Welsh Rabbit, Rarebit, Cheese on Toast Recipe

Should it be Welsh Rabbit, or Welsh Rarebit?  Either way, are these the same as Cheese on Toast?  I’m afraid that you can spend hours googling and going through old recipe books and not get a clear answer.  Actually, you will get lots of clear answers, with various degrees of huffiness (of the “I’m right and every other author is wrong…” type) but sadly they will often contradict each other.

So, while there is certainly no overall consensus, it does seem to me that “rarebit” is a latter-day rationalisation, and that “rabbit” was indeed the original form, as there exist ancient recipes for “Scottish Rabbit” and “English Rabbit” along with the Welsh, most referring to versions of cheese on toast with or without additional ingredients.

Why “Rabbit?”  Frankly, the implied insult that the Welsh were so poor that they couldn’t afford rabbit, so ate cheese on toast as a substitute is not only patronising, but doesn’t hold water.  I can see no way that melted cheese on toasted bread resembles rabbit in appearance or flavour, and surely, in all but the most metropolitan areas, rabbit has been a cheap and easily available meat for centuries.  Perhaps there is an old word in the Welsh language for variants on cheese toasties that sounds a little like rabbit, and has subsequently been anglicised.  Perhaps there was a tradition of using cookie-type cutters on toasted snacks to amuse the kids, and the rabbit-shape predominated at one time.  If you have any ideas or theories, please feel free to comment below.

Is there is any real difference between “Rabbits” and Cheese on Toast?  Although you can find many recipes and methods where one is a synonym for the other, most often “Welsh Rabbits/Welsh Rarebits” involve first making a cheesy sauce, frequently incorporating mustard and beer, which is then poured onto toast and grilled, whereas Cheese on Toast is usually just what it says: toast simply topped with uncooked sliced, crumbled or grated cheese, and then grilled.

Two basic recipes and methods follow for “Welsh Rabbit” and for Cheese on Toast.  Many recipes for either suggest buttering the toast before adding the topping: I prefer not to, but it’s up to you.

The Toast: traditionally, the bread will be thick “doorstep” slices of day-old crusty white farmhouse-style bread, but there is no reason that you shouldn’t use whatever bread you enjoy eating or have to hand – granary, wholemeal, sourdough breads, rolls, baps, baguettes, ciabatta etc.  But please not horrible white “plastic” supermarket sliced white, unless that is your particular perversion, in a “childhood favourite/guilty pleasures” kind of way.

Preheat the grill/overhead broiler to its full temperature before you start.

Toast the bread, and leave to cool on a rack, which will enable it to release any steam and crispen up a little.  I prefer to only lightly toast what is to become the “cheesy” side, as I don’t particularly like the corners and other exposed bits to become black and carbonised by the time the topping has grilled.  For some, semi-burned bits are a treat: so whatever you like.

Cheese on Toast: grate or crumble enough cheese (whatever cheese you like) to generously cover the slice(s) of toast.  Remember that grated cheese will heat through and melt better than chunks or slices, but will also cook down.  Top the slice(s) of toast, and pop under your (preheated) grill/overhead broiler.  Keep an eye on it: it’s ready when the cheese has melted and has some golden brown spots and patches.

Welsh Rabbit Basic Sauce:  (enough for four average slices of toast)

Ingredients:

1oz/25g flour

1oz/25g butter

1 teaspoon (or a good pinch or two) dry English Mustard powder (see note below)

5fl oz/150ml milk

6oz/175g grated cheese (a good tangy cheddar or similar)

5fl oz/150ml beer – a good ale, preferably; if not whatever tasty beer you have

Several good dashes (around two teaspoons) of Worcestershire Sauce

Salt and pepper

Two egg yolks, beaten

(Note re Mustard: if using a ready-made, i.e. “wet” mustard, rather than the powdered form, add to the mixture and stir well just before spreading on the toast.  “Made” mustard can lose some of it’s flavour and volatility during cooking.

Method:

Melt the butter in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat, add the flour and mustard powder, stir well and cook for a minute or two.  Add the milk in several stages, whisking continuously.  Bring just to the boil, then immediately reduce heat to minimum (use a heat-diffusion mat if necessary) and continue to cook gently for ten minutes or a little longer, until any “raw flour” taste has gone.  Remove from the heat, and stir in the grated cheese.  Boil the ale and Worcestershire Sauce until greatly reduced – down to about a tablespoonful or two, then add to the cheese sauce, mixing well.

Check for seasoning: you may not need much if any salt due to the cheese and Worcestershire sauce, but be generous with the pepper.

Whisk in the egg yolks, spread the mixture on the toast and grill until bubbling hot with golden brown patches.  Serve immediately, piping hot.

Whichever of the above methods you chose, I see no reason not to ring the changes (I often do) and add ingredients such as chopped ham, cooked bacon, salami, chorizo or cooked chicken, finely chopped or sliced onion, garlic, tomatoes, anchovies, fresh/dried herbs or whatever you like.  Which only goes to beg the question: apart from the base, could we not consider the Welsh Rabbit/Cheese Toastie to be a northern European version of Pizza?  Or, indeed, the other way around; Neapolitan Rabbit, anyone?

Pan-Fried Flounder: Easy Flatfish Recipe

Pan-Fried Flounder: Easy Flatfish Recipe

As I am in the UK, this recipe refers to the European Flounder which is currently not a threatened species; please check the situation if you are not in Europe and substitute any other sustainable flatfish.

Flounder are a bargain at the fishmongers; along with species such as Dab and Torbay Sole (Megrim), they don’t command the higher prices of other flatfish such as Plaice and Lemon Sole, let alone the premium flatties such as Brill, Dover Sole, Turbot etc.  In flavour, they most resemble Plaice; the species are close enough that they sometimes hybridise, yet Flounder are currently around a third the price.  So, if they are on your fishmonger’s slab, snap ‘em up and give them a try.

Ideally, all fish should be filleted as close to the cooking time as possible.  If you are not confident in your filleting abilities, ask your fishmonger to do it for you, buying on the day you are to cook them.

As I have suggested in the first paragraph, this method of pan-frying is suitable for any flatfish fillets, and indeed works very well for fillets of many round and white fish, such as Mackerel, Herring, Bass etc, as long as they are not too thick, in which case an oven-roasting may be more suitable.

Pan-Fried Flounder Recipe: Ingredients

One or more Flounder or other flatfish fillets per person, depending on their size and your appetite

A little neutral everyday oil for frying

Salt and pepper

Optional (see Cook’s Tip); a little butter or cream.

Pan-Fried Flounder Recipe: Method

Note that the whole cooking process will only take around five minutes: have the rest of your meal, and some warm plates, ready.  Never overcook fish; as soon as it is ready, Dinner is Go!

Put a heavy, preferably non-stick, frying pan that is large enough to take all the fillets in one layer, onto a high heat.  Allow the pan to get quite hot, then shake in a splash of oil; a teaspoon or two, just enough to lubricate the pan.  Place the fish skin-side down into the pan.  Take care, it may spit a little.  Continue to cook on a high heat, only turning it down if the skin is threatening to burn rather than go a crispy golden colour.  Watch as the flesh begins to turn opaque, the colour change working its way up from the bottom.  When the fish is cooked from two-thirds to three-quarters of the way up, liberally season the fillets with salt and pepper, and flip the fish over to finish cooking topside down; this will probably take no more than a minute.  Serve immediately.

Cook’s Tip: once the fish is plated, add a walnut-sized knob of butter or an equivalent amount of double cream or whipping cream, stirring up any flavoursome crusty bits from the pan and amalgamating with any cooking juices.  As soon as the butter has melted and started to froth, or as soon as the cream has started to thicken a little, pour over the fish.

