Roast rump of lamb with pea & mint couscous

Image courtesy of underwoodmeat.co.uk

This is a wonderfully simple recipe that uses mediterranean influences to provide aromatics and a comfort food element. Its wonderful all year round but ideal for summer and provides lovely citrus tones that complement the lamb perfectly. The rump has alot of flavour also so the palate isn't abandoned in any way at all. This is a recipe youwill enjoy again and again. Its refreshing and very enjoyable.

You will need (serves 5):

2.5 Large lamb Rumps, trimmed of fat and cut lengthways into portions
Olive oil
Seasoning
1 packet of cous cous
1 x 500g bag of frozen peas
juice and zest of 2 lemons
Half a bunch of mint
Half a bunch of flat leaf parsley
Salsa
Chopped and seeded tomatoes
Skinned and diced Mango
Finely diced Shallots
Finely chopped Coriander
For garnish a car grilled red pepper quarter

In a hot pan seal off the lamb rumps and season, place in the oven for 12 minutes then allow to rest in a holding oven for 8 to 10 minutes

To the cous cous place in a large bowl this stuff expands, to this add the peas lemon juice and its zest and the chopped herbs

Just cover this with boiling hot water then cover with cling film for about 15 minutes

Reheat cous cous to order in a microwave, 45 seconds per portion

Let’s put this together

On one side of a pasta bowl, place the heated cous cous

Carve and present on the cous cous the lamb rump

On the other half of the bowl, place some salsa and the char grilled pepper and a plush of pick flat parsley

Milanese Risotto

Image courtesy of vinoitaliano.ne

Risotto is one of those dishes that's very moreish - and also very comforting. This dish is no different - it provides mellow earthy tones of saffron and aromatic tones of basil for a well defined clean flavour. Cooked in Milanese style this is a wonderful risotto that will go with a variety of accompaniments where necessary - but its also perfectly good on its own.

You will need: (makes about 5 portions)

5 tbsp butter
4 tbsp bone marrow
2 small onions finely diced
600g arborio rice
175ml dry white wine
2 litres boiling vegetable stock
125g parmesan cheese
half a handful of shredded basil
1/2 teaspoon saffron
salt & pepper for seasoning

The doing bit:

Melt butter with the bone marrow

Sauté off the onion till transparent

Add rice stir frequently until the rice starts to crack

Add wine and stir till absorbed

Add stock little by little stirring continuously

Add the basil and saffron

Cook till the rice has a little bite to it this will take about 10 minutes

Add parmesan and season

Grilled Chicken Breast with braised pearl barley, lemon & thyme

image courtesy of madeinmelskitchen.com

This is a wonderfully fragrant dish that goes well all year round - but is best suited for spring or summer. Its quite filling nutritious and homely - ideal for comfort food eating, and simple to prepare and cook. I guarantee its very enjoyable and one of those dishes you will make again and again.

You will need: (serves 5)

1.5 Onions, chopped finely
250g of unsalted butter softened
1 litres of chicken stock
1 leeks sliced
125g of pearl barley
5 chicken breasts
1/2 bottle of dry white wine

The doing bit:

Sweat off the onions in the 100g of butter, without colouring them

Bring 600ml of chicken stock to the boil; in this blanch the leeks and strain reserving both the leeks and the stock

Add barley to the onions and cook for 2 minutes, add stock and simmer the barley is tender

Make a thyme and lemon juice butter roll and fridge it

Grill the chicken breast till golden brown and finish in the oven

The remaining chicken stock reduce by 2/3, add white wine and reduce by half, or till syrup like too this add some of the lemon thyme butter until the a glossy sauce consistency and strain through muslin

Service; Finish barley with a knob of butter and leeks, make this into a roundel in the plates centre, place the chicken breast on top this can be cut, surround with the butter sauce
Finally top with a disc of butter on the top of the breast

Grilled Cod with Coriander & Radish Butter

Image courtesy of seastarcorp.com

This is a lovely simple recipe that provides pleasant aromatic flavours from the coriander with the sweet tones from onions also. The butter element with the radish elevates the tone completely and gives a sharp yet subtle edge. A wonderful all year round dish, but especially good for summer.

