Tag Archives: Family

There is Butter then there is REAL Butter

27 Monday Apr 2020

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This has to be the most delicious easy recipe ever for making BUTTER.  Yes real butter.

Monday morning dawns – Fresh bread proving

In the back of the fridge is a 21oz double cream that we have not used over the weekend so what’s the best thing to do with it? Make butter to go with your warm scrummy tasty fresh bread.

You need

  • 21 oz fresh double cream
  • Maldon salt
  • One electric hand mixer
  • Two clean bowls
  • One spatula
  • Muslin or a kitchen towel
  • Sieve and a clean pan or something to hold the sieve in

Stage 1

Pour a 21oz carton of double cream into a clean dry bowl

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Whisk with an electric hand whisk until thick cream.  You can make this with an electric stand mixer but I find it easier with a hand whisk

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Next step keep whipping. Don’t be afraid if it starts to turn pale yellow and look like scrambled eggs.

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Scrape down with a spatula.  Keep whipping – next stage it starts to get wet!

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Then even wetter. Keep going, you’re doing a great job

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When you get to this stage the buttermilk and curds split away from each other.  That’s perfect.

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Now, this is the exciting part.  Stop whisking – time to get your hands messy!

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Line a pan with a square of muslin cloth or if you do not have any a kitchen towel will do.  Now pour the liquid into the pan and add a third of the curds (butter in the making).

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Gather together at the top and wring out letting all the buttermilk drip back into the pan.

You will be amazed at the amount of buttermilk is squeezed out.  You now form a REAL butter pat

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Place the first pat into a clean bowl and repeat until all the butter is drained from the buttermilk.  I do this to make three pats for 21oz of cream.

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So by now, you have three good pats of butter and around 300 mls of buttermilk.  Now pop the buttermilk in a jug ready to use later (makes great chicken or scones).  Get some really good sea salt – I adore Maldon. I think it’s the best in the World but please don’t use table salt as it will spoil the finish.

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Sprinkle on two large pinches (around 7 grams).   You can add more or less depending on your taste and preference.

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Here again to get my hands messy.   Mix together to make a smooth butter.   I have old wooden butter paddles but you don’t need them. I just like them for the fun

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When smooth you can either make a block or if you have some butter dishes you can place the butter in them.  I put a greaseproof paper on top then cling film or you can freeze them.

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You can now make different Artisan Butters Garlic, Peppers, chicken butter is a fabulous appetizer just add chicken meat juices and serve topped with crispy chicken skin on the top delicious served with rye bread

Make some fresh Bread and savour.

And

Remember to stay safe

Love x

 

 

#Pandemic #Lockdown 2020 Cooking for a #War #Zone

22 Wednesday Apr 2020

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Lockdown.   We were all glued to the TV 5pm 23rd March 2020.  Our Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.  The children did not make a sound.  The day we all changed forever

As life progressed through the lockdown we have all come to be like Darwins Finches – evolving in our environments.  So far life is pretty much the same.  The major difference is #Shopping, which I adore.  Don’t take me to Shopping Malls or large department stores – All I want is Food Markets & Food Halls !!!

I miss shopping for food so much I find it’s the one and only upsetting part of Lockdown.  I now have a Vegetable / Fruit Man who drops the most delicious fresh vegetables and fruit at my door.  I have my most amazing HERO in My Butcher Matthew https://www.facebook.com/mitchellsbutchers533/.  Matthew Mitchell’s butchers Lytham Road Blackpool has been my butcher for years – now he delivers to my doorstep.  I adore my sweet sweet Milkman he is also a star and supplies the freshest milk and cream three times a week to my front door.

I bake bread 4 days a week.  I am love being home in the Kitchen.  I have seven to feed in my family home now and we are here for the Lockdown and beyond.

Here is my list of dinners we have had each day during lockdown.   Lucky for us the family meals have not changed too much though.  My favourite time of day is when the family sitting and eat together each evening ……….

 

Pandemic Lockdown

 

March 23rd Monday.                        Ragu

March 24th Tuesday                        Chicken Pie

March 25th Wednesday                  Mexican

March 26th Thursday                      Thai Green Curry

March 27th Friday                           Fish on the BBQ

March 28th Saturday                      BBQ

March 29th Sunday                        Roast Lamb Dinner

March 30th Monday                      Chicken Pie

March 31st Tuesday                      Pizza

April 1st Wednesday                     Steak on the BBQ

April 2nd Thursday                      Indian

April 3rd Friday                            Fish on the BBQ

April 4th Saturday                        BBQ Hamburgers

April 5th Sunday                          Roast Leg of Lamb dinner

April 6th Monday                         Chilli & Rice

April 7th Tuesday                        Leo Birthday 13 years old Homemade Pizza Night