Serve with: whatever you like with fish, be it chips/french fries, rice, a simple salad, lightly steamed vegetables, or stuff the fillets into some crusty bread and eat as a sandwich.

Chicken Stock Recipe: Basic Cooking Techniques

Chicken Stock Recipe: Basic Cooking Techniques

A good home-made Chicken Stock is one of the most useful ingredients to have in your fridge or freezer, and it’s easy to make.  Once you have the basic idea, you can of course use the same method to make stock from poultry of any kind; goose, duck, turkey etc.

Home Made Chicken Stock Recipe: Ingredients

The remains of one or two cooked chickens: all the bones, skin, trimmings and scraps of meat etc, plus the giblets (raw or cooked) if you have them

One onion, peeled and halved

One carrot, peeled and cut into a few chunks

One stick of celery, cut into a few chunks

Two to four garlic cloves, peeled

One or two bay leaves

Six to twelve whole black pepper corns

Water to cover

NO SALT – add the salt at the point of use, i.e. when you have added the stock to whatever dish you are making

Home Made Chicken Stock Recipe: Method

Put all the ingredients into a large pan or stock pot, breaking up the chicken if necessary to make it fit, and add the water to more or less cover.  Put on a high heat until the water boils, and then turn down to the lowest possible simmer – just the odd bubble breaking on the surface every now and then.  Use a heat diffusing mat if necessary.  Skim off any nasty looking scum that rises to the surface.

Continue to simmer for three to four hours, basically until the resulting broth tastes good.  Strain the liquid through a colander preferably lined with muslin or a clean cloth.  Dispose of the bones and used vegetables.

The stock is now ready for use or storage as it is, but I prefer to reduce it to concentrate the strength and flavour.  Clean the pan, or use a fresh one, tip in the strained stock, and return to a high heat.  Continue cooking until the liquid has reduced by at least half, or lower if you like.

The stock will keep for a few days (or longer) in the fridge, or can be frozen for later use.  I freeze some of mine in 1 pint/half litre tubs, and some in ice cube trays.  A few cubes of frozen concentrated stock can be dropped into your stews and casseroles as required.

Variations: you can make your stock from raw bones or raw cuts such as wings and thighs.  The results are subtly different, but equally good.  A few writers insist that stocks should only be made from raw ingredients, to give a “cleaner” stock;  I strongly disagree.  Using up the remains of your roast chicken not only makes for a very tasty and useful stock, but is also thrifty and economical too.

Blind Baking Pastry: Basic Cooking Techniques

Blind Baking Pastry: Basic Cooking Techniques

So, you’re working through the recipe: you’ve made your pie filling, and you’ve mixed up your pastry dough.  Suddenly, the recipe tells you to line the pie dish with the pastry, and to blind bake it, with no other information.  Ok, many recipe writers will assume that experienced cooks know how to blind bake, but what if you don’t have much experience?

What is Blind Baking?  Blind baking simply means to cook, or at least part-cook, the pastry before you add your filling, avoiding a soggy base to your pie, tart or quiche etc.  Blind, because the raw pastry is covered during this pre-cooking.  There are a couple of variations, but the idea and method is very simple.

How to Blind Bake Pastry: method

Make a pastry dough as directed in whatever recipe you are following, rest it in the fridge for half an hour, then roll it out and line your pie dish or tart pan.  Thoroughly prick the base and sides of the pastry all over with a fork.  If you have time, rest again in the refrigerator to minimise shrinkage while cooking.  When ready to proceed, crumple up some baking paper or parchment – do this several times so it becomes soft, with no sharp edges to pierce the pastry.  Line the pastry loosely with the parchment/paper; there is no need to cut it to a perfect fit as long as the pastry is covered.  Weigh it down with specialist baking beans from the kitchen shop (usually ceramic), or ordinary dried “vegetable” beans, such as haricot (discard these after use).  Some prefer to use metal beads, or even a handful of loose change, as they are a better conductor of heat.

Now place the tin/dish into the oven (set at whatever temperature your recipe recommends, but usually a medium heat) and bake for twenty minutes.  By this time, your base will be at least part-cooked, and you can proceed with the rest of the recipe, filling your pie etc.

I prefer at this stage to remove the paper/parchment and the beans, then return the pie base to the oven for a further ten minutes or so – this thoroughly dries out the base and gives a crispier finish.

The reason for the fork-pricking and weighing down is to stop the pastry rising during this blind baking period.  This may be necessary for some pastries, but I have found that for simple shortcrust pastry all that is needed is a good fork-pricking and an unweighted lining of loosely crumpled kitchen foil.

You can do the blind baking well ahead of time.  If adding a hot filling, first reheat the blind baked pastry for a few minutes, which helps to preserve the crispiness.

Shortcrust Pastry Recipe: Basic Cooking Techniques

Shortcrust Pastry Recipe: Basic Cooking Techniques

If you’ve never made shortcrust pastry (or any pastry) before, don’t panic; it’s a lot easier than you may think, and the magical transformation from a bag of flour with a little fat to a light, crispy pastry will give your kitchen confidence a huge boost.

You will see that the recipe and method at the end are very short, and you can cut straight there; however, I’ve written the following notes and tips to help you on your way.

Different recipes will call for different quantities, but the basic measure for shortcrust pastry is always two parts flour to one part fat.  The only other ingredients are a little salt to season (pepper too, if it’s for a savoury dish) and just enough cold water to bring it all together.

It’s worth expanding on the phrase “just enough cold water,” as this is the really crucial part of the equation.  If you don’t have enough water in the mix, the pastry will break up and be impossible to roll out; too much water,  however, and the resulting pastry will be hard and tough when cooked, rather than light and crispy.  You can’t use measures here, though, as the amount of water needed will vary almost day to day, even if the other ingredients are consistent: some flours absorb more water, and some less.  Ambient temperature and humidity also make a difference.  That said, use the easy never-fail technique in the next paragraph, and you will never go wrong.

The Water: Once the other flour, fats and seasonings are mixed and ready, add a small amount of cold water; just a teaspoon or two at first.  Mix again, then pinch a small piece of the pastry between the thumb and forefinger of each hand and give it a gentle pull: if the dough breaks, add some more water.  If it stretches easily, the mix is correct.  Continue to add a little water, doing the pull and stretch test until you have a nice pliable dough.  If this sounds complex, don’t worry, it isn’t and will make perfect sense once you try it, and once you’ve made this shortcrust pastry a few times the method becomes second-nature.

The Flour: you simply need good quality plain/general purpose white flour for this recipe.  Once you’ve weighed out the flour, pass it through a sieve into the mixing bowl; this obviously removes any lumps, but equally importantly gets some air into the flour, leading to a lighter pastry.

The Fat: I use butter or lard, or a combination of these.  Many cooks use margarine, and indeed here in the UK and doubtless elsewhere, there are brands of margarine especially developed for baking purposes that are household names  I prefer not to use margarine, which usually contains trans and hydrogenated fats and other unnatural chemicals that I don’t want in my kitchen or in my body.

Seasonings: I use Maldon Salt for pretty much all my cooking.  It’s a lovely, flaky sea salt with no chemical additives.  However, use any salt you like; the only criteria is that you may need more salt than you think – flour doughs, along with other starchy carbs such as potatoes, rice, pasta etc need quite heavy seasoning.  If you are at all concerned about your own salt and sodium intake, then I’ll leave it up to you as an adult to make your own decisions.  I also put pepper into pastry mixes intended for savoury dishes: ground white pepper is useful, but you can use ground black pepper if you don’t mind little black flecks in the finished pastry.  A little pepper is also surprisingly good in some sweet dishes; be brave and try it.