You will need (serves 5):


5X 250G Cod loin fillet
125g of butter
75g of coriander finely chopped
125g long summer radish grated
3 red salad onions finely chopped

Grill the cod on silicone paper, season with salt and pepper

Soften the butter mix with the coriander. Radish, and red onions and gentle soften over a gentle heat

Once soften spoon over the cooked fish

Herb Crusted Scallops with Roasted Tinkerbell Chilli

Image courtesy of Yelp.com

I love scallops. They're sweet meaty little seafood morsels that have a delicate and luxurious flavour. That coupled with the fact their flavour is wonderfully versatile and can go with a whole range of other flavours and textures makes the palate more excited.

This recipe combines aromatic elements from the herb crust whilst using the sweetness of the chilli to elevate the aromatic tones and give a prominent but pleasant "punch". This is ideal as a starter or can be modified to a main course by adding other elements - some people abhor the idea but i like it with guacamole as a puree, I guess its all about preference.

Makes 10 -so by all means divide by 2 for a dinner party sized bath or adjust accordingly.

50g of fresh breadcrumbs
5 bell peppers diced
5 lemons zested
10 garlic’s finely diced
Punch of flat leaf parsley shredded
300g of nibbed almonds
Olive oil
5 scallops per portion

The doing bit:

Mix in a bowl the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, chopped garlic, parsley and nibbed almonds

Moisten with the olive oil

Cover the mixture on top of the scallop

Bake in the oven for 5 minutes and brown under the grill

Roast tinkerbell chilli

Cut the chilli in half

Fill the chilli half with a cherry tomatoes and shredded basil, drizzle with olive oil and rock salt

Roast on silicone paper for 40 minutes in a medium oven

Service:

Place five scallops around a ball of salad

3 chillies

2 lemon wedges
dress with olive oil and lemon juice

Cod Brandade

Image courtesy of the worldwidegourmet.com

This dish is a wonderful interpretation of the traditional Cod Brandade, and is delightfully comforting. I agree salting the cod can take alot of time, and to save time making this you can buy cod already salted (usually marketed as "salt cod" where necessary. Either way it is worth a go, very moreish and ver homely and hearty. I promise you'll enjoy it.

You will need: (makes about 5 portions)

500 G cod fillets with skin on
Rock Salt
4 Black Peppercorns
2 sprigs of Thyme
2 Bay leaves
125ml of Olive oil
1 Clove of Garlic chopped
800g  of mashed Potato without any cream or butter
15g of chopped parsley
Seasoning
Brandade Dressing & or basil infused oil to finish

The doing bit:

Sprinkle the cod with the rock salt, cover in a fridge for 48 hours, turn at least once every 8 hours.

After the fish has been salted, wash off and soak in fresh water for 12 hours.

Drain and dry the fish, cut into portions. Place in a pan of cold water with the thyme and bay leaves, bring to the boil for two minutes.

Remove from the liquid allow to cool, remove the skin and any bones, flake the flesh

Warm olive oil, add fish, garlic and chopped parsley add a little pepper

Add the mash potato, mix together and check the seasoning
To serve

Reheat in a pan or microwave, place the brandade with a little milk, and heat up

Spoon into three medium quenelles with a poached egg in the middle, dress with brandade dressing and / or basil oil over the eggs.

Confit duck leg/ watercress and herb salad / roasted rhubarb/ fig balsam viniagrette

This light little recipe is ideal for late spring and summer, and provides both sweet and tart flavours with a herb overtone to create a variety of flavours. It serves well as a light lunch or dinner, and can be easily adapted to serve as a starter also. Once the duck legs are done, this takes no more than 10 minutes to compile. Less time doing and more time devouring.

You will need (per serving):

1 confit duck leg
1 handful watercress
100g rhubarb, trimmed, peeled and chopped into 1 cm pieces.
tsp fig balsam vinegar (ordinary balsamic vinegar will do)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a few sprigs of parsley, (chopped)
6-8 chives, retain 3 for decoration, chop the rest.
tsp butter

The doing bit:

Heat up a large frying pan (preferrably with a lid). Place the duck leg skin side down until almost crisp, add the butter and turn over the leg. Add the rhubarb and put the lid on the pan and lower to a gentle / medium heat for about 8 minutes)

In a large bowl combine watercress, and herbs. Mix the oil nd vinegar seperately and dress the leaves.

