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Cooking, Recipe and Food Blog

Archives for September 2010

Salmon Fishcakes

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A bit of class from me for a change! Classic, timeless and tasty. And surprisingly easy to make!

Salmon Fishcakes

To serve 4:
– 700g Skinless Salmon Fillet, cubed
– 300ml full-fat milk
– 1 bay leaf
– 100g steamed broccoli
– 700g mashed potatoes
– 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
– 4 tbsp wholemeal plain flour
– Pepper
– 1 egg yolk
– 2 large eggs, beten
– 150g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
– 2tbsp olive oil

1. Heat the oven to 200 C/400 F/ Gas Mark 6.

2. In a saucepan, add the salmon to milk and the Bay leaf, and slowly bring up to a simmer. Keep simmering for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Remove the Bay leaf, then when cool, lift the fish out with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on kitchen paper.

3. Flake the fish into a large bowl. Put the broccoli in a food processor and pulse until smooth, before adding to the fish. Mix in the mashed potatoes, parsley, pepper and 1 tbsp of the flour. Add the egg yolk, and mix well. If it’s a bit dry, slowly add some more milk, and if a bit wet, slowly add more flour.

4. Divide into 12 portions, and shape each into the desired one (allow your creative mind to come free!). On three separate plates, place the remaining eggs, flour and the breadcrumbs. Cover each fishcake in the flour, egg then breadcrumbs, making sure they are fully coated.

5. Heat the oil in a non-stick tray for 5 minutes, then add the fishcakes and bake for 10 minutes, carefully turn them over and bake for 10 more minutes, before serving fresh from the oven.

Tomato Soup

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Who doesn’t like tomato soup? A near-impossible dish to mess up, and a classic to serve in all settings.

Tomato Soup

For 4 servings:
– 55g Butter
– 1 Finely chopped onion
– Salt and pepper
– 600ml hot Chicken or Vegetable Stock
– 700g Finely Chopped Tomatoes
– Pinch of Sugar
– 2 tbsp shredded fresh basil
– 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1. Melt half the butter in a large, heavy bottom saucepan. Add the onion and cook over a low heat for around 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season to taste with salt and pepper, then bring to the boil for 5 minutes.

2. Slowly add the Chicken or Vegetable stock, bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 10 more minutes

3. Sieve the soup to remove the skins and seeds. Return to the pan, stir in the sugar remaining butter and the basil and parsley. Heat briefly, but do not boil.

4. Serve immediately, with a fresh roll, croutons or sprigs of basil!

Red Chilli and Chocolate Brownies

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Chilli? And Chocolate? Sound like a random mix? It goes remarkably well together, so give it a go! The heat and flavour of the chilli will complement the richness of the Chocolate, so it needs to be good quality to taste right.

Chocolate Brownies

For 16 to 18 squares:
– Butter (for greasing the pan)
– 300g good-quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa Solids)
– 250g hard butter, cut into cubes
– 5 eggs
– 325g caster sugar
– 200g plain flour
– 2 medium red chillies, seeds removed and cut into small strips
– 120g plain chocolate chips

1. Heat the over to 180 C/ 350 F/ Gas Mark 4. Try to avoid using a fan setting. Line the sides of a baking tray with the butter.

2. Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure that the bottom of the bowl isn’t in the water, because it will damage the chocolate if it gets too hot

3. When fully melted, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Whilst waiting, mix the eggs and sugar together, and slowly pour the chocolate and butter mix on top, combining well.

4. Sift the flour and gently fold into the mix. Add the chocolate chips and chillies into the mix, and then pour into the buttered tray, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the brownies look cracked on top, but slightly undercooked. The chocolate will set as it cools, and the brownies will start to firm up.

Bar en Crôute Feuilletée

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Ingredients :
• 1200 grams sea perch (2 ¾ lbs, can be Sea Bass or Rockfish)
• 250 grams fine fish stuffing (1 Cup)
• 20 grams chopped tarragon (1 ½ Tbsp)
• 500 grams Puff pastry dough (1 lbs)
• 1 egg yolk
• 200 grams savory crêpes (7 oz)
• Choron sauce (a béarnaise sauce without the tarragon or chervil and plus added pureed tomatoes)
Marinade:
• 1 tarragon branch (2 tsp)
• 4 basil leaves (2 tsp)
• 1 stalk thyme (2 tsp)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stalk rosemary (2 tsp)
• 10 grams chopped garlic (1 Tbsp)
• 1 deciliter olive oil (1/3 cup)
• fresh ground black pepper
Method of Preparation :
1. Clean the fish.
2. Cut the fillets and remove the skin. Keep the head.
3. Rub the fillets with the herbs and season with fresh ground pepper.
4. Place the fish in a dish and sprinkle with olive oil before covering and placing in the fridge.
5. Make the fish stuffing.
6. Roll out the dough evenly to 2mm thick and cut into 2 even parts.
7. Drain the sea perch fillets, wipe them with a paper towel and season them with salt.
8. Place one part of puff pastry on a baking sheet.
9. Cover the dough with a layer of crêpes.
10. Place the fish head and 1 fillet on the dough, reshaping the fish.
11. Fill with the fish stuffing and sprinkle with the chopped tarragon and the chopped basil.
12. Put the bay leaf, thyme and rosemary stalks in the head cavity.
13. Cover with the remaining fillet.
14. Carefully wet the borders of the dough and cover with the remaining crêpes and then dough.
15. Seal the borders and cut off any excess dough.
16. Brush with egg wash and make a decoration on the dough.
17. Let it rest in the fridge for 15 min.
18. Cook at 220ºC for 7min, then at 160ºC for 20min. (425oF, and 325oF)
19. The center must reach 65ºC. (150oF)
20. Serve with Choron sauce.