Mixing: All the ingredients (and equipment such as bowls etc) should be as cold as possible to prevent the fats running and becoming oily.  Traditionally, pastry is mixed by hand, just using the fingertips to keep the transfer of heat as low as possible, then with the blade of a knife once the water is added.  Frankly, I see absolutely no problem with using a food processor or other mechanical mixer.  It’s easier, quicker and the pastry comes out just fine.

"Resembles Breadcrumbs": Most pastry recipes, including mine below, tell you to mix the fats into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Be aware though that some days, particularly when it's warm, this breadcrumb stage will never happen as the fats are starting to run.  Don't worry, just start adding the water as soon as you are sure everything is thoroughly mixed.

As I mentioned, quantities will vary with your recipe.  Here I’ll give a typical set of ingredients for a simple tart or pie.  Adapt as required.

Easy Shortcrust Pastry Recipe: ingredients

8oz/225g plain/all purpose flour

4oz/110g butter or lard, or a mixture of the two

A little cold water

Salt and pepper as required

Easy Shortcrust Pastry Recipe: method

Sieve the flour and seasonings into your mixing bowl.  Add the fat, either cut into small chunks or grated.  Mix with your fingertips or in a machine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Begin to add the water, a very small amount at a time, mixing well, just until the dough becomes pliable, as described above.

Cover or wrap the dough and refrigerate for at least half an hour; this makes it easier to handle and to roll.  Roll out and use as directed in your recipe; if at all possible, rest and refrigerate the pastry again once you’ve put it into the pie dish etc.  This last tip is not essential, but it minimises the shrinkage when cooking.

Braised Cabbage Recipes

Braised Cabbage Recipes

Before I give you two delicious Braised Cabbage recipes, let’s first look at how not to cook cabbage: do not boil it for half an hour or more until it becomes limp, soggy, grey and sulphurous.  This “traditional” method of cooking cabbage (and other vegetables) beloved of school dinners, transport cafes and some grannies is thankfully declining, as the disgusting results are likely to put people off their veggies for life.

I’m giving two Braised Cabbage recipes here; the first is for a side-dish, while the second makes a feature of the cabbage and is a meal in itself, and uses a few other vegetables to add further flavour, contrast and texture.  As often with Guerilla Griller recipes, these can be seen more as methods than strict instructions; it’s of course impossible here to give precise quantities – after all, how big is your cabbage?

Simple Braised Cabbage Recipe for a Side-Dish: Ingredients

One cabbage, any kind that is good, fresh and seasonal

A little butter (perhaps one or two tablespoons)

A little water (similar quantity to butter)

A pinch or two of salt and a good grind of black pepper

Simple Braised Cabbage Recipe for a Side-Dish: Method

Quarter the cabbage, cut out the cores and remove any coarse, limp or discoloured outer leaves.  Chop or shred the cabbage, not too finely.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat, put in the cabbage and stir well until coated in the butter.  Add the water and seasonings, stir again, cover and cook on a very low heat, checking progress and stirring from time to time.  After about half an hour the cabbage should be tender rather than soggy, and will have absorbed all the butter and liquids.   A simple, yet delicious recipe.

Cook’s Tip: variation for serving with pork – add a thinly sliced, cored, eating apple to the cabbage at the beginning of cooking.

Braised Cabbage Main Course Recipe: Ingredients

(I cannot be exact about quantities/size/weights, but consider the cabbage to be the star of the show so use approximately two parts cabbage to one part combined other veggies)

One cabbage, any kind that is good, fresh and seasonal

One or two carrots, depending on size

One or two onions, depending on size

One stick of celery

Salt and pepper

One star anise (optional)

Garlic to your taste, peeled and sliced

A little butter (perhaps one or two tablespoons)

Some stock (proper stock, not made from powder – a good, home-made vegetable or chicken stock, or perhaps some of your own turkey stock that you made after Christmas and stored in useful quantities in your freezer) – a similar quantity to the butter

Braised Cabbage Main Course Recipe: Method

Quarter the cabbage, remove and discard the core and any outer leaves as in the first recipe.  De-string the celery.  Peel the onion and carrot.  Chop or shred all the veggies to a similar thickness – if you like, make the carrots into julienne (thin matchstick strips) for a pleasing contrast.  Peel and thinly slice the garlic.

As in the first recipe, melt the butter in a saucepan over a gentle heat, put in the vegetables and stir well until coated in the butter.  Add the stock, the star anise and seasonings, stir again, cover and cook on a very low heat, checking progress and stirring from time to time.  As in the first recipe, the idea is that the veggies will be perfectly tender and will have absorbed the butter and all the liquids.

Remove and discard the star anise before serving.

A portion of this will make a satisfying and tasty meal on its own, but you could serve it with good crusty bread, or your favourite potatoes.

Cook’s Tip: Variation – add more stock as you desire and transform the recipe into a stew (more moist than the above) or even a soup (shred all the veggies more finely for this).

How to Fry Onions: Basic Cooking Techniques

How to Fry Onions: Basic Cooking Techniques

As with many things in life, good cooking involves knowing what you want to achieve, and knowing how to achieve it.  Simplistic advice, no doubt, but inexperienced, nervous and beginner cooks often complain that something didn’t turn out the way they expected.  A good example is the frying of onions, a basic cooking technique at the start of so many dishes.

So firstly, what are we trying to achieve?   There are, I think, two extremes, and then the middle ground, the last of which being what we want to achieve most of the time.

The first extreme is the half-burned fried onion, where the edges have gone beyond golden to a crispy black, while the rest of the onion is half-cooked at best.  I would dismiss this out of hand, except that there are some people who do like this combination of part-raw and bitter-burned flavour.  Not to my taste at all, and rather you than me, but if this is what you want to achieve, slice your onions fairly coarsely, and fry them quickly at a fairly high temperature, until the edges have burned.  Job done.

The second extreme is Caramelized Onions, where you cook down pounds of sliced onions over the slowest possible heat for an hour or two until all that is left is a light-golden, very sweet jam.  This can also be the base for Onion Marmalade.

If those are the extremes then the middle ground is what I find most useful in my kitchen, and the way I will most often cook them.  Master this (and it’s pretty easy) and you are well on the way to understanding some of the most important principles of good cooking.

So, what do I want to achieve?  Certainly no burned or blackened edges: I do not like much bitterness.  On the other hand, I don’t want to spend hours caramelising a vast batch of onions when I just need a little to start a stew, casserole, curry, sauce, omelette or whatever.  What I want is a few spoonfuls of sweet, tangy onions that have given up some of their moisture and developed some golden-brown colouring.

Here’s how to do it.

Fried Onions: ingredients

As many onions as you need, (they will reduce to about a half or less of their volume when cooked) halved, peeled and sliced or diced as required

A little olive oil

A little butter (optional, for a richer flavour with better browning)

A little salt

Fried Onions: method

Put a heavy-based pan or pot onto a medium to high heat, wait until the pan has heated, put in a splash of oil (and the butter, if using: work quickly, let the butter melt and froth, but not brown or burn).  Immediately tip in the onions, and stir until well coated with oil.  Reduce the heat, add a good pinch of salt (this helps the onions release their moisture as well as adding savouriness) and stir again.