Place salad on plate, remove the duck and rhubarb from the pan. The rhubarb should have just begin to soften, if not leave in for a few minutes longer and allow the duck to rest on plate on top of the salad. Place the rhubarb around the salad and drizzle with any pan juices and remaining vinaigrette.

Garnish with chives, and devour.

Southern fried chicken

image courtesy of ifood.tv

This is a nice simple but flavoursome southern fried chicken recipe. Using an overnight marinade we find wonderful flavour development, giving rise for all the aromatics and earthy flavours to play their part. You can use this as a deep fried recipe or pan fry it to give a more healthy approach. Just be sure to adjust the cooking times. Either way, I very much hope you enjoy it.

You will need : (Makes a large batch, ideal for barbecues and gatherings, serves 10.)

1200ml of single cream

½ bunch of chopped coriander

18 cloves of garlic, crushed

4 onions chopped finely

1 tablespoon of flaked chillies

2 tablespoon of sea salt

10 chicken breast with skin removed

120g of flour

1 tablespoon of celery salt

1 table spoon cayenne pepper

1 table spoon black pepper

1 table spoon of paprika

50g of brown sugar

1300ml of vegetable oil

Combine the cream, coriander, garlic, onions, chilli flakes and salt in a large plastic bag. Add chicken and shake up and leave overnight to marinade

Combine the flour, celery salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, sugar and paprika. This is used to coat the chicken breast, once coated leave in a fridge to set for 45 minutes

Fry until golden brown and finish in the oven

Slow roast chilli pork

This is an unbelievably simple recipe. You can use any cut of pork, but i would mainly recommend either leg or shoulder. Loin works well too, but be sure to get  loin joint that has plenty of marbling on the eye of the emat, and a reasonable amount of surrounding fat for flavour. Using fillet works well as an individual portion and absorbs flavour beautiful but I would recommend wrapping in bacon first for a salty edge that brings out the aromatics well on the palate. Be sure to adjust cooking times.

25G OF FENNEL SEEDS
25G OF DRIED CHILLI FLAKES
25G OF DRIED ORIGANO
25G OF ROSEMARY LEAVES
4KILO BONED AND ROLLED PORK SHOULDER SKINNLESS

Season the meat and seal in hot oil

Mix all of the dried herbs and spices

Roll the roasting pork in this mix

Turn down oven to 120c and slow roast for 3 hours

Hogs pudding & potato pie

The cooked pie mix here can be made in batch and divided and frozen, to be reheated whenever you need to. Since its already cooked you only have to warm it up, and add to a pie case. The shortcrust pastry is nice, but isnt set in stone. You cna use puff pastry if youlike to create more portable slices. You can even use a suet pastry and steam the little beggars in puddings.

SERVES 5

0.5 Kilo of new potatoes, scrubbed and sliced finely
4 onions thinly sliced
1 kilo of Hogs Pudding meat (can be obtained from local butchers - usually comprising various cuts). Failing this you can use a standard sausage meat for a more economy version.

Make 500g of short-crust pastry, roll into 10 cm discs then crimp, glaze and bake

Stew off the onions, once soft

Break up the Hogs pudding into the onion mix and cook out

Steam off the potato slices

Once the potatoes are soft add to the hogs pudding mix

Reheat the mix and place in dish to with baked lid top.

Bake in oven at about 180C until the pastry is golden brown.


Accompanied by either onion marmalade, jus lie, white onion sauce or Madeira sauce. A standard gravy will suffice also.

Cranberry & goats cheese topped nut roast / caramelised shallots / spring cabbage / slow roast tomato salsa

image courtesy of allrecipes.co.uk

*Part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

This recipe makes use of one of our larder dishes in the form of our nut roast, whilst combining elements of a more luxurious nature in the form of our nut roast. As a dish, its very filling, very nutritious and extremely tasty giving a sweet element to the palate, and is pleasing year round.

You will need (per serving):

2 slices of our cashew & butternut squash roast
2 or 3 tbsp slow roast tomato salsa
1 tbsp cranberry sauce / cranberryjelly
100g goats cheese, rind still intact
5 small shallots, halved
tsp brown sugar
handful shredded spring cabbage (blanched)
100g butter
salt and pepper to taste

The doing bit:

take the 2 slices of nut roast, smear with the cranberry sauce. Slice the goats cheese and apply atop the nut roast slices. Place in hot oven (about 180C) on a greased baking tray and allow to cook.

