Jacko was a dear friend who gave us this for supper in the south of France one evening and mistakenly put in a tablespoon of salt!!!!

Ingredients

• 450g pork fillet
• 25g butter
• 200ml double cream
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp curry paste
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 1 tbsp snipped chives to garnish

Method

• Cut the pork into 8 thick slices. Flatten each slice slightly with your knuckles.
• Heat the butter in a frying pan until melted. Add the pork and cook for a few minutes each side until browned.
• Add cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the pork is cooked through.
• Remove pork with a slotted spoon and transfer to a warm serving plate. Add salt, soy sauce, curry paste and brandy to pan, stirring well to combine.
• Bring to the boil for 30 seconds and then pour over the pork and garnish with snipped chives.

Serves 4 and needs a green vegetable with something to mop up the yummy sauce like mash potato.

Enjoy! The Tidy Cook

I have a niece who is now in her 40’s but has been passionate about the world we live in since she was very young and became a vegetarian many years ago and in recent years has gone a step further and is now a vegan. I am mindful that many people are interested in cutting their consumption of meat and are moving towards having more vegetable based meals so I thought I would consult my niece for some tried and tested recipes occasionally for those of you who that are of the same mindset..... so here is the first one that she bought back from New Zealand 

Vegan Tofu and Spinach Lasagne

Ingredients

Tomato Sauce

• Olive oil - 2 Tbsp
• Onion, chopped finely - 1
• Cloves garlic, crushed - 2
• Tin chopped tomatoes - 400 g
• Tomato paste - 2 Tbsp
• Dried oregano - 1 tsp
• Balsamic vinegar - 2 tsp

Filling 

• Olive oil - 2 Tbsp
• Cloves garlic, sliced - 2
• Mushrooms, sliced - 250 g
• Dried oregano - 1/2 tsp
• Spinach - 150 g
• Tofu, crumbled - 400 g
• Lemon for zest and juice - 1
• Vegan cheese, grated - 150 g
• Toasted pine nuts, plus more to garnish - 1/4 cup 
• Eggless lasagne sheets 6—7

Method

Preheat an oven to 180C.

Sauce: In a large pot, warm the oil on a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic cooking for 3 or 4 minutes to soften. Add the tomatoes, oregano, tomato paste and balsamic. Bring to a simmer for 15 minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the basil leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the filling, heat the oil in a frying pan on medium. Add the garlic, mushrooms and oregano cooking for a few minutes to soften. Add the spinach, tofu and pine nuts. Remove from the heat and add the lemon and half the cheese.
Season with salt and pepper.

To assemble, in a 20 x 20cm oven proof dish, spread a little tomato sauce, cover with lasagne sheets, tofu mixture, then tomato sauce again. Repeat, making sure to finish with tofu. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover with tin foil and place in the oven for 35 minutes.

Remove the foil, drizzle a little olive oil and bake for a further 25 minutes until crispy and golden.

Serve hot with some toasted pine nuts and basil leaves.

Go on, try something different you might enjoy it!!

The Tidy Cook

This is a great dessert for a Christmas party with family and friends and an alternative to Christmas pudding. The Pavlova can be made up to a month ahead and after wrapping it in cling film and foil can be stored in a cool place. 

Christmas Pavlova

This will serve 12 -15

Ingredients

For the Pavlova

• 6 large egg whites
• 350g caster sugar
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp cornflour

Decoration

• Mint leaves and icing sugar for dusting

For the filling

• 600ml double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 50g icing sugar, sifted
• 200g strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 300g raspberries
• 200g blueberries