Now comes the important bit: it’s all about managing the heat, as in so many cooking techniques.  If the onions are just sitting quietly at the bottom of the pan doing nothing, then turn the heat up a little.  If the edges are beginning to change colour rather rapidly, turn the heat down.  Take your time.  The onions will first go translucent, then more opaque and they will also begin to take on the golden colour we are waiting for.  Be patient.  Stir frequently, and continue to juggle the heat as required.  And that’s it.  When they’re ready, they’re ready.

It may seem bizarre, or even unnecessary to write a whole essay on the frying of onions, where many recipes (including some of mine) may just say “brown the onions…” but this Zen-like concentration on one small aspect of the meal will do wonders for your cooking.  If your onions have never quite turned out the way you want in the past, they will from now on if you follow the technique laid out above.  And if you apply the idea of “getting the small things right” to all your cooking, your meals will improve immeasurably.

Christmas Leftovers Mock Pizza Recipe Idea

Christmas Leftovers Mock Pizza Recipe Idea

Chances are there are still some leftovers from Christmas in your refrigerator and freezer, some of which are getting to the stage where they will need using up pretty fast.  This Christmas Leftovers Mock Pizza is the quick lunch I rustled up today after a quick rummage in the fridge.  I will list exactly what I used, but of course you can adapt this recipe to whatever you have to hand and to your personal tastes.

Quantities are obviously depending on what you have and how many you are feeding.  As a very rough guide, use more or less equal quantities of turkey, bacon and cheese, with perhaps a little more tomato: use the other ingredients in smaller quantities just to give a little extra flavour, sweetness and moistness.

Christmas Leftovers Mock Pizza: ingredients

Bread, any kind, sliced for toasting

Cooked leftover turkey meat, diced into bite-sized chunks

Cooked bacon, diced

Fresh or canned tomato, diced

Cheese, any kind, diced unless it is a type of cream cheese or similar

Garlic, peeled and finely sliced, to your personal taste

Fresh or dried herbs, quantity to your taste

A little cranberry sauce

A little cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper if necessary (leftovers may already be seasoned)

A little olive oil for frying

Christmas Leftovers Mock Pizza: method

Toast the bread, put to one side leaving the grill/broiler on a high heat.  Heat a little oil in a good solid pan, and gently fry the tomatoes until they begin to soften.  Add the diced turkey, bacon, herbs and garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes until heated through.  Add the cheese, and continue to cook for a few more minutes until beginning to melt.  Add the cream and the cranberry sauce, and stir through.  Check for seasoning, add salt and a few grinds of pepper if necessary.

Pile the mixture onto your toast, return to the grill/broiler until it begins to melt and brown a little.  Serve immediately.

If you've enjoyed your Christmas Leftovers Mock Pizza, save and adapt the recipe to anytime you have leftovers; not just Christmas.

Bubble and Squeak: Great Leftovers Recipe

Bubble and Squeak: Great Leftovers Recipe

Bubble and Squeak is a great way to use up any leftover potato and other veg, whether from your Christmas Dinner or from a typical Sunday Roast.  It can form part of a breakfast, a lunch or a supper dish.  It is economical, because you are making good use of food that may otherwise be thrown away, it is adaptable, as you make use of whatever you have, and it is also very tasty and filling.

The most basic, and some would say the traditional Bubble and Squeak is simply a 50/50 mix of leftover cooked potato and cooked greens, such as cabbage.  The principal remains the same whatever other veg you use: just make sure that 50% of the whole is potato.

From the basic, there are any number of variations, depending on what food you have leftover: you can cook your ingredients especially to make Bubble and Squeak, but that is kind of missing the point, as it is primarily a leftovers dish, and all the better for it.

The ingredients can be blitzed very fine in a food processor, almost to a puree.  I prefer to chop by knife into fairly small dice so that there is good texture.  If you have gone for the fine mix, you may intend to form the Bubble and Squeak in to one large, or several small patties; some people add a little beaten egg here so the whole thing holds together.  I prefer a more “hash” approach, so that I end up with a loose, dryish mix.

Bubble and Squeak: ingredients

(As mentioned above, your mix should be 50/50 potatoes and whatever else you are using)

Leftover cooked potatoes, any kind, either mashed or diced finely

Leftover cooked vegetables; cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, kale, onion etc

Salt and Pepper as required

A little oil and butter for frying (or lard, goose fat, dripping etc)

Optional: beaten egg to bind if required

Bubble and Squeak: method

Thoroughly chop and dice your ingredients either by hand if you like the looser mix, or in a food processor.  Once you have made your mix, taste for seasoning: as you are making this with leftovers, they may be adequately seasoned already; if not, adjust – I do believe that Bubble and Squeak should be quite heavily seasoned.  Heat your choice of cooking fats in a large frying pan, and either tip in the loose ingredients, or form into patties and carefully place in a pan.

Use a fairly brisk heat: the ideal is to get lovely golden-brown colouration without letting anything burn.  Turn the patties carefully from time to time until done, or stir the looser mix frequently until cooked through.

Once done, serve with whatever you like: it makes a great accompaniment to eggs and bacon, sausages, or any kind of meat, hot or cold, especially leftovers.  A good splash of tomato ketchup/catsup or Worcestershire sauce will add some zing.

Cook's tip: in some traditions, diced or minced leftover cooked meat is added to the Bubble and Squeak mix – it’s up to you.

Cooking Christmas Dinner Guide

I thought I'd post the link to the "Stress-Free Guide to Cooking Christmas Dinner" that I published last year, in case anyone is having last minute panics.  Try to remember that it's only a big roast dinner, and your family and friends have plenty else to occupy them if everything is a little late, or you forgot something.  Enjoy the day, and wishing you a Very Merry Christmas.

Turkey Giblet Gravy Recipe

Turkey Giblet Gravy Recipe

Leave the granules and powders on the shelf, and make yourself this delicious real Turkey Giblet Gravy for your Christmas Dinner.  It can easily and safely be done a day or two before, kept refrigerated, then reheated when needed.

It is impossible to be precise about quantities, as there are so many variables: how big your bird, and therefore your giblets, and how many people you are catering for,  how thick or thin do you like your gravy, and how strong?  Use this turkey giblet gravy recipe as a rough guide,  follow your own instincts, do plenty of tasting and you should be fine.

Giblets are the offal/variety meats of the turkey: the heart, gizzard, liver etc, and the neck.  Usually, at least here in the UK, the giblets will have already been removed from the turkey, placed in a bag and then returned to the cavity of the bird.  Many a tale has been told of the newbie Christmas cook who didn’t realise there was a plastic bag full of viscera that needed removing before roasting the turkey…

Turkey Giblet Gravy: ingredients

The giblets of the turkey, roughly chopped

One small to medium onion, peeled and roughly sliced

One small to medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

Garlic, if you like it: one or two cloves, peeled and sliced

One or two bayleaves

A few sprigs of robust herbs, such as rosemary or thyme

Enough boiling water to make the quantity of gravy you require

A very small amount of plain or olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cold Water Roux - A little plain flour mixed to a thin paste with cold water

Optional: white wine, sherry, marsala, port or another favourite liqueur

Turkey Giblet Gravy: method

Gently soften the onion, carrot and garlic (if using) in a little oil until they are developing golden brown colouration.  Remove from the pan, and reserve.  Add the giblets to the oil, and fry until they too develop a good colour.  Return the vegetables to the pan with the giblets, add the herbs and cover with boiling water.  Return to the boil, and then reduce to a simmer for at least two hours, tasting to see how the flavour develops.  Add your wine etc towards the end of the cooking time, to allow the alcohol to cook out without losing any delicate flavours.  I prefer to season toward the end as well, keeping the pepper taste fresher and giving you more control over saltiness.