Whilst your nut roast warms up nicely, in a pan add a small amount of oil. Heat up and add the shallots and cook until coloured then place on a very low heat and add the sugar and allow to melt and glaze the shallots. By this point the shallots should be soft. Place lid on the pan and take from the heat and allow to rest. These shoudl keep warm whilst you warm up the rest.

In another pan add the butter and melt. Add the cabbage and cook until soft, season with salt and pepper.

Remove the nut roast from the oven when the goats cheese has coloured and the nut roast is piping hot. Serve on a bed of the spring cabbage, decorate the plate with the shallots surrounding, and serve the tomato salsa on the side.

Enjoy.

Whole sea bream / sauteed new potatoes & shallots / chilli butter / sea asparagus

image courtesy of robin1clark.files.wordpress.com

*Part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

I'm very very fond of sea bream. Back in the day we used to use guilt head bream, but any sea bream will do for this recipe where necessary. You can even use whole seabass as a substitute, although the fish will be a good deal sweeter. It all depends on your preference.

We used to use this dish as a healthier alternative to fish and chips, with a spicy edge. The sautee'd new potatoes are very enjoyable and a good "chip" substitute.The shallots give a nice sweetness, and the fact were going to slightly caramelise them first will work well with the sweetness of the spuds here also. The sea asparagus gives a nice touch too, its rather light, and goes pehnomenally well with almost all fish dishes. Last but not least the chilli butter gives us some nice texture and a spicy edge. Im confident you'll enjoy this one.

You will need (per serving)

1 whole sea bream / guilt head bream - gutted, descaled, fins removed and slashed 3/4 times accross the body.
1 portion (roughly 4 potatoes) of cooked new potatoes, skin on and halved vertically
2 shallots, peeled and halved
1 portion (roughly 80-100g) sea asparagus
1 portion chilli butter
tsp olive oil
tsp butter, salted
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
salt and pepper

The doing bit:

For the fish, once slashed brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place under grill for about 8 mins per side, turn over the fish once one side is cooked and repeat. IN the last 2 minutes add the chilli butter.

For the accompmaniments:

In a saute pan, add a small amount of olive oil then add the shallots and saute until coloured. Add the potatoes and cook until potatoes are golden brown, keeping them moving roughly every minute. Add the bron sugar and allow to melt to coat the dish. Season with salt and pepper

For the sea asparagus:

In a pan add the salted butter until melted then add the sea asparagus. cook until tender and season with salt and pepper where required.

Assemble items on plate and devour.

Enjoy!

Grilled Sand sole / crushed new potatoes / lemon butter

Image courtesy of mjseafood.co.uk

*Part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

Sand sole is one of the sole family of fishes that has a wonderful flavour, but isnt as pricey as the glorious dover sole. Sand sole comes under several names such as torbay sole, witch sole, and in this case sand sole.

As an accompaniment, crushed new potatoes arent set in stone. They do however provide a wonderful means of comfort food to accompany the fish. You can of course replase this with mashed potatoes, satuee'd new potatoes, or even just buttered new potatoes if you wish. Other suitable accompaniments include sea asparagus, spinach, watercress, asparagus, french trimmed beans, or even tenderstem broccoli.

You will need:

1 sand / witch / torbay sole
1 portion lemon butter
salt and pepper
tbsp olive oil.
1 portion new potatoes, cooked and hot, skin on.

The doing bit:

Brush the fish with the olive oil using a pastry brush and season with salt and pepper. Grill the fish for about 10 minutes until desired cooking, in the last minute add the lemon butter portion to the fish.

Pack the new potatoes into a presentation ring on the plate and crush them wholst doing so. Glaze the potatoes with a little bit of the liquor / butter from the fish. Serve the fish on the side.

Confit duck legs / orange braised fennel / plum sauce

image courtesy of arm8.staticflickr.com

*Part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

This wonderful fragrant dish provides an uplifting tone and clean flavours for the palate to enjoy. t combines the tartness and sweetness of both the plums and the fennel, whilst providing a hearty middle ground with the confit duck legs. Its ideal as a main course or as a light lunch, depending on your serving size.

You will need (per serving):

2 confit duck legs
1 serving orange braised fennel
1 serving plum sauce

I would also recommend you serve with a potato dish such as pommes boulangeres to complete the main course for full satisfaction.