April 8th Wednesday                  Beef Rendang with coconut rice

April 9th Thursday                      Panacklty

April 10th Friday                         Fish on the BBQ

April 11th Saturday                    Chilli

April 12th Sunday Easter          Roast Leg of Lamb

April 13th Monday 3 weeks from Lockdown.  Beef Bourgignon

April 14th Tuesday                      Chicken Parmigiana

April 15th Wednesday                 Nachos

April 16th Thursday                     Ragu

April 17th Friday                           Fish on the BBQ

April 18th Saturday                      Indian Take away

April 19th Sunday                        Chicken Roast

April 20th Monday                      Burgers 5 Guys style

April 21st Tuesday                      Chicken Curry & Dhal

 

Soooo I have decided to start a Pandemic Recipe Book.  If anyone wishes to have any of the recipes just contact me.  I shall be uploading all of them very soon

Watch this space

#Stay #Home #Stay #Safe

We shall #all #meet #again x x x

 

 

 

 

 

Perfect Boiled Eggs

20 Sunday Oct 2019

Posted by in Appetizers, Breakfast, Food, Healthy, Protein, Recipes, Tips, Uncategorized

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Creating the perfect boiled egg is an art:-

eggsbreakfast

 

NOT anymore.  Americans say you cannot make a hard-boiled egg in under 10 minutes I beg to differ.  

Put the Kettle on no, not for tea – well you could as long as you have enough boiling water.  Bring to a boil – place your ROOM temperature eggs in a saucepan – when the water is boiling pour gently over to cover the eggs.

Bring the water back to a rolling boil – Turn down to simmer. 

Set a timer for 4 minutes for large eggs, 3 minutes for small eggs and 5 minutes for extra large.

After the timer goes off pour the water away and run the eggs under a cold tap while still in the saucepan.  When cool enough to peel – peel and enjoy

I serve mine with organic Spinach and guacamole for a great breakfast

Enjoy x x

 

 

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.
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    Mix

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    Cook

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    Assemble

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  • Serve  hot with a sour cream dip.

 

 

 

Cinders Traditional Guacamole

04 Tuesday Jul 2017

Posted by in Appetizers, Dips, Food

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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

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

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

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 🐟

Raita Fat Free

25 Friday Mar 2016

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  • 1/2 cup greek fat free yogurt I used a small pot of Fage Total 0% Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 chopped small chunks and seeded cucumber
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
  • 1 tablespoons chopped very fine Mint
  • 2 chopped spring onions
  • 1 teaspoon Mint Sauce
  • 1/2 a Lime juice only

Chop cucumber and spring onions – add mint sauce and chopped herbs -Mix in the Yogurt sprinkle with Lime juice mix well cover and place in the fridge until serving

 

 

 

Sixtyone London

17 Thursday Mar 2016

Posted by in Food, Restaurant

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SixtyOne Restaurant.

There are 5570 Restaurants in London so one does have a lot of choice.

I have eaten at quite a few, always when in London choose “exceedingly good” restaurants.

I have tried Jason Atherton, Ramsey’s, Corrigan’s Marco’s to name just a few.

Now………………………………. I can actually say, hand on heart, that I have found A true hidden gem

SixtyOne Restaurant, 61 Upper Berkeley Street, London, W1H 7PP. Very close to Marble Arch

My word…………………..

This restaurant is not just exceedingly good it is sensational! From greeting to leaving it was perfection – not stuffy or cold, everyone was warm and genuinely friendly.

Modern trendy with a 70’s vibe but Warm! From the start I knew it was going to be delicious just by the ambience and looking around at other plates! But it was simply sensational.

When I tasted the food I was so surprised power packed flavours and great presentation.

Service begins with a Bread Box accompanied by homemade butter.

Not a normal “Bread Box”

I do make my own butter and this was beautiful, creamy salty perfection.

My new love is Marmite Bread, oh my! so dangerous – As I was salivating so much they asked if I would like more bread – NOOOOO! Not because I did not like it, simply because I ADORED IT!

I would have eaten them out of Marmite Bread if I could, but I knew that I wanted to “Save myself”.

To start I ordered Heritage beetroot | Cashel Blue | walnut -simply beautiful.

For Main – Pork loin Apple and Pineapple. Devine cooked to perfection with a salty crust.

For Pudding we were given an extra dish, a cheesecake in a shot glass served with the most adorable pistachios shortbread – meltingly delicious.

Followed by – Apple millefeuille| lavender | lime – I have never tasted anything so deviously delicious and I never ever eat puddings. It must be 20 years since I ordered a pudding, I normally go for the cheese. On this occasion I decided to try it . OH MY- The whole experience was simply Perfection.

I shall return. I would really want to eat everything! So the tasting menu shall be perfect – Roll on September when I am back in London.

Sixtyone is my new favourite restaurant – Thank You to all who made our visit so very special.