Free Recipes

 

Sweetcorn Chowder

Ingredients:
4 oz unsmoked streaky bacon, diced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large red pepper, diced
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 small bay leaf
1 pint of whole milk
1½ oz plain flour
¾ pint water
1 large tin of sweetcorn kernels
Chopped parsley

Method:
Frizzle the bacon in a large pan until turning colour then add the onion.  When golden brown, add the pepper, potatoes, bay leaf and water.  Bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes are just tender.  Blend the flour with a little of the milk and add to the chowder with the rest of the milk and the corn.  Simmer for a few minutes then sprinkle in the chopped parsley.  Check for seasoning and serve.

Pork Fillet with Sloe Gin

Ingredients:
2 lb of pork fillet
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 oz of butter
10 fl oz of sloe gin
10 fl oz of beef stock or consommé
3 oz of raisins
5 fl oz of double cream
Salt and pepper

Method:
Slice the pork into ½ inch slices and fry in batches in the hot oil and butter, remove from the pan and keep warm.  Add the sloe gin, stock, (scraping all the tasty sediment from the pork into the sauce) and raisins then return the pork to the pan.  Cook gently for 5 minutes then stir in the cream.  Delicious served with mashed or baked potato.

Baked Sole with Tomatoes

Ingredients:
4 medium sized fillets of sole (depending upon size)
2 large ripe tomatoes (skinned and chopped)
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
½ tablespoon of lemon juice
2 teaspoons of caster sugar
1 tablespoon of mixed fresh herbs of your choice
Salt and pepper

Method:
Grease an ovenproof dish with some olive oil.  Season the fillets of sole with salt and pepper then fold into 3 and place in the dish.  Mix all the other ingredients gently together and spoon over the fish.  Bake at 200ºC for 10-15 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Baked Chicken with Shallots, Garlic and Thyme

Ingredients:
1 free range chicken, jointed, or buy chicken joints.
225 grams of shallots, peeled
1 head of garlic, peeled and cloved
4 tablespoons of olive oil
3 – 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon of dried thyme or 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons of redcurrant jelly
4 tablespoons of crème fraiche

Method:
Place the chicken joints, shallots and garlic cloves in a roasting pan, sprinkle over the oil, 2 tablespoons of the balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and herbs.  Mix well with your hands then leave to stand for about 4 hours, mixing round occasionally.

Add 2 tablespoons of water to the chicken then cook at 375ºF for 40 – 50 minutes.  Remove the chicken and skim off the fat from the pan.  Add the redcurrant jelly, the rest of the balsamic vinegar and crème fraiche.  Check seasoning and serve with the chicken.

Beef Casserole with Horseradish Dumplings

Ingredients:
2½ lb of stewing steak
2 onions, chopped
5 oz button mushrooms
3 medium sized carrots, sliced
1½ tablespoons of plain flour
1 bay leaf
1 pint of beef stock
2 – 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil

Ingredients for the Dumplings:
6 oz of self raising flour
3 oz of shredded suet
Approx. 10 tablespoons of cold water
3 tablespoons of hot horseradish
3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
Salt and fresh black pepper

Method:
Cut the steak into 1 inch cubes then toss in the flour.  Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the beef in batches then set aside and keep warm.  Add a little more oil to the pan and add the onions and mushrooms, keep them moving in the pan until they are nicely golden brown.  Add the carrots, bay leaf and stock then put the beef back in and bring to a simmer.  Transfer to a casserole dish with a tight lid and put in the oven at 160ºC for 1½ - 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the dumplings.  Mix the flour, suet, salt and pepper into a bowl then stir in enough water to bring to a soft dough.  Turn out onto a floured surface and pat or roll into a 6 inches x 8 inches rectangle.  Stir together the horseradish and parsley with a little salt and pepper then spread evenly over the dough right up to the edges.  Roll up like a swiss roll from the short end.  Cover with cling film and refrigerate until needed.

When the casserole is ready, take from the oven and then turn the oven temperature up to 200ºC.  Cut the dough into 8 rounds then arrange them on top of the beef in the casserole and put back in the hot oven without the lid for about 30 minutes – until golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Creme Brulee

Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1 pint of double cream
1 oz of caster sugar
2 – 3 drops of vanilla extract
Extra caster sugar

Method:
Cream the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl.  Put the cream in a pot and bring to ALMOST boiling then pour onto the yolks, whisking as you do so.  Pour the mixture back into the pot and over a very slow heat, stirring all the time, bring it again to the verge of boiling, but do not boil.  (You will have scrambled eggs if you are not patient with this!)  You will feel the mixture thicken.  Have ready a sieve over a jug, and the minute the mixture is ready, pour through the sieve into the jug.  This is now ready to pour into a serving dish or individual ramekins.  Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Just before serving (or not more than an hour) sprinkle the top of the crème brulee with a thin layer of caster sugar then either put under a hot grill until brown, or use a culinary blow torch to do the job!

This pudding is also delicious with raspberries at the base, or, in the winter, stewed apple or rhubarb.

Rich Fudgy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
6 oz of butter
6 oz of dark brown sugar
4 large eggs
8 oz drinking chocolate
3 oz self raising flour
Vanilla extract

Ingredients for the Buttercream:
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of hot water
3 oz of butter
8 oz of icing sugar

Method:
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the eggs, beating well after each one.  Sieve the flour and drinking chocolate and add to the mixture.  Add a little milk if too stiff.  Pour into 2 sandwich tins and bake at 180ºC for 20 – 25 minutes.  Cool a little in the tins before turning out onto a cooling rack.

For the buttercream, put the icing sugar and softened butter into a food processor and whizz together.  Pour the hot water over the cocoa powder and stir until smooth.  With the food processor running, pour the chocolate mixture in.  Sandwich the 2 sponges when cool.  There should be enough buttercream to put on the top of the cake too!