Real Lemonade

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5c for a glass? Anyone? No? Okay, try making some of this lovely classic yourself to drink on a warm evening

Bowl full of Lemons

For 6 glasses:
– Juice and zest of 6 whole lemons (or, if you want a sharper taste, more lemons)
– 150g sugar
– 1.2 litres cold water

1. Mix the juice, zest and sugar in a jug, and mix until dissolved.

2. Pour water in, and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to allow the flavours to mix and properly chill. Try with carbonated water for a fizzier drink.

3. Serve – either over ice, on it’s own, or with a bit of fresh mint.

Blueberry and Banana Pancakes

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Aaah, It’s a Sunday (okay, not really, but I’m pretending..). Nothing planned for the day, sun is up, and the weather is Decent/Rubbish, so I’ll go out/stay in!

After a nice lay in, I tend to enjoy making my breakfast to be quite extravagant – and my personal favourite are these blueberry and banana pancakes!

Blueberry Pancakes

To make 8 (well, it is a Sunday after all!), you will need:

– 250g Plain Flour
– 2 tsp baking powder
– Pinch of Salt
– 1 tbsp caster Sugar
– 2 Eggs
– Vanilla Extract
– 1 Mashed banana
– 300ml milk
– Handful of juicy blueberries
– 1 tbsp vegetable oil
– 50g butter

1. Sift and mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a bowl, then add the eggs (hint: crack them into a mug first, you’ll find it easier to get out any bits of shell!) and vanilla extract. The slower you mix this, the smoother it will be.

2. Add the banana and carry on mixing. Slowly add the milk until you reach the desired consistency (thicker for American pancakes, thinner for ‘English’ pancakes). Add in the blueberries right at the end.

3. Heat the oil and butter together, then slowly add in the mix – for American Style pancakes, pour the mix off of a spoon, and try to keep it circular (practice makes perfect!). The blueberries will burst, so don’t be alarmed!

4. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until small bubbles appear on the surface. Flip over, and cook for about a minute on the other side.

5. Keep warm until they’re all cooked, or, personally, eat as you go!

The measurements are a guide. You’ll get used to adjusting them over time to get the right consistency – no lumps, but not too runny.

Home Made Sweet and Sour

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A fresh, jar-free sauce to go with a meat of your choice – try with Pork, Chicken or Prawns!

100g Pineapple
1/2 carrot, finely shredded
1/2 red onion, finely shredded
4 or 5 baby Corn, cut into 1cm lengths
Zest and Juice of Lemon
3cm of Grated Ginger
Pinch of Cinammon
2 cloves of Garlic
Portion of Meat per person
Handful of Bean sprouts
3 Tablespoons of Oil
Handful of Cashews (optional)

Easy enough – except for the meat, mix all of the ingredients together, and coat in some of the oil.

Leave to marinade for at least 30minutes – more if possible, and brown the meat off, then add the vegetables and herb mix together, and cook on a medium heat for until the vegetables start to soften, but still have their crunch.

Serve with Rice or Noodles

Photo Credit: Sweet and Sour Pork by avlxyz.

Food for a Student (or anyone on a Low budget!)

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Many of the people I went to ‘study’ with were mainly focused on the more social aspects of their time at University. For them, a weekly shopping list was non-existent, except for ‘beer’ and ‘drunken kebab’, however, for me, I enjoyed cooking a lot more than I enjoyed the hangovers that many of my peers had.

Many of my housemates claimed that they didn’t have the time to cook, as they went to the pub, or played their favourite game for another hour. However, making a bit of time to prepare dishes will always save time and money later on – I often spent my days off in the kitchen, having gone shopping in the morning to get a load of meat, vegetables and sauces. I bought several large plastic pots, which were very well used – making 8 portions of chilli, 4 portions of stew or 6 portions of meatballs, all of which can be frozen once made meant that in the morning, all I had to do for dinner was take one of these pots or bags out of the freezer, and then make some rice, pasta, potatoes or bread to go with the food.

As with any cooking, preparing dishes will always take time. But the positives of taking the time to prepare your food are that you can eat proper, healthy food on a low budget.

Shop around – most University/College locations often have a fruit and vegetable market nearby, and many areas have butchers near them as well. I used my course and connections as a way of building up a rapport with the stall- owners, and was able to get a small discount on produce over a short period of time.

Experimenting with what is left in the cupboards is also a good way to find new meals. For example, did you know that quite often, I’d have use some honey in my spicy tomato sauce? Adds a bit of sweetness to it, and thickens up quite nicely. Or maybe that adding different herbs to a similar dish will make it taste completely different – like using basil instead of oregano?

Having a low budget doesn’t mean you have to eat the special offer, own-brand food. Shopping around, and visiting stores at different times may mean that you can get some stock at a lower price, if they are looking to move a few more units of it.

The moral of the story is that anyone can cook, on any budget. All you need is the desire to cook.

Cyprus Meatballs or Keftedes Recipe

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A simple recipe to make your own Cyprus meatballs, just like you get them in most local restaurants and stores on the popular Southern-European holiday isle. Cyprus meatballs are also known as Keftedes.

450g Pork Mince
1 Green Chilli
2 Cloves of Garlic
Juice of 1 Lemon
Zest of 1/2 Lemon
Juice of 1 Lime
Zest of 1/2 Lime
2 Tbsp of Plain Flour
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Oregano

Mix the juice of Lemon and Lime with the Mince in a large bowl, and set aside for at least an hour.
Heat oven at 200 C

Finely chop and crush the Garlic and Chillis, mix with the Salt, Oregano and Zest of Lemon and Lime.

Combine the two bowls with the flour, and mix well till evenly mixed.

Put in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes until they are golden brown on the outside.

Serve with Pasta, Rice or Potatoes.

Photo Credit: Photo by toastyghosty.