The doing bit:

Reheat the confit duck legs by searing in a pan, Add the fennel to the pan, cover loosely with foil and place in hot oven (roughly 200C) for about 10 mins until heated through.

In a seperate saucepan heat up the plum sauce.

Assembly, arrange fennel in crisscross pattern overlapping, serve each confit duck leg alternating gaps. glaze with sauce and decorate around with remaining sauce. Serve any potato or accompanying dishes seperately in a "help yourself" fashion..

Devour.

Barrel of pork fillet / caramelised apple / bed of braised red cabbage / pommes boulangeres & calvados sauce

Image provided courtesy of buddy-dubaibase.blogspot.co.uk

*part of the sizzling staffordshire menu series*

Alright, I know where you're coming from. It sounds complex, but this dish is remarkably simple. Combining the sweet elements from the sweet red cabbage and the caralemised apple, and complemented in texture and tone with the calvados sauce, the fillet or pork will sit very well alongside also the pommes boulangeres - a classic french dish that is wonderfully comforting.

Originally designed as a winter dish, this dish can also be incorporated up to late spring legitimately and year round with the availability of ingredients that we have today.It is quite cheap to produce (about 5-6GBP per head using supermarket prices) which makes it a great treat for the weekend. You can cut cost further by using pork chop or loin steaks or even shoulder steaks, bear in mind however the cooking time may vary.

You will need (serves 2):

Two thirds of a pork fillet, trimmed and cut into two portions.
6 Slices of pancetta
6 sage leaves
1 whole red cabbage (medium sized), de-stalked and chopped finely into strands
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 glass red wine
tsp olive oil
1 large measure of calvados, or regular brandy will do if needs must.
1 small onion very finely chopped.
tbsp butter
2 portions pommes boulangeres (as a side)
1 apple, halved and decored
tbsp honey.
150ml cream
tsp dijon mustard

The doing bit:

Prepare the pork: Take each pork portion and wrap with a slice of pancetta, tucking a sage leaf underneath each slice. Continue until each piece is wrapped with 3 slices and sage leaves. When cooking, in a pan add a little oil to coat the pan, and heat until almost smoking. Sear each side of the pork until coloured gently then place in a hot over 200C in the same pan for about 8-10 minutes until cooked. Add the apple halves flesh side down while searing the pork and then turn upside down when entering the oven.

For the cabbage (prepare in advance), in a pan add a little of the olive oil to coat the pan, heat and then add the cabbage until it turns bright purple. add the balsamic vinegar and allow to cook for about a minute.Sprinkle in a double pinch of sea salt, then add the red wine and bring to a simmer. Stir the cabbage and cover the pan stirring occasionally. Cook for about 30-40 mins or until cabbage has reached desired texture. Drain and set to one side to reheat where necessary.

Heat up the boulangeres and add a little milk where neccesary to retain moisture. Don't worry too much as boulangeres is a dish that can survive a while in the oven.

For the sauce, in a saucepan add the butter and the finely chopped onion, and cook until it begins to soften. Add the brandy and flame or reduce until alcohol has gone, then add the mustard, heat up slightly then add the cream. Reduce until thickened and season accordingly.

Assembly, begin with the pommes, boulangeres centre plate. Add the red cabbage on top gently. Carve the pork into 3 or 4 slices and sit this as the crowning glory on top of the cabbage. Caramelised apple to the side and decorate with the sauce around, and garnish with the honey.

Devour accordingly.

Mushroom & Cashew Nut Stroganoff / Lemon seasoned brown rice / buttered baby carrots

image courtesy of bbc good food

Its been a while since i ate / made a mushroom stroganoff. I do however get the urge once in a while to make and eat one, even if it is to relive some halcyon days from my years in the industry. Theres a number of things i like about it, the tanginess and mellow spices, the earthy mushroom flavour and of course its hearty and homely feel. This recipe in particualrly aims to bring out all of those elements, whilst at the same time creating a delicate balance of them all.

You will need (makes a faily sized batch serves 4-5):


1 Kilo of close cupped mushrooms, sliced
2 Onions, finely diced
2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
75g of cashew nuts
50g of pickled gherkins, diced
2 Red peppers, skinned, seeded and cut into 1 cm strips
125ml of milk, 125ml of double cream mixed
1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard
Healthy splash of Worcestershire sauce
Seasoning
Paprika

The doing bit:


Sauté off the mushrooms, once soft set aside to drain in a colander

Fry off the onions and garlic till soft; add the peppers and cashew nuts. Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add cream / milk and reduce then season

Once thickened add mustard and the Worcestershire sauce, stir in the mushrooms and gurkins, check the seasoning and serve.