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3
2. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment and draw a 30cm circle in the middle of the paper. Draw a 15cm circle in the centre of the larger circle to make a ring.
3. With an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks when the whisk is removed. Whisking on maximum speed gradually add the sugar a teaspoon a time until they are soft and glossy. Mix the vinegar and cornflour in a cup and stir into the egg whites in the meringue.
4. Spoon the meringue onto the ring drawn on the baking parchment. With a large spoon make a shallow trench in the meringue for the fruit and cream to sit in. 
5. Transfer to the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 140C/120C/Gas 1. Bake for an hour to an hour and a quarter until the outside is hard but still white. Turn off the oven and leave the Pavlova inside for an hour or overnight to cool and dry.
6. To assemble, whip the cream, vanilla paste and icing sugar until stiff peaks form when the whisk is removed. Spoon the cream into the trench in the meringue. Arrange the fruit on top and decorate with a few mint leaves and sift over icing sugar before serving. 

Season’s greetings to everyone and enjoy

The Tidy Cook 

This is a dessert to serve 8 - 12 people and is yummy served warm with some cream or just as a slice with your tea.

Ingedients

• 250 gm flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 3 Bramley apples, peeled and cored
• 150 gm golden caster sugar
• 150 gm melted butter
• 3 eggs, beaten
• Topping - 1 tbsp honey and ¼ tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 c, gas mark 4. Grease and base line a 23 cm round loose bottomed tin with baking parchment.
   
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and 1 tsp cinnamon into a large bowl and stir in the sugar. Cut 2 apples into 1 cm dice and add to the flour. Mix in the melted butter and then the eggs. Spoon into the tin.
3. Slice the remaining apple and arrange on the top of the cake and bake for 50-55 minutes until golden and cooked throughout.
4. Whilst still warm, mix the honey with the remaining cinnamon and brush over the top of the cake. Allow to cool before removing from the tin.
   

From White Chimneys Kitchen The Tidy Cook

Apples have not been good on my Bramley apple tree this year but I am fortunate to have a friend in the village that has more than they can use so as well as making the crumbles that are so yummy. I make puree and freeze it. The Apple Snow recipe below is very popular with children and can be enhanced with a bit of sherry for adults!!

Apple Puree
Peel, Core and slice about 500gms of cooking apples into a saucepan with just enough water to keep them from burning; 2 to 3tbsps should be enough. Cover and cook steadily until they are soft and frothy. Stir in approx. 2 tbsps. of sugar but this will be according to taste as some apples are sweeter than others. Cool and freeze in portions.

Apple Snow
450mls apple puree, freshly made or thawed from frozen /5 - 6 trifle sponges /500mls milk /2 eggs /approx. 2 tbsps. sugar /(For adult version 4-5 tbsps. sherry)

Slice the sponges into 6 pieces and put them in a dish in which the dessert will be served.
Make custard with the milk, custard powder and the egg yolks, and sweeten to taste.
If the pudding is for adults add 2-3 tablespoons of sherry to the custard and the rest over the sponge. Pour the hot custard over the sponge and leave to get cold. An hour or two before serving beat the egg whites very stiffly and fold them into the apple puree. Pile on top of the custard and chill until needed. Decorate with sugar sprinkles for the children or chopped pistachios for the adults.

Thanks to my generous neighbour for the apples.

The Tidy Cook

This is a deliciously light pudding with a top of spongy mousse and underneath a sharp lemon sauce. This recipe serves 8 but just cut all the ingredients in half to make a smaller one.

​Ingredients

• 4 eggs, separated
• Grated rind and juice of 2 large lemons
• 25 g butter
• 225 g caster sugar
• 50 g flour
• 475 ml milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven 400F/200C/gas mark 6. Grease a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish (900mls for half recipe).
   
2. ​Put the egg yolks, lemon rind and juice, butter, sugar and flour into a processor and blend well, and then add the milk through the funnel. (If you do not have a processor work the butter and sugar together, then add the egg yolks and flour and lastly the milk.) Beat the egg whites until firm and fold into the mixture. Pour into the greased dish. 
3. Place in a roasting tin; pour boiling water into the tin to come half way up the dish. 
4. Bake for 45 minutes and serve at once. It is also good cold.... allow to go cold and refrigerate. Serve with cream.
   

