Courgette / Zucchini Stacks

03 Thursday Aug 2017

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My friend Jean has an allotment she grows the most abundant beautiful fresh Vegetables – My treat is she drops bags and bags of to my kitchen

On this windy rainy English Summer Jean arrived with tons of Zucchini /we call Courgettes – I wanted to use them while so fresh, so here we go recipe Number one

I have decided you could make small bite size ones with chilies and serve them with a sour cream dip and beer Or any non alcoholic drinks. This is a very easy recipe.

    • 1 pound zucchini / Courgette grated or 3 large
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 Plain flour
    • 1/2 cups Fresh grated Parmesan
    • 1 cloves garlic made to a paste with a pinch of salt
    • 2 large egg, beaten I used 1 Duck Egg 1 Large Egg
    • 1 tsp Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoons olive oil or you can use fry light spray
    • 1 teaspoon mint chopped finely if fresh-or Mint jelly or mint sauce

     

  • In a colander over the sink. Grate your zucchini/courgettes sprinkle with salt and mix with your hands and leave for 10 minutes. Using a clean towel or Muslin cloth, drain the zucchini completely. Squeeze tight until no juice comes out.
  • In a large bowl place flour, Parmesan, garlic and egg and mix together to make a batter then add the Zucchini and mix really well.
  • Heat olive oil or fry light in a frying pan over medium high heat. Scoop tablespoons of the batter drop by drop flattening with a spatula, and cook until the underside is golden brown then flip to cook the other side. when both sides are golden, place on Kitchen roll to drain.
  • Sprinkle on a tad more salt.
    courgette3

    Mix

    courgettee5

    Cook

    courgette2

    Assemble

    Courgette1

  • Serve  hot with a sour cream dip.

 

 

 

Beer Can Chicken

25 Tuesday Jul 2017

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I have made this now for my #Dogs x x x Tee Hee x x x

cinders54's avatarcinders54

My First Beer -Can Chicken My First Beer -Can Chicken

1 whole Chicken

EVOO Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Whole Garlic bulb half crushed  half whole

 1 440mL beer can2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt and Pepper
Brush chicken all over with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper

Slip some crushed Garlic under the breast skin -rub the chicken with the rest of the crushed garlicCrack 0pen the beer can, pour out about 1/2 cup of the beer into a Glass and drink it  Add the remaining  whole garlic cloves and rosemary.Hold the chicken above the can of beer and slide the chicken over the can. Fold the wings back behind the chicken. Make sure the legs are in front of the can, supporting the chicken. Place the chicken inside a pan. Stood Up – I now have a Beer-can chicken holder (Amazon)Place the pan on the grates of a hot BBQ, put lid on…

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Cinders Traditional Guacamole

04 Tuesday Jul 2017

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Very Easy

  • 2 Avocados
  • 1 large on the vine tomato finely chopped
  • 1/2 a finely chopped Onion
  • A Bunch of Coriander

    (Cilantro) chopped finely

  • Lime juice 1 lime
  • 1 Clove garlic mashed to a paste
  • Pinch Salt and Pepper

To begin

1 Cut the Avocado in half remove the stone with the knife spoon out the flash onto a chopping board and chop into-chunks or make a smooth paste if you prefer

2 Chop the tomato and onion finely and mix into the Avocado

3 mix in the chopped Coriander / Cilantro

4 Sprinkle on the lime juice add salt and pepper to taste

Scrape into a bowl and place in the fridge for 30 minutes

 

Serve as a Dip or use in 7 layer dip or on a wrap

Delirious Delicious Love this I was taught this at the Guacamole Station in a Mexican Restaurant in #Katy #Houston   SIMPLY THE BEST X X X

 

 

 

 

Chop

Cinders 7 Layer Dip

04 Tuesday Jul 2017

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  • 7layer
  • 1 can refried beans I use Old El Paso (Love Old El Paso)
  • 1 container sour cream In England I use 300ml – 10.6fl oz  (Tesco) Freely available in the USA
  • 1/4 package Old El Paso Taco seasoning mixed into the Soured Cream
  • 1 (6 ounces) Red Leicester cheese or in America – Any popular Cheese
  • 1 Avocado made into  guacamole I make my own (But you may buy ready made)
  • I did make a South West Bean salsa (But you can use a bought plain salsa) In America Lots of choices
  • 2 large on the vine chopped tomatoes- For the topping
  • 4 sliced spring (green) onion
  • I used around 10 sliced black and green olives
  • Tortilla chips

Act One

There is only one so easy

  • Spread refried beans in shallow serving dish.