Strain out the giblets, vegetables and herbs, return the gravy to the pan and add the Cold Water Roux, whisking well.  Allow at least ten minutes for the gravy to thicken and for the raw flour taste to “cook out”.   If you have over-thickened your gravy, simply add some boiling water.  If it is still too thin, add a little more roux and allow to cook out.  Remove any remaining lumps by straining before serving.

If you have made the gravy in advance, make sure it is thoroughly reheated just to boiling point, and then allow to simmer for a couple of minutes before serving.

Christmas Leftovers Planner

Christmas Leftovers Planner

However carefully you shop, however good you are at portion control, however many unexpected extra mouths suddenly turn up at your Christmas table, you are sure to have food leftover after the Christmas feasting – probably quite a lot of it.  Some of it will of course be used up in the days following, with cold-cuts and sandwiches galore.  But cold-cuts and sandwiches get boring after a few days, so rather than throw good food away, plan now how it can be stored for later use.  There are many tasty meals to be made from leftovers, particularly Christmas leftovers with their overtones of luxury and once-a-year flavours, and it is economical to do so too.

Make sure you have plenty of freezer-proof containers in stock, preferably the re-usable type, and/or freezer bags, foil, clingfilm/kitchen wrap etc.  Make sure also that you have a pen and some labels handy – you may know what you’re putting in the freezer now, but you won’t remember in a month or two when you’re rummaging through the cold depths trying to identify anonymous frosty packages.

• Turkey Leftovers: remove the meat from the bones as soon as practical.  Leave as much meat in the refrigerator as you are likely to use in the next couple of days.  Slice, dice and cube the rest of the meat for various future recipes, and freeze in appropriate portions.  Use the turkey carcase to make a stock, and freeze the stock in useful quantities – larger amounts for soups, gravies and adding to casseroles etc, and some into ice cube trays so that you can add one or two cubes to enrich a sauce or similar.  If it’s not convenient to make the stock within a few days, break down the carcase and freeze the bones for later use.
• Other Meat Leftovers: as turkey, and using any bones for stock as above.
• Leftover Roast Potatoes:  Some like cold roast potatoes, with perhaps a little relish, mayonnaise or tomato ketchup with their cold-cuts.  I don’t think they successfully reheat as roast potatoes, but roughly chopped or sliced and fried in a little oil, they do make very good sauté potatoes.  Otherwise, chop and mash any leftovers and mix with leftover greens and other root vegetables to make “bubble and squeak.”
• Leftover Cooked Root Vegetables: Carrots, Parsnips, Turnips etc could go to make a very quick and tasty casserole with some leftover turkey and gravy.  If they are reasonably firm there is no reason why you couldn’t microwave them for a minute or two for a quick vegetable side dish the next day.  Or chop them and use them in a soup, perhaps made with some of your lovely freshly-made turkey stock.  Otherwise, mash them into your bubble and squeak.
• Leftover Green Vegetables: far better to cook some fresh green veggies when you need them, so chop and mash down any leftover greens (cabbage, peas, broccoli etc) to add to your potatoes for bubble and squeak.
• Leftover Gravy: of course, I’m talking about proper turkey-giblet gravy here, of course, not the kind you make from granules.  Frankly, there probably won’t be any leftover gravy in my house, certainly after a day or two.  If, however, you have made a vast amount then either add it to any soup or casserole you are making, or freeze it down in suitable quantities.
• Leftover Christmas Cake: a well made Christmas Cake, moist and fruity, should keep well enough until you’ve eaten the last morsel, as long as kept in a cool place in an airtight tin or box.
• Leftover Christmas Pudding: probably best refrigerated and eaten within a week or so, either eaten cold, or reheating portions in the microwave or gently fried in butter.  If you have a lot left over, freeze into portions, defrosting and reheating as needed.
• Leftover Cheese: cheese keeps well in the ‘fridge, and, as I love cheese, I’m probably going to munch my way through it, or use it in cooking, well before it is in any danger or going “off.”  Cheese does freeze well, though, if you are left with a large amount and are not as much of a cheese-hog as me.  Grate some of the hard cheeses into suitable portions, and they can be added to sauces straight from the freezer.
• Leftover Bread: sliced bread can go into the freezer, and used for toast as required, or perhaps used in a Bread and Butter Pudding.  You can also blitz leftover bread down into breadcrumbs in the food processor; leave to dry thoroughly, then store in an airtight container.

Remember to be safe: if you have had leftover food hanging around for a while that you are not sure of, especially if it has not been refrigerated, better to dispose of it rather than try to save it for later; the freezer will only make bugs dormant, not kill them.  Don’t re-freeze food that has already been frozen, unless you have subsequently cooked it.

Don’t forget to search this blog for delicious and economical leftover recipes, and I shall be adding as many as I can during the next week or so, particularly geared to Christmas Leftovers.  In the meantime, Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year to you all.

Chocolate Truffle Recipe: Very Easy and Adaptable

Chocolate Truffle Recipe: Very Easy and Adaptable

The key here is to use the finest quality ingredients: good chocolate with a high cocoa content, the finest unsalted butter and really good cream.  These chocolate truffles are incredibly rich, so a little goes a long way.  They are quite more-ish though; after half an hour, the thought “I could just manage one more…” may drift through your head.  Keep them in an airtight container in your refrigerator, if you can.

This recipe will make 35-50 Chocolate Truffles.

Equipment: you will need a saucepan of barely simmering water, over which you place a bowl in which to melt the ingredients.  Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water.

Easy Chocolate Truffle Recipe: Ingredients

8oz/225g High Cocoa content dark chocolate, coarsely chopped or broken

2oz/55g good unsalted butter

quarter pint/150ml whipping/double cream (minimum 36% fat)

(note: leave the cream liquid, no need to whip it)

Flavourings (optional): a few drops of vanilla extract, peppermint, your favourite liqueur, or any other flavouring you like.

To coat: choose between good quality cocoa powder, icing sugar, ground almonds or other nuts, ground coconut, or make some of each.

Easy Chocolate Truffle Recipe: Method

Place the bowl over the simmering water, and put the broken/chopped chocolate and the cream into the bowl.  Stir very occasionally, just enough to help it along.  Once the chocolate has melted, add the butter, and once it has melted stir just enough to mix it thoroughly (note: too much stirring may make the chocolate go “grainy”).

Remove from the heat, allow to cool a little, then add any flavourings, if using – taste after adding a few drops and thoroughly mixing to see if you need to add any more.

Put into the refrigerator until set hard (at least eight hours).  You can speed this process up, (once the mixture and bowl have cooled a little, to minimise the risk of cracking) by putting the bowl into another, larger bowl, filled with iced water, and gently stirring from time to time.  Once the mixture has cooled enough, put into the freezer, removing and stirring at approximately twenty minute intervals until firm – doing it this way, your truffle mixture can be ready in about an hour.

 Put your chosen coating ingredients in bowls/saucers/trays, and have your storage container(s) ready for the truffles.

Using a teaspoon, dig out pieces of the mixture and form into balls using the warmth of your palms – you are going to get messy, sorry: truffles are typically an oval, slightly elongated egg-shape, but they can be made into whatever shape you like.  Once you have made all the truffles, roll them in your chosen coatings, then refrigerate in airtight boxes until needed.

Cook’s Tip: I have already suggested that you can vary the flavourings as you like (or use none, as I often prefer), but you can also add other ingredients to the melted mix, such as chopped nuts, finely chopped stem ginger (the type preserved in syrup), finely chopped glace cherries, dried sultanas, raisins, currants, cranberries (chopped as necessary) or even a handful of your favourite cookies/biscuits, crumbled.

