Frenchay: Recipe of the Month - frenchay.news archive

Curry Sauce

1/3/2021

This recipe is one that I have had for too many years to admit to and is made in the microwave. It is a really good standby to have in the freezer, divided into portions and can be used with meat, fish, veg or eggs.

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
25gms butter
1 tablespoon oil
3 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoon tomato puree
Pinch ground cloves

2 tablespoon chutney
Pinch cayenne pepper
salt and ground pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon black treacle
450mls hot chicken or vegetable stock (preferably homemade)
A few drops of Worcestershire sauce

Method

Place onion, garlic, butter and oil in a bowl and microwave for 4 mins stirring twice during the cooking time.
Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Use immediately or leave to cool and divide into portions and freeze. The flavour of the sauce improves with freezing.

The Tidy Cook

Chicken Stock

1/11/2020

Once the chicken roast has been eaten the leftover carcass will make a great stock for making soups, gravy and sauces during the cold months ahead.

Crush or break up the carcass and put into a stockpot or large pan with 2 quartered onions. Don’t peel the onions as the skin gives the stock a good colour.
Add 2 chopped large carrots (washed but not peeled) 2 chopped sticks of celery and add a sprig of thyme, a bay leaf and a few parsley stalks or 2 bouquet garni bags (bouquet garni can be bought in the supermarket where you find the herbs).
Add several black pepper corns (ground black pepper can make the stock bitter). Add water to cover all ingredients and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and half cover the pan then simmer for about an hour and a half to 2 hours. Check the liquid does not run too low, top up if necessary.
Leave to cool down and then strain the stock through a fine sieve into an appropriate bowl or container and cover. Discard the carcass and solids (I wrap it in newspaper) into your food waste bin. When completely cold put in the fridge overnight.
Remove and dispose of the solidified fat that will form on the top of the stock. Use the stock within 3 days or freeze in half litres to be used in the next 3 months.

Useful tips –

Keep a bag in the freezer for your stock of onion skins, bits of carrot, celery or mushroom, left over herbs etc rather than put them in the waste.
If you defrost some stock and don’t use it don’t throw it out just bring it back to the boil for a few minutes, cool and refreeze it for another day.
Always label anything in the freezer including the date.

I hope you will find making use of what might otherwise be waste satisfying.

The Tidy Gardener

Tomatoes and Bacon

1/10/2020

This is a great recipe for brunch or lunch, especially if you are lucky enough to have tomatoes still ripening in your greenhouse. It’s so simple but makes bacon and tomatoes just a bit special.

Use any colour and size of tomato. Allow the equivalent of 3 medium sized tomatoes per person. Smoked streaky is my favourite, but any kind of bacon will work.

Method

1. Remove the tomato skins:

Put the tomatoes in a bowl large enough to allow them to be covered with boiling water.
Put the bowl in the kitchen sink. (This saves any need to carry the bowl across the kitchen which is not a good idea when full of boiling water!)
Boil a kettle of water and pour immediately over the tomatoes.
Allow to stand for a few minutes and push the tomatoes under the surface as they float. The skins will split when they are “cooked” on the surface, you can test this by just nicking the skin with a pointed knife to cause them to split. As soon as this happens pour out the boiling water and run cold water over the tomatoes. Slip the skins off and discard.

2. Roughly chop the tomatoes up into a saucepan.
3. Season with salt, pepper and brown sugar according to taste.
4. Put the saucepan on a gentle heat and cook slowly so the tomatoes don’t go into a mush.
5. Whilst the tomatoes are cooking grill the bacon and make a slice of toast per person

To serve, butter your toast and put on a hot plate. Pile the tomatoes onto the toast and top with the bacon. Yummy!!!

Enjoy,
The Tidy Gardener

Tuna and Avocado Salad

1/9/2020

This is a great recipe for a starter, easy lunch or picnic. It is one of our favourites and has been in my recipe box for ever. Serves 4.

Ingredients

2 ripe avocados
1 tsp of lemon juice
160g tin of tuna in oil
2 tbsp mayonnaise
½ tsp wholegrain mustard
salt and pepper

Method

Halve the avocado and remove the stones.
Carefully scoop out the flesh and chop up putting it into a bowl with the lemon juice and coat the avocado with the lemon juice.
Drain the oil from the tuna into a second bowl.
Flake the tuna in with the avocado.
Mix the mayonnaise and mustard with the fishy oil and season to taste.
Pour over the avocado and tuna and mix well.

Serve in the avocado shells or on a bed of finely sliced lettuce. Enjoy.

The Tidy Gardener

Quick & Easy Raspberry Jam (no pectin)

1/8/2020

Rather than buying raspberries in the supermarket, have a fun time out in the fresh air and pick your own. I have used St Alban’s Farm Nursery in Pucklechuch for over 20 years.

Makes 2 jars (900 mls in total).

Before starting to cook
Put 2-3 saucers in the freezer.
Sterilise 2 x 450mi jars and lids:

wash in soapy water or the dishwasher.
Fill the jars with boiling water, empty and then put in oven until the jam is made at 140degs C.
Put the lids in boiling water and leave to drain.