For the rice (4/5 person batch)

350g brown rice
2 lemons, zested and juiced. keep the peels though we will use these as well
Handful fresh coriander chopped.
tsbp butter or margarine

Cooke the rice as normal in water until the rice begins to soften. Strain the rice then add the rice to a large oven tray adding the lemon juice, lemon peel and zest and mix thoroughly. Ad the butter, then vover the tray with greaseproof paper and tinfoil and put into oven at about 200C. Check every five minutes until done. When done remove the lemon peel, and stir in the coriander. Serve.

For the carrots:

allow 5/6 baby carrots per person. Cook in a pan of hot water with 1 tsbp sugar added. When cooked to preference, strain and serve with 3/4 portions of herb butter (optional) or alternatively glaze with ordinary butter or margarine.

Whole Rainbow Trout / Spinach & Leeks / Apple Mash / Herb Butter

Image courtesy of maine.gov

*part of the Sizzling Staffordshire menu series*

As we all know I love a good fish dish. This fish dish although simple is very very tasty, and combines less orthodox and more subtle sweet flavours to bring out the sweetness of the fish. It can be quite cheap to make, as rainbow trout can be cheap to get hold of if you shop around, and the advent of supermarkets make this fish an abundant choice year round.

You will need (serves 2):

2 whole rainbow trout, descaled, gutted and cleaned.
4 generous handfuls of baby spinach, although adult spinach will work just as well, picked and washed
3 Large leeks, white section, trimmed, washed, chopped into echelons and blanched in salt water.
2 portions herb butter
2 large baking potatoes, peeled chopped boiled and mashed.
1 bramley apple or apple sauce.
tbsp brown sugar

The doing bit:

For the fish:

Slash the skin in 4 places unfiromly accross the fish either side, making a deeper cut where the fish is thicker nearer the head. Season with salt and pepper and small piece of the herb butter. Place under grill for about 5 minutes or until cooked, and finish with the herb butter.

For the leeks and spinach: In a pan sautee the leeks in a small amount of oil and keep the pan covered on a gentle heat until the leeks are bright green and soft. Add a small amount of the herb butter and a pinch of salt and black pepper, then add the spinach and continue cooking until the spinach has wilted. Serve.

For the mash, peel , core and chop the bramley apple into roughly 1cm pieces, and sautee in a pan on a very gentle heat until they soften. Add the sugar and stir in until the sugar has melted. Add the mash and heat up until piping hot, adding milk or butter or even an egg as required (all down to preference). Season where necessary and serve along side the trout, and the leeks / spinach.

Pollack & Tomato Chowder

*part of the Sizzling Staffordshire menu series*

I love fish soups and chowders. I have a young memory of being on holiday with the family in the Mediterranean and experiencing a variety of fish dishes produced locally on a daily basis. That said I've always loved fish and seafood. I can recall being in a supermarket at a young age and seeing lots of kids in a huff because they wanted a toy and were told no - I was the one in a huff because i couldnt have some cockles.

This recipe combines alot of elements I love about Mediterranean food, whilst utilizing a cheaper but flavoursome sweet tasting fish - Pollack. In some ways its not too dissimilar to bouillibaise, although the fish content is alot different and so is the spice balance. But thats ok, we only need a whiff of something to invoke memory.

It's also rich in protein and low in carbs - a plus for alot of the heatlh conscious eaters.

You will need (serves 4-5):

3tbsp Olive Oil
2 Medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 Celery stalks, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped to same proportions as onions / celery
1 large waxy potato, peeled and roughly chopped
1 red or yellow pepper, de-cored and roughly chopped.
4 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
400g chopped tomatoes. Fresh are better, but cartoned or tinned will suffice (especially if on a budget)
800ml fish or chicken stock
150g french trimmed beans, cut into short lengths
2 courgettes, roughly chopped
500g pollack fillets, deboned and deskinned
generous handful flat leat parsley roughly chopped.