Three Easy Christmas Starter Recipe Ideas

Three Easy Christmas Starter Recipe Ideas

The traditional Christmas Dinner main course is a huge meal in itself, especially when followed by Christmas Pudding and Mince Pies.  Then there will be the never-ending rolling feast the rest of the day brings, with the succession of cheeses, the sausage rolls, the cold cuts, the pickles, the Christmas cake, even the first-of-the-season turkey and stuffing sandwiches around ten pm, after granny has gone to bed, with just another glass of something.  A starter may seem unnecessary, or even greedy, but this is that once-a-year feast; one of those few occasions where we can really celebrate at home with our family and friends.  The right starter, light and easy to prepare, sets the scene, gives us all a few moments with each other before the Big Bird and the tureens of veg come to the table, and tickles the tastebuds for the rest of the meal.

Here are three light and easy starters: one can be mostly made ahead of time (and there is an acceptable cheat to make it even easier) with a ten-minute reheat-and-cook while the turkey is resting, one can be completely made earlier and simply plated with a little garnish just before serving, and the other is just a simple assembly job that can be done in minutes, as long as you do a little bit of prep at a convenient moment beforehand.

Christmas Starter One: Apple and Celery Soup

Ingredients – serves four, multiply accordingly

Two medium-to-large sweet, crunchy eating apples

Two stalks of celery

A few celery leaves, shredded, and a little fresh parsley, chopped fine, as garnishes

One pint/600ml good vegetable stock (this is the cheat, you can buy this ready-made from a good deli or supermarket – but don’t make it up from cubes or bouillon powder, it just won’t cut it as the stock is too “exposed” in this recipe)

(Or, to make your own simple vegetable stock: this is REALLY EASY!

2 carrots, I medium onion, two sticks celery, 2 bay leaves, 6-8 parsley stalks, 8-10 whole black peppercorns, 1 and a quarter pints/750ml water.

Wash and peel the veg as necessary, then roughly chop, add to the water in a pan with the other ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for twenty to thirty minutes.  Strain out all the veg, herbs and peppercorns and discard them, then bring liquid back to the boil and reduce to approximately 1 pint/600ml in volume.  Add salt as required, then set aside until needed, refrigerating if necessary.)

Apple and Celery Soup: Method

Bring the store-bought or home-made stock to the boil.  De-string the celery and chop it to a small dice.  Add to the stock, bring back to boil, and reduce to simmer.  Working quickly so the pieces don’t brown, cut the apples (unpeeled) into small dice, discarding the core and pips, and add to the stock.  The soup should be ready after two to three minutes, but test a piece of celery and apple for done-ness.  Serve into individual bowls, garnish each with the shredded celery leaf and parsley – you can add a few croutons, or serve with a very small piece of french bread.

Christmas Starter Two: Fruit Medley

Serving what is effectively a fruit salad as a starter may seem strange, but it works well without being filling.

Christmas Fruit Medley Starter: Ingredients

A selection of fruit – either bite-sized, or cut into bite sized pieces: depending on where you are in the world, and the season.  Use what you like, and what’s good locally to you.  Suggestions: physalis/cape gooseberry (loose leaves peeled back), grapes (red and green, preferably seedless), cubes or small chunks of melon, strawberries halved or quartered if large.

Lemon juice and/or balsamic or raspberry vinegar

A sprig or two of mint per plate

Christmas Fruit Medley Starter: Method

Whenever you have the time on Christmas Day, do any necessary prep on the fruit; peeling/chopping etc – store in acidulated water or lemon juice until ready to assemble.

Per person: make a small pile of the mixed fruit, just off-centre of a (preferably) plain white plate.  Drizzle with lemon juice/balsamic vinegar/raspberry vinegar.  Garnish with a sprig of mint.  Serve.  Very light, very easy.

Christmas Starter Three: Smoked Salmon Pate

And this is my very own Christmas Cheat – I’m going to direct you to a recipe that I wrote and posted earlier. The quantities I give produce around a pound/half kilo of finished pate, so if served with a simple salad garnish and perhaps a slice of toast, should provide eight or so reasonable portions.

Smoked Salmon Pate Recipe and Method

Get Ahead for Your Christmas Cooking: Planning Your Christmas Kitchen

Get Ahead for Your Christmas Cooking: Planning Your Christmas Kitchen

Christmas is coming with a rush, so I thought it would be a good time to give the links to some useful Christmas Kitchen and Christmas Cooking posts I made last year.  I’ve given a little preview for each link so you can know what to expect when you click on!

Christmas Pudding: it’s not too late to make your own Christmas Pudding from this very old and absolutely wonderful recipe.  Yes, you can make them months (even a year!) in advance, but I’ve made this very late some years and it still turns out splendidly, even without a “maturing” period.

Traditional Christmas Pudding Recipe - The First Christmas Pudding

On the subject of Christmas Pudding, last year the trend was very much towards celebrity  “mad professor” chef Heston Blumenthal’s Orange Christmas Pudding –  they sold out very fast and were changing hands on eBay for ridiculous amounts.  This was my take on the idea.

Heston Blumenthal Style Orange Christmas Pudding Recipe

I enjoy my turkey on Christmas Day, and while there are always ideas for alternatives such as goose, capon, venison etc I still stick up for the big bird.  You can read why here:

In Defense of the Christmas Turkey

This is the big one and got a LOT of visitors last year, not least because it got a mention on the BBC website’s foodie pages (OK, being honest, it was me who mentioned it there, but it drew a lot of traffic!)  Here’s as step-by-step a guide to Cooking Christmas Dinner the Stress-Free Way as you can get without someone being actually there to hold your hand.

The Stress-Free Guide to Cooking Christmas Dinner

Pigs in Blankets (sausages wrapped in bacon) are a lovely traditional accompaniment to Christmas Dinner, so here’s an easy recipe and method for preparing them, along with a use for the bacon rinds.

Pigs in Blankets (Sausages in Bacon) Recipe

And finally for now, here’s my guide to the perfect cooking of Brussels Sprouts, which teaches you the sneaky chef’s and caterer’s way to pre-cook, refresh and reheat veggies – giving you really vibrant colour, taste and texture while relieving the pressure of timing yet more pots and pans on the big day!

How to cook Brussels Sprouts Perfectly

Hope the above is useful to you, and in the meantime, also hope all your planning, preparing and shopping is going well.

Roasted Tomatoes Recipe – Simple and Delicious

Roasted Tomatoes Recipe – simple and delicious

These delicious Roasted Tomatoes are such a simple recipe, yet have so many uses: serve with roasted meats, as part of a cooked breakfast, crushed onto toasted crusty bread, part of the ingredients for home-made pizza, or cold as part of a salad or in a sandwich with a good cheese.  They keep well in the fridge for a few days, so make a big batch and then use cold or reheated as you like.

The tomatoes need to be ripe but still fairly firm: of course, you will buy good, flavoursome tomatoes, and not the woolly, tasteless hothouse variety.  However, this Roast Tomato Recipe will work well even if the only tomatoes you have been able to find are of the mediocre variety: the olive oil, garlic, seasonings and herbs give punch added to the sweetness and depth of flavour of the caramelisation effect from the roasting.

Use any size tomatoes you like, adjusting the cooking time accordingly, but I would still cut them in half even if using little cherry tomatoes, as we want them to retain some of their shape and texture after cooking.  However, a very good variation on this recipe is to roast small tomatoes whole: they will burst, and generally “mush” down to a thick, very flavoursome tomato sauce, for which you will also find many uses.