  • Mix sour cream and Taco Seasoning Mix in small bowl until well blended. Spread over refried beans.

    In Order

  • Top with layers of cheese then the guacamole, South West Salas, Then the very top with the Fresh -tomatoes, onions and olives.

    Place in the fridge for a couple of hours

    Serve 7 layer dip with tortilla chips

    Enjoy Family Favorite x x x

The Very Best Chicken- Beef Stock Ever

05 Thursday Jan 2017

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  • 2kg chicken wings I use about 24 chicken wings
  • 2 tbsp. skimmed milk powder
  • Extra Virgin Olive oil
  • 2 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 8 Large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 celery stalks chopped
  • 10 button mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • Large Pinch of Salt – Grinding of Pepper
  • Half bottle white wine
  • Any mixed herbs you have left over or fresh of your choosing You can use dried is you wish too

Act 1

Roughly Chop all the Vegetables, place in a large roasting tin with the peeled garlic

Place Chicken wings on top

Sprinkle over the Milk Powder

Slosh over a good sprinkling of Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Place in a hot over, roast for an hour, keep checking and turning the wings so they go brown, stir the vegetables so they do not stick

Act 2

Place everything in a large stock pot, pop in the herbs and wine, cover with cold water and bring to a boil

Skim the stock until clear to get rid of all the impurities

Leave to simmer with the lid on for at least 3 hours, check the water level keeping it topped up to cover the meat

 

Act 3

Turn off the heat and strain into another large pan – crush all the wings and vegetables to release all the juices

Back on the heat to a rolling boil

Simmer and reduce to half

 

Act 4

Turn off the heat and when cold place in the fridge overnight to go very cold

 

Act 5

Next day take off all the fat, it will come off really easy

 

Act 5

Store in pots in the freezer, you will always have homemade Chicken Stock, you will never buy a cube ever again

 

You can also do the same with BEEF BONES about 10 large beef bones –  just switch the White wine to Red

If you do not wish to use Wine, just replace with more water

Enjoy Happy Cooking

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mulled Pear Rhubarb Crumble with Vanilla Butter — cinders54

04 Wednesday Jan 2017

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This is in stages but well worth all the effort Ingredients 6 pears peeled and left with the stalks 400g Rhubarb chopped into 1 inch chunks Act 1 Mulling the Pears 1 bottle red wine Zest and juice of 1 orange Zest of 1 lemon 1 Star Anise 1 cinnamon stick or teaspoon cinnamon 1 […]

via Mulled Pear Rhubarb Crumble with Vanilla Butter — cinders54

Mulled Pear Rhubarb Crumble with Vanilla Butter

04 Wednesday Jan 2017

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This is in stages but well worth all the effort

Ingredients

6 pears peeled and left with the stalks

400g Rhubarb chopped into 1 inch chunks

Act 1

Mulling the Pears

  • 1 bottle red wine
  • Zest and juice of 1 orange
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick or teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice
  • 125g caster sugar
  • 6 ripe but firm pears, peeled with stalks intact

Place everything but the Pears in a pan bring to a rolling boil – turn the heat to a simmer and reduce the syrup to half

Place the pears in the syrup and simmer for 15 minutes turn off the heat leave to cool

Act 2

The Rhubarb

Wash and chop the rhubarb into 1 inch chunks place in a baking dish

Act 3

Make the crumble

4oz Organic Spelt Wholemeal Flour

4oz Organic Plain Flour

4oz cold chopped Butter (Please no margerine)

4oz Raw Cane sugar

Rub the butter and flours together untill it becomes like breadcrumbs – you can have it chunky or fine

mix in the sugar salt and pepper give a good mix I do this with my fingers its so easy

Sprinkle the crumb mix over the fruit

bake in the oven

180c for 30 minutes then dot with the Vanilla Butter place back in the oven for another 10 minutes

Act 4

While the crumble is baking in the oven make the Vanilla Butter

Vanilla Butter

2oz soft butter (No Margarine)

1 vanilla pod

Scrape the pearls out of a Vanilla pod add to Butter

add

1 oz Raw Cane Sugar

Mix together until beat until soft and blended

Place in the fridge to get really cold.