The doing bit:

In a large pan heat the olive oil, add the onions and celery and a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook stirring over medium heat until onions begin to soften. Add the carrots, potatoes,, pepper and herbs. Continue cooking for (roughly) 5 minutes or until potatoes have gone lightly golden.

Add the tomatoes and allow liquid to reduce by about a third. Add the stock, cover and simmer for about 8 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the green beans and the courgettes, give the mixture a stir and simmer for another 3 mins.

Season the fish with some salt and pepper, then lay them on the vegetables in the pan. Cover and simmer again until the fish has turned white and is just cooked. Gently break the fish into large flakes, and serve immediately.

Devour.

Pan seared pork cutlet / leeks in white wine & sage butter / bacon & cauliflower mash

Image courtesy of topnews.net

*part of the Sizzling Staffordshire menu series*

This dish (as the name suggests) is very appealing to the pork lover. That said the surrounding accompaniments to the dish also work phenomenally well too. A good year round dish, this will appeal to many kinds of palates, with an uplifting element of sage complemented by the hearty bacon and leek flavours which work well with all kinds of meat dishes. The cauliflower also helps the comfort food factor, giving a homely feel.

You will need (serves 2)

2 Pork steaks (either rib or loin. Pork chops are also ideal, and even bacon chops can be substituted)
3 large leeks, white sections chopped trimmed, and chopped into echelons.
2 portions sage butter
small glass dry white wine or vermouth
3 rashers smoked bacon (finely chopped)
1 good sized cauliflower, destalked and florets seperated into equal sizes
2 shallots, finely chopped

The doing bit:

For the caulifower mash:

In a saucepan half fill with water and bring to the boil. Add a pinch of salt and add the cauliflower. Bring to the boil once more then simmer until cauliflower has softened. Strain and mash whilst warm, then set to one side keeping warm if possible.. In a seperate pan sautee the bacon and shallots together until soft, then add the cauliflower. Use a whisk to help pound out the cauliflower mix further into a smooth puree. Add a little milk if required. Season with salt and pepper where necessary. If you wish add some finely chopped fresh parsley a few minutes before serving.

For the leeks:

In a large pan add half the sage butter, then add the leeks and saute with the lid on at a low - moderate heat until leeks are almost soft and bright green. Add the remaining butter, allow to melt, then add the white wine and reduce liquor by half. Keep warm on a low heat / serve.

For the pork:

Heat up a large frying pan add a little oil. Season the pork with salt and pepper each side, then sear at a very high temperature until both sides are coloured. Place in oven at 200C until cooked (preference permitting - some people enjoy a medium cooked pork). Remove from oven and serve ont he bed of leeks / butter and quenelle califlower mash to the side.Glaze the pork with any remaining pan juices.

Poached salmon fillet / hollondaise / canarian new potatoes / griddled asparagus

Image courtesy of splashfoods.co.uk

*part of the Sizzling Staffordshire menu series*

This version of the classic dish brings to the table a healthy balance of protein and nutrients whilst appealing to the luxuriated palate. It also brings in an influence from the outskirts of Europe, with the influence of canarian potatoes, whilst retaining the elements of the traditional classic.

Salmon is one of my favourite fishes as it is incredibly versatile, full of flavour and exceedingly good for you. In recent years I've also noticed its becoming cheaper and cheaper, which not only presents an advantage from a consumer perspective, but it also gives me faith in the fact that supplies of freshwater fish are becoming responsibly renewable.

You will need (serves 2):

2 fillets of salmon, skin on (size dependent on preference).
12 spears of asparagus, (trimmed if large)
8 moderate salad potatoes (jersey are ideal)
1 batch of 2 egg hollondaise (leftovers can be saved and chilled)
1 batch pink fish poaching liquor
1 and 1/2 tbsp Sea salt


The doing bit:

For the potatoes

Add the sea salt to 750ml of water. Add the potatoes and bring to the boil then simmer until cooked. Strain potatoes then add to large frying pan with the asparagus and a small amount of oil. Serve when asparagus is cooked.

For the salmon:

Bring poaching liqour to the boil in a poaching pan, then add the salmon until cooked (salmon should be firm but springy to the touch). Remove from the liqour then serve on top of the bed of asparagus with the canarian potatoes and the hollondaise.