Roast Tomato Recipe – Ingredients

As many good flavoured, ripe and reasonably firm tomatoes as you like, cut in half

Garlic cloves, peeled, quantity to your taste – I would suggest on clove of garlic for every one or two tomatoes

Good sea salt, such as Maldon, and plenty of freshly milled or crushed black pepper

Olive oil, enough to lubricate the pan and get a good coating onto the tomatoes when shaken around

Herbs, as available and as you like, fresh where possible.  Basil is good here, as are Rosemary, Oregano/Marjoram and Bay or a mixture.  That emergency pack of mixed dried herbs you have at the back of your cupboard will do quite well here too, as the cooking time allows the flavours to come out and develop.

Roast Tomato Recipe – Method

Pre-heat the oven to fairly hot – 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.  Put a suitable sized roasting tin or pan into the oven to pre-heat while you prepare the tomatoes.

Cut the tomatoes in half.  Peel the garlic: you have several options here – cut the garlic into slivers and insert into little slits you make in the tomatoes, crush the garlic and sprinkle over the tomatoes in the last five minutes or so of the cooking time (any earlier and crushed garlic will burn at these temperatures) or as I often do, just peel the garlic and pop them into the pan whole, which gives a gentle garlicky flavour to the whole dish, and leaves you with lovely chewy, toffee-like garlic morsels to munch on.

Once the oven and pan are to the required temperature, put the cut tomatoes in the pan with the garlic (see previous paragraph), the herbs, the salt and pepper, and a good slug of oil, shaking it all around so all is well-coated.  Put into oven, and have a look after fifteen minutes.  Depending on the tomatoes you have used, they could be done by now, but most likely will need further cooking.  Turn the tomatoes as necessary, then return to the oven until done – probably around twenty five minutes in all.

Cook’s Tip: if the tomatoes are not particularly sweet (taste one before you start!) you can add a little caster/confectioner’s sugar along with the herbs and seasonings.

Brussels Sprouts: The Right Way to Cook Them

Brussels Sprouts: The Right Way to Cook Them

Firstly, Brussels Sprouts are not just for Christmas: they are a useful autumn and winter vegetable, and are widely available.  Secondly, Brussels Sprouts get a bad press. Cooked incorrectly, they are limp, soggy and smell of sulphur; hardly the most attractive addition to any meal.  However, it is very easy to cook Brussels Sprouts the right way, so they retain bite and develop a delicious nutty flavour.

The method I’m recommending uses the professional chef’s technique known as “refreshing,” which can also be used in the preparation of many other vegetables. Not only does it take the hassle out of your timings, as the main cooking is done well in advance at your convenience, but it also preserves the colour, flavour and texture of your veg to perfection.

Note that I do the initial cooking of the Brussels Sprouts (and most of my other vegetables) in UNSALTED water.  I prefer to add salt either at the final cooking, at the table, or not at all.  I have done numerous tests over the years, and believe that the presence or not of salt makes no difference to the colour.  To get a pleasing saltiness into the vegetable needs so much salt in the cooking water that it is both wasteful and uneconomical.  Far better to add whatever salt you need later, when it will be far more effective.

Buying Brussels Sprouts: Quantity Guide

You will lose around 10 percent of the vegetable in the trimming, so buy a little more of the raw, unprepared weight than you will need per portion, which will of course depend on your appetite and what other vegetables you are serving.

Cooking Brussels Sprouts: Method – Pre-Cooking and Refreshing

Cut any stalk away from the sprout, and remove any loose or discoloured outer leaves.  If the sprouts are large, cut a cross into the stalk end, which will help the heat penetrate, keeping the cooking time down and therefore leading to a perfectly cooked and non-soggy sprout.  (I suppose I should say here that some cooks and chefs completely disagree, and claim that the cut cross is MORE likely to lead to soggy sprouts!)

Bring a large pan of unsalted water to the boil, plunge in the Brussels, return to the boil then reduce the heat to a busy simmer – the sprouts should be able to cook fairly quickly, but not so agitated that they bash about in the water, thus loosening too many of the outer leaves.

After around three minutes (depending on the size of your sprouts) take one out of the water, cut in half and test for done-ness.  The tip of a sharp knife should penetrate reasonably easily, and/or the Brussels should be cooked through and piping hot in the middle, but still firm to the bite (al dente).  If not ready, continue to cook and test in two minute cycles until done.

As soon as the Brussels Sprouts are cooked to your liking (or preferably a fraction undercooked) strain the veg, and run under the tap until quite cold.  This prevents them from any further cooking due to residual heat, and preserves the maximum flavour, texture and colour.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cooking Brussels Sprouts: Method – Reheating and/or Second Cooking

The two simplest methods to reheat your Brussels Sprouts (and any other vegetables you have prepared using the pre-cook/refresh method) are to either plunge them into a large pan of boiling water for a minute or two, or microwave, moistened with a splash of water and covered in kitchen film, also for a minute or two, until piping hot.

The method I prefer, which really brings out the nutty flavour of the sprouts, is only a little more complicated.  Put a good knob of butter and a tablespoon of water, along with a generous seasoning of salt and freshly ground black pepper onto a medium to high heat.  Once the butter is foaming, but before it begins to brown, tip in the Sprouts, continuing to shake and agitate the pan so the vegetables are well coated in the seasoned butter.  The small amount of water generates steam, which helps the Brussels reheat, and also helps to stop the butter burning.  Serve immediately the Brussels Sprouts develop a few golden brown patches and produce a wonderful nutty aroma, which takes a couple of minutes.

To really bring out the nuttiness, you can also add a few pinches of flaked almonds to the pan – be very careful not to let them burn.

If you were put off Brussels Sprouts in the past from them being overcooked, flabby and sulphurous, I hope this method will convince you to give them another try, and discover just how delicious these mini-cabbages really are.  Like I said in the introduction, Brussels Sprouts are not just for Christmas (although they will certainly accompany my turkey) and are a tasty winter vegetable for so many meals.

Fish Head Stew – Economy Recipe

Fish Head Stew – Economy Recipe

There are so many reasons why I include this recipe for Fish Head Stew, even though I realise that the title alone may make some readers recoil in horror.  Stick with me though, and I’ll explain why Fish Head Stew, and the right kind of Economy Recipes are a good thing, whatever your budget.

First of all, though, let’s get one thing straight: I’m not asking you to go rootling around in bins for rotten old bits of fish that the cat wouldn’t look at.  We are going to use very fresh, perfectly good fish here; just some of the bits that would often be cut away and discarded.

Although the main thrust of The Guerilla Griller has always been to encourage new, inexperienced and nervous cooks into the kitchen, my secondary agenda is that good food need not, in fact most often should not, be expensive. 

This recipe is indeed all about buying (or saving, or reusing, or begging) the good cuts or bits of the fish (and the beast and the veg patch for that matter) that do not achieve premium prices at the market, but are none the worse for that – we are looking for the undiscovered gems, if you like; the perfectly good ingredients that would otherwise be thrown away, or at least sold very cheaply.

This recipe for Fish Head Stew works, and is delicious if you follow the ingredient list and method, but that’s not really the point.  By all means go to the fishmonger, or a fisherman friend if you have one, and see if they have a Conger head and tail, as I did.  If not, see if they have any other suitable large fish heads, or ask them to save them for you when next they are filleting or cutting steaks.  Or buy a nice whole fish or two for another recipe and keep the head(s) and tail(s) for this one.

And, forgive me for banging the drum one more time: it’s not even necessarily a fish recipe.  Use the same principles for anything else that may either be sold very cheaply or even thrown away but that with the right cooking could give you a good meal.