Serve Hot with more Vanilla Butter if you wish plus a nice dollop of Vanilla Ice Cream – Heavenly Enjoy x x x

Bloody Mary Pico De Gallo -Salsa Fresca

04 Wednesday Jan 2017

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This is the most amazing Salsa Fresca – pico de gallo-Bloody Mary! If you want to serve it without Alcohol just leave out the vodka – There is no substitute for the Vodka it will not detract from the most Beautiful pico de gallo

Before you start get a chopping board (Not Glass) A sharp knife and a large bowl add all ingredients as you chop – Finely Dice everything as you go –

    • 6/8 Large Vine ripened  tomatoes still on the Vine
    • Bunch chopped Coriander / cilantro Only to top leaves save the stalks to use later
    • 1 large finely diced onion
    • 1 Celery Stalk
    • 1 small fresh jalapeño serrano chile or Red Chile to your own heat level you can add more if you want a kick
    • Vodka How much depends on how strong you like it – I do 2tbs unless my friend Jean Hudson comes then double the Vodka!
    • 1 Tbs Tomato Ketchup
    • 1 Tbs Sriracha sauce or a chilli sauce of your choice
    • 6 splashes of Worcester Sauce
    • 1 Lime Zest & freshly squeezed juice
    • Large Pinch Sea Salt or Kosher salt brings out all the juices
    • Grinding of fresh Black Pepper
    • 4 Spring Onions -Green Onions
    • Place all diced ingredients in the bowl as you go –  zest lime and juice into the bowl sprinkle salt pepper mix add Tomato Ketchup Worcester Sauce Sriracha Sauce
    • Leave to rest for a couple of hours or overnight to marrige of all the flavors

 

English Prawn Cocktail Vs American

22 Wednesday Jun 2016

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Starters – Appetizers

Shrimp –Vs–Prawns

 Now here is a fun quandary:-Is it a Shrimp Or Is it a Prawn

Please do not ask for shrimp in Britain.  You will get the smallest little pink curled up things that you have ever seen.  I mean little tiny pink shrimps that are not even the size of an American salad shrimp.  The best shrimp come from Morecambe Bay (a seaside town in the north west of England) and are know as, guess what, Morecambe Bay Shrimp.   In British cookery these are a delicacy served as potted shrimp, an excellent dish for an appetizer or starter spread on toast or crackers. Another use for shrimp is to add to rice dishes.   Prawns though area completely different matter, big and juicy, similar to American shrimps.

One way to cut the cost of making a British prawn cocktail is to mix shrimps with the prawns before pouring over the sauce.  They truly are very, very expensive; a treat served on special occasions such as birth, deaths, marriages, birthdays and Christmas parties.   I always feel sorry for the deceased person at a funeral, missing out on a beautiful prawn cocktail.

You will still get a choice of size of your prawns in Britain but they will not be count size as in America.  You have to buy them by the half-pound (8oz) or pound (16oz).   A point here: an English pint is 20oz.   I think that is why Americans can not take our Pints of BEER!

Compare the difference in our two recipes. It is quite amazing that they are in principle called the same thing. Britain uses Creamy Cocktails Sauce and America uses Spicy Tomato Sauce – I have the recipes for both.  Try both recipes for a great bonus to add to your culinary repartee. I don’t say one is better than the other,  both are excellent just different.

Please do not leave it too long; you do not want to make your first for a funeral!

Great British Prawn Cocktail

For the Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise made with free-range eggs
  • 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup (Heinz)
  • 1 lime, juice and Lime wedges to serve or Lemon if you prefer.  Both work
  • A few drops of Tabasco or chilli sauce
  • 1 splash Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Salad Cream
  • Pinch Salt and white pepper

For the Salad

  • 500 grams / 16oz Atlantic Prawns fresh or defrosted
  • 4 large Crevettes for decoration (Large Prawns shell on)
  • A shredded Lettuce
  • Chopped tomatoes
  • 1/2 a finely chopped cucumber
  • 4 finely chopped spring onions
  • Sweet Paprika

Mix all the sauce ingredients together leave in the fridge to marry together

Place salad lettuce in cocktail glasses first or I make a very large one on a wooden platter for all my family to share.
Pop the prawns on top leaving aside the crevettes
Pour the sauce over and finish of with a dash of the sweet paprika on each of your cocktails
Dress the glasses with the crevettes, sliced limes and cucumber
This is always served with brown bread and butter.  Cut into triangles please x x
American Shrimp Cocktail
For the sauce
  • 1 cup tomato ketchup (Heinz )
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons of prepared horseradish
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • Lime wedges to serve
  • Pinch salt and white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco or chilli sauce
  • Dash of Worcestershire Sauce

Shrimp

2lbs Large Shrimp (16 to 18 count)

Mix to combine ketchup, horseradish, lime juice, Tabasco, dash of Wostershire, salt, and pepper Leave in the fridge to marry.

Arrange all the shrimp around the edge of a chilled bowl .

Pour the cocktail sauce in the middle

Serve with lime wedges

Enjoy x x x 🐟