Ingredients
800g raspberries rinsed and dried
700g granulated sugar
5 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

Put the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice into a preserving pan or similar.
Place pan over a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, until all the sugar crystals have dissolved. You can usually tell by running a wooden spoon over the bottom of the pan.
Add a small knob of butter into the mix to dissipate the scum that collects on top
Bring the pan to a rolling boil and time for 7 minutes.
Take pan off the heat and place a few drops of jam onto a chilled saucer.
Place saucer in fridge for about a minute.
Test the set by running your finger through the jam, if it forms a crinkle and is gel like then the jam is ready to pot up.
If the jam isn’t ready, continue boiling for another 2 minutes at a time and re-test until ready (mine took 9 minutes).
Use a small ladle to pot up the jam in sterilised jars and seal with lids immediately

Store in a cool dark place and refrigerate once opened

The Tidy Gardener

Sardines and Salad on Toast

1/7/2020

submitted by the Tidy Gardener ...

This recipe was found by my husband during lockdown and he produced it one glorious day for lunch outside as a surprise. It is simple but really delicious and we have had it several times over the last couple of months. Serves 2.

Ingredients

Half a good sized red onion - finely chopped
2 tbsp small capers - chopped
1 stick of celery - finely chopped
A medium handful of parsley - roughly chopped

1 tin of sardines in oil (adding a little more olive oil if needed)
2 dessert spoons of good quality mayonnaise
2 slices of sourdough for toast
Small lettuce and tomato salad to serve.

Method

Put the prepared onion, capers, celery and parsley in a bowl and mix together well.
Add the oil from the sardines and the mayonnaise and mix everything well.
Toast the sourdough and spread the sardines onto the toast.
Spoon the prepared mixture on top of the sardines and garnish with a sprig of parsley.
Serve with a small lettuce and tomato salad on the side and enjoy!

Lemon Syllabub

1/3/2020

submitted by the Tidy Gardener ...

This is a quick and easy dessert for a supper party and looks very pretty served in individual goblets, wine glasses or small bowls. Serves 4-6.

Ingredients

1 large lemon
4 fl oz. dry or medium white wine
3-4 tablespoons of caster sugar
10 fl oz. carton of double cream (I use Elmlea)
chopped pistachio nuts or crushed pralines to decorate

Method

Grate the rind delicately off the lemon so there is no trace of pith.
Put in a bowl with the lemon juice, wine and 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Leave to infuse for an hour or so, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.
Strain out the lemon rind just before using.
Put into a large mixing bowl and gradually add the cream, whisking steadily until the mixture stands in peaks.
Taste and add more sugar if necessary.
Spoon the syllabub into individual goblets, glasses or bowls
Chill in the fridge if there is time. It can be served immediately or left overnight.
Decorate with chopped pistachio or crushed pralines and serve with French tulle biscuits.

Tomato Chowder

1/2/2020

by the 'Tidy Gardener' ...

This is a great recipe using ingredients from the store cupboard and fridge. This very quick chowder is sweet and spicy in flavour and serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients

295ml can of condensed tomato soup, undiluted
400ml milk
400g can of tomatoes, sieved
340g can of sweet corn, drained

15ml Worcestershire sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper
100g grated cheddar cheese to finish

Method

Combine all the ingredients except the cheese in a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally.
Pour into a hot serving bowl or individual bowls and sprinkle with the grated cheese.
Put under a preheated grill hot grill for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts and is bubbling.
Serve immediately.

Cheese Fondue

1/1/2020

a companionable feast for a cold winter day (serves 4) ...

Ingredients

1 clove garlic
¼ pint / 0.15 litres dry white wine
8 oz / 225 g Cheddar cheese (grated)
8 oz / 225 g Gruyère cheese (grated)
1 teaspoon cornflour

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon castor sugar
1 tablespoon kirsch
½ teaspoon dry mustard
freshly ground black pepper

Method

Rub the inside of a fondue pan with the cut clove of garlic.
Reserve 1 tablespoon of wine and heat the rest gently in the pan.
Add the cheeses and stir until melted.
Mix the reserved wine with the cornflour, lemon juice, sugar, kirsch, mustard and black pepper.
Stir into the fondue and cook until thickened.

Serve with sticks of celery, carrot, and cubes of French bread to pierce with a fork and dip into the fondue. (If you lose your bread in the fondue, you traditionally provide the next bottle of wine!)

Smoked Mackerel Paté

1/12/2019

submitted by the Tidy Gardener ...

This recipe will be a change from Christmas fare with the added advantage of being quick and easy. It is perfect for a light lunch with hot toast and a salad, spread on small crackers and garnished with little chopped cucumber or tomato as canapés or as a starter. I buy peppered smoked mackerel for extra flavour. It can be made the day before needed.

Ingredients
225 g smoked mackerel fillet, carefully skinned and boned
200 g reduced fat soft cheese
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1 – 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Season to taste.
Garnish with any of these: lemon slices, tomato, cucumber or parsley
Chill until required.

Enjoy!