I used Conger Eel here, but you could use other large, meaty fish, preferably cut so there is a good “collar” or “shoulder” of meat.  As I know some of you will live in parts of the world where “large” could mean you couldn’t fit it into your car to get it home, let alone fit it into your pot, as a rough guide, I’m talking a head and neck around the size of a man’s clenched fist and wrist.  Rather than list species, any off-cut with a decent amount of meat left on will do – but do make sure to descale the fish if necessary.  As I have no idea what you’re going to use, timings are of course approximate.

The recipe feeds two, but multiply/adapt to your needs, and the size of the fish heads you have found.  There is not much meat (if any) on the part of the Conger tail that is usually off-cut, but it will add flavour to the stewing juices as they develop.

Fish Head Stew recipe: Ingredients

One or two Conger Eel Head(s) and Tail(s)

Two or three medium carrots, peeled and sliced into chunky rounds

One medium leek, cleaned and cut into rounds as carrots, discarding the toughest part of the green end

Four plump cloves of garlic, peeled but otherwise whole

Enough hot stock to cover the veg (fresh veg or fish stock if you can, but a dissolved cube or bouillon powder will do if that’s all you have)

A pinch or two of mixed dried herbs or fresh herbs of your choice

A small splash (about a tablespoon) of oil

Plenty of salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fish Head Stew recipe: Method

Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the prepared veg for a few minutes until they begin to take on a little colour, adding the garlic last so it doesn’t burn.  Add the stock, bring back to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Add the herbs, and stir well.  Place the fish head(s) and tail(s) onto the veg and cover the pan with a lid.  After ten minutes, turn the fish upside down.  The fish and the vegetables should be ready in another ten minutes.

Double-check that the flesh is cooked right through: if not, cook for a little longer.

When the fish is ready, you have the choice to plonk the head on the plate, surrounded by the veg and its juices, and hack away at it at the table with your knife and fork, which will be very primally satisfying, if a little messy.  You can be a little more refined and carve away the meat from the head on your chopping board.  Check all round the head for meaty bits; some fish have really worthwhile “cheeks” and other pockets of flesh that you don’t want to miss.

I hope you get over any squeamishness you may have about Fish Head Stew (it’s looking back at me!) and realise that it is simply a very cheap (even free) way of getting some very tasty fish onto your plate.

Salmon and Broccoli Bake Recipe

Salmon and Broccoli Bake Recipe

This Salmon and Broccoli Bake recipe is delicious and very easy, although the preparation takes a while, as you have to pre-cook the salmon and broccoli and make a cheese sauce.  The results are worth it, though, as you can do the prep and assemble the bake way ahead of time (even a day or two before) and then have it all ready to pop in the oven when you need it.

I have given the ingredients for one person, so just multiply as required.  Use any suitable oven-proof dish whether metal, heatproof glass or ceramic.

Fish can lose 10-20% of its raw weight when cooked, so take this into account when buying your ingredients.

You can use left-over cooked salmon for this recipe, or simply cube skinned and boned raw salmon, and poach in simmering water for five to ten minutes until cooked through.  To pre-cook the broccoli, cut into small bite-sized florets and put into boiling water for three to four minutes.  As soon as it is al dente (cooked, but still with a bite) run under the cold tap to preserve the colour and to stop any further cooking from residual heat.

 

Salmon and Broccoli Bake Recipe: Ingredients for one person – multiply as required

4oz/115g cooked salmon (see above) all skin and bone removed.

4oz/115g cooked, cold broccoli florets (see above)

For the Cheese Sauce:

half ounce/15g butter

half ounce/15g plain/general purpose flour

half pint/290ml milk

2-3oz/55-85g full flavour grated cheese (such as cheddar, gruyere, parmesan or a mixture) to taste

salt and white pepper to taste

To sprinkle on top before baking:

1-2oz/30-55g of dry breadcrumbs or pinhead oats

finely chopped fresh parsley – quantity to your taste

a little more grated cheese – quantity to your taste

Salmon and Broccoli Bake Recipe: Method

Cook salmon and broccoli as in introduction, or use leftovers.

To make the cheese sauce: (in-depth white sauce recipe and method here)

Either in a microwave, double boiler or heavy non-stick pan, melt the butter and flour together, and cook over a gentle heat for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally until the butter and flour look almost dry and a little like breadcrumbs.  Add about a third of the milk, stir or whisk well to remove any lumps, and continue to cook for a few minutes longer.  When smooth, whisk in the rest of the milk, and continue to cook until thickened – this may take twenty minutes or longer, depending on your chosen method.

Remove from the heat, and add the grated cheese, stirring until it has melted into the sauce.  Add the pepper, and if necessary salt (cheese can be quite salty) and whisk well.

Break up the salmon a little (not too finely) and mix with the broccoli florets in your chosen baking dish.  Cover with the cheese sauce, leaving little islands of broccoli poking out if you are feeling artistic.  Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs/pinhead oats, a little more grated cheese to your taste (don’t swamp it) and a pinch or two of the chopped parsley.

You can now store this in the refrigerator for use in the next day or two, or cook right away.

Put in a medium oven 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for twenty five minutes or so.  Test the middle with a temperature probe or skewer to make sure it is thoroughly heated through and piping hot.  If you wish, place under a hot grill for a minute or two to brown the top.

Bacon and Avocado Omelette Recipe

Bacon and Avocado Omelette Recipe

This Bacon and Avocado Omelette recipe is one of those great flavour and texture combinations that really work: we know how eggs and bacon compliment each other, and here the creamy avocado chunks add another dimension.  As usual, I’m going to emphasise the quality (and morality) issue – use free range eggs and proper dry-cured bacon from pigs that have been outside-reared.  If your grocer/butcher/supermarket can’t assure you of this, spend your money elsewhere.  Make sure the avocado is ripe, but not over-ripe.  You want it to (just) be able to hold its shape when you cut it into chunks and cook it.

How to prepare the avocado: cut down to the stone with a sharp knife, then run it around lengthways until you have “completed the circle” and can lever the avocado apart.  The stone will almost always remain attached to one half.  Gently cut a little way into the stone with your knife, and then you should be able to remove it with a twisting action.  Take care removing the stone from the knife; avocados are slippery. Now make six to eight cuts through the flesh right down to, but not through, the skin.  Make another six to eight cuts at ninety degrees to the first; you should now have a sort of diamond pattern.  Turn the skin inside out, and you will be able to easily remove the avocado chunks.  If you are not using them immediately, put in a bowl with some lemon juice to stop them turning brown.

Bacon and Avocado Omelette Recipe: Ingredients

Two rashers of your favourite bacon (I use unsmoked streaky) cut into dice or small strips.

Two to three free-range eggs, depending on their size and your appetite, beaten

Half an avocado, in small chunks as above

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A little oil

A little butter (optional)

Bacon and Avocado Omelette Recipe: Method

Heat a heavy based non-stick pan, and add a little oil.  Put in the bacon pieces, and cook for three to five minutes until the bacon fat is running and the pieces are turning golden brown.  Add the avocado pieces to the pan, and continue to cook for a minute or two, stirring as necessary – adding a little butter at this stage will help the colour and add even more richness.  Season the beaten egg with salt and pepper, then add the eggs to the pan.  Turn the eggs with a fork until the ingredients are well amalgamated.  When the omelette is firm enough, fold it in half.  If you like your omelettes very moist, turn out now onto a warmed plate and serve, otherwise continue to cook (flipping over after a minute or so) until it is done to your liking.

The Bacon and Avocado Omelette can be served as a breakfast, lunch or supper dish, with the accompaniments of your choice.