.

Dame Starry

Fish Pie

3-4 Cod Fillets, depending on size
1pt Full Fat Milk
Parsley, Fresh, chopped or Dried
3 Tablespoons Cornflour

2-3lb Potatoes

Salt and Pepper
Butter
Grated Cheese, optional


Peel and boil the potatoes in salted water. Mash with a little butter and just enough of the milk to bind – it should still be quite stiff. Season to taste.
Leave uncovered to allow steam to evaporate and potatoes to dry off a little.

Using a large, heavy-bottomed frying pan, put the cod fillets in one layer, if possible, on the bottom. Pour over enough milk to almost cover the fish, put a lid on and poach gently for about 10-15 minutes.
Lift out the fish with a fish slice or slotted spoon and lay on kitchen towel to drain.
Save the milk and pour into a measuring jug. Add the parsley to and set aside.

Check how much milk you have and, if necessary, make up to about ¾ pint.

Melt 1½ozs of butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Remove from the heat, add the cornflour and blend to a smooth paste. Return to the heat until just bubbling and remove again.
Gradually add the milk, beating in a little at a time. BE PATIENT – don’t rush this part. You will eventually reach a point where you have added all of the milk and it is all smoothly blended in – return to a medium heat and KEEP STIRRING as it thickens. Once it starts bubbling gently, allow it to do so for about 15-30 seconds and then remove from the heat.

Flake the fish and add it to the sauce, folding it in gently. Cover the surface closely with a piece of greaseproof/parchment paper and put in the fridge to cool.

This amount of mixture and potato should make about 3 – 4 good-sized pies.

Put equal amounts of the fish mixture in each dish, smooth the top.
Stir the potato and then gently add it to the top of each pie, carefully forking it over to seal the fish.

Add a sliver of butter to the top of each pie and some grated cheese.

Preheat the oven to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6.

Place dishes on a baking tray and cook for about 30-40 minutes until the pies are nicely browned on top and hot in the centre.


NOTE: Whilst I know that you can make an "All-In-One" white sauce, I wouldn't advise it for this recipe - you need to do the full version with a roux (butter & flour paste).
The reason is that, from my own experience, if the sauce is cooked twice - as it is here - it is inclined to 'thin'.

Likewise, using full-fat milk; semi-skimmed can also affect the thickness of the sauce.

Rob Compton

Sounds wonderful, Dame - thank you. How about an alternative, of using cod cheeks instead of fillet? Or maybe adding in some flaked salmon as well?

Just a thought...

Dame Starry

Rob, you can put anything you like in it - some people use a mixture of white fish, salmon and prawns. You can also use cheaper white fish - if there is still such a thing available!
I add peas and/or carrots as well to mine.

The fish and sauce mixture is also nice in pastry.

DS x.

Chevyman

Ingredients

The ends and peel of all the vegetables used in the roasting pot/tray (leeks, parsnips, carrots and celery) but not potatoes as this will make the stock starchy and too thick)
Any other vegetables or herbs which you have around but are likely to go to waste
Bouquet garni
Bay Leaves
A few green or black peppercorns
The Chicken Carcase ... cut if you need to

Method
Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to the boil
Gently simmer for 2 to 3 hours.
Leave, covered, overnight to cool.
Pass through a sieve into a large jug.
Portion as you wish into containers for freezing

Tip
As time goes on you could improvise by adding dried herbs, garlic, chopped onion

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

MB

ooh - this looks great! I just bought some little organic bouquet garni 'teabags' from Waitrose too.

Chevyman

The stock recipe can be adapted for beef too, but it's worth "browning" the bones briefly first ........... a few minutes in a little oil

Wish I lived nearer a Waitrose

Did you get my second PM on 1 July?

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

Chevyman

[quote=Dame Starry;177842]I like the look of that curry as well, Chevy - but I couldn't get any star anise on-line this week so I'll have to make it at a later date.

Excuse my tardiness Dame; still finding things to unpack after our hols

The curry should be fine without the star anise; you could compare "with" and "without"
But first, a raspberry ripple cornet I think...............

What finesse..............yummy

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

MB

Oh yes! Really incredibly useful advice, I shall reply today indepth.

Currently trying to

Do some of your actual work!

Organise a pied de terre in London (necessary and proving more difficult than anything)

Fielding various emotional problems relating to family, friends and offspring whilst nursing a broken heart and and a fluey headcold - so please forgive me!

Chevyman

Serves four

Ingredients

1 ½ lb lamb neck fillet cut into large chunks
2 onions, finely chopped
2 ½ oz butter, margarine or oil
1 tsp fresh grated ginger or ½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Good pinch saffron strands
1 cinnamon stick or ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp Chilli powder (optional)
½ pt vegetable stock or water
Large wine glass of Tomato Juice
Salt to taste
2 tsp honey
2 tsp dried apricots

Method
NB If you’re not using a tagine cook the whole lot in a casserole and use cooking foil between the lid and the casserole to give an extra seal.

Place the lamb, onions, butter, ginger, pepper, saffron, cumin, chilli powder, paprika and cinnamon either in a heavy based pan and fry gently in the butter or about 10 minutes, until the spices give off their aroma.

Add the water, stock, tomato juice and apricots and bring to a simmer. Transfer to a tagine and place in the oven for about 1 ½ hours until the meat is tender, topping up with water if necessary.

Stir in the honey

Continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

Test the seasoning.

Serve on a bed on rice or couscous.

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?

MB

Oooh - looks lovely.

I have been wanting to buy a Tagine for a while.

The flavours they create are, apparantly, tip top.

And Marrakesh is on my list!!

Chevyman

They are wonderful. As the moisture accumulates in the conical top it cascades onto the food and carries on doing so throughout cooking with very tender results. Tagines are good for vegetables too.

When you're buying look for one with a deep base that will comfortably accommodate all ingredients thus avoid spillage during cooking. My first tagine was easily overladen so I bought another online and now I use the first as a covered serving dish.

Make sure you by one that you can use on the hob as well as in the oven.

I'm unsure about posting commercial links on here so I'll "PM" some to you

"One appears to have dropped one's monocle in the soufflee"

Why not visit the Festive Fayre section?