Pork and pearl barley stew

Image courtesy of whole-grain-facts.com

This rich and hearty stew makes for perfect winter eating. You can use any meat really, although pork rabbit, chicken (thigh), lamb and turkey leg meat are best in supposition. The presence of fennel and pearl barley gives excellent medium for digestion and winter flavour, whilst having the aniseed edge to denote a clean aromatic flavour to accent the game flavours. The aniseed element also goes very well with pork.

Ingredients (serves 2, so adjust accordingly)

300g pork meat (shoudler, leg or belly), or turkey leg meat, or chicken thigh, or wild rabbit, cut into serving pieces.
2 tbsp vegetable oil
150g/5½oz pancetta
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small fennel bulb, sliced into 5mm/¼in thick slices
600ml/1 pint white wine, or sweet cider or even mead.
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 sprig rosemary
2 tbsp pearl barley

The doing bit.

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the meat and fry for 3-4 minutes on both sides, or until golden-brown all over. Remove and set aside.

Add the pancetta to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, then add the onion, garlic and the sliced fennel. Cook for 3-4 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the fennel is softened. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Return the meat to the pan together with the wine, tomato purée and the rosemary. If the meat is not completely covered with the liquid, top up with water. Bring to the boil, then stir in the pearl barley, cover and simmer for one hour and 15 minutes, or until the pearl barley is tender. General rule - the longer the better.

Yakitori glazed steak with yasai ramen

I've been playing around lately alot with Japanese cuisine, and in celebration of this here is a main course which comprises several elements of typical Japanese cuisine. Yakitori is a meat glaze that is quite sweet, and complements almost all meats and fishes of a robust flavour, due to the wide range in its flavour band, from the sweetness of the sugar and the sake and mirin, to the more earthy flavour of soy.

Yasai itself refers to a vegetable dish - in this case its a noodle dish. All things considered, you can use virtually any kind of vegetable, as long as it can be quickly cooked in a pan (traditionally a wok). In this instance i use mushrooms, courgettes and spring onions but this is not exclusive.

You will need: (per serving)

1 rib eye steak (sirloin is also acceptible)
3 spring onions, cut into juliennes
4 shitake mushrooms, cut into thin slices
2 baby courgettes, cut into julienne
yakitori sauce
Ramen noodles (cooked).
Meat stock (beef or chicken)

The doing bit:

Bring the steak out of a chilled environment and leave for half an hour covered at room temperature. Glaze the meat with the yakitori sauce with a brush, and allow to rest for a little while whilst you prepare everything else (chopping and trimming vegetables etc)

Steak

Heat up a heavy bottomed frying pan and add a little oil until smoking hot. Sear the steak one side for about a minute then turn, brushing the steak with more of the marinade. I usually cook my steak to rare / medium rare but its up to you. The less the steak is cooked, the more it will complement the glaze. Rare or medium rare is ideal. Using a carving knife or saishimi knife, carve the steak into slices and serve with the noodle dish.


Yasai Ramen

Heat up a frying pan or wok, and add a little oil until very hot (it will begin to smoke). Add the vegetables and cook for about a minute until they just soften. Add a small cup of stock and the noodles also. Serve with the steak in a large bowl, and drizzle with any of the pan juices, and devour.

Poached Cod with Shitake Mushrooms

Image courtesy of fairiesfinest.com

This dish is wonderful and hearty, quite healthy and not too filling. Combining earthy flavours such as the soy with the mushrooms gives a wonderful hearty approach which is wonderful year round, but especially something to look forward to in the colder months.

This is a wonderful dish that fish fans will love, and meat eaters will enjoy alike. The cod isnt set in stone - you can use other fish if you wish just make sure its a meaty white fish like cod, pangaseas, or even haddock.

You will need:

25g butter
2 x cod fillets (150g)
2 spring onions trimmed and thinly sliced
1/4 green pepper trimmed and cut into julienne
handful of shitake mushrooms finely sliced
tbsp sake or dry vermouth
salt and white pepper
2 tsp light soy sauce
2 x foil squares (Roughly 3x size of the cod - enough to be able to contain the ingredients and the fish)

handful of mixed salad

The doing bit

Preheat oven to 200C

Grease the foil with about half the butter.

Combine ingredients in foil with butter, skin side down, season with salt and pepper. Put parcels in a roasting tray with hot water half way up the tray. Put in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked, unwrap and serve on the bed of mixed leaves.

serve with steamed rice or rice noodles. Devour.