Happy cooking,

The Tidy Cook

Although this takes a bit of time, it looks intriguing and is a great addition to a special picnic. It can be made up to 4 days in advance and improves in flavour with a couple of days in the fridge. These ingredients will serve 2.

Ingredients

• 100gm chopped mixed dried fruits
• 50gm chopped mixed glace fruits
• 2 tablespoons of port
• 250gm cream cheese
• 100gm grated cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon grated orange peal
• Approx 150gm poppy seeds

Method

1. Combine the fruits in a bowl with the port, cover and stand for 1 to 2 hours.
   
2. Beat softened cream cheese and cheddar cheese together in and electric mixer, stir in the orange rind and fruit mixture. Cover and refrigerate for an hour. 
3. Roll mixture into log shape about 20cm in length, roll in poppy seeds, cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. 
4. Serve with cheese biscuits and grapes. 
   

This serves 4 and is very quick to cook after gathering and preparing the ingredients.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil         
• 4 skinless breasts of chicken cut into thin finger strips
• 1 bunch spring onions diagonally cut    
• 2 cloves of garlic crushed
• 2cm piece fresh ginger grated             
• 1 small red and yellow peppers sliced
• 75gm trimmed mangetout              
• 125gm mushrooms sliced
• 50gm shelled cashew nuts             
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce (I use the reduced salt)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar         
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon corn flour, blended in a little water

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok.
   
2. Add the chicken for a few minutes to seal the meat, stirring frequently.
3. Add the onions, garlic and the ginger and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
4. Stir in the peppers, mangetout, mushrooms, nuts, soy sauce, vinegar, most of the sesame seeds, the blended cornflour and season to taste.
5. Cook for 3-4 minutes stirring continually until the liquid is clear and the vegetables are just cooked. Sprinkle over the remaining sesame seeds.
6. Serve immediately with rice or noodles.   
   

The Tidy Cook

Ingredients

• 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
  
• 250 g mushrooms, cleaned and finely chopped
• 2 x 15 ml spoons of flour
• 1.25 Litres chicken stock
• Butter or oil for frying
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• To Serve :  150—300 ml fresh single cream, and fresh chopped parsley

Method
 
​Heat the butter or oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and mushrooms, cover and cook gently for 5mins. Stir in the flour and cook for a further 2mins. stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and very gradually add the chicken stock, then return to the heat and bring to the boil continuing to stir. Add the seasonings, lower the heat, half cover and simmer gently for 20mins. Before serving, remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the cream to taste, and top each bowl of soup with a good sprinkle of chopped parsley. Enjoy!
 
The Tidy Cook

This is a very pretty dessert, ideal for Easter. Forced rhubarb is available now and do seek out the best white chocolate you can: its creamy sweetness works well with the rhubarb’s tartness.

Ingredients

400g fresh rhubarb, chopped
3 tbsp sugar, plus extra to personal taste
7 strawberries, hulled and sliced
12 Bisconova Saliardi lady fingers
100ml dessert wine or Marsala
250g white chocolate, 200g chopped, 50g grated (I use more!!)
500ml double cream
Sugar sprinkles to decorate

​Method

1. Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl.  Bring the cream to the boil: pour over the chocolate.  Leave for a few minutes, then stir until smooth.  Cool for 2-3 hours.
2. Poach the rhubarb with the sugar in 2tbsp water for about 10mins. until it is soft and produced plenty of juice. Remove from the heat; add extra sugar to taste if needed.   Add the strawberries. Cool.
3. Arrange the lady fingers in the bottom of a large bowl.   Pour over the wine, then the cooled rhubarb; place in the fridge for about 3 hours.
4. Whip the white chocolate mixture until thick and creamy; spoon over the rhubarb.  Put back in the fridge.

​To serve, sprinkle with the grated white chocolate and sugar sprinkles
 
Wishing you all a very Happy Easter, from The Tidy Cook