Pork with Chilli & Coconut

Serves 4

Ingredients

750 g (1 1/2 lb) pork fillet, trimmed and cut into 5 mm (1/4 in) strips
2 tbsp sunflower oil
8 Spring onions, cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) pieces
1 large red pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 x 400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes
60 g (2 oz) creamed coconut, coarsely chopped
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and black pepper
coriander sprigs to garnish

Dry Marinade

2.5cm (1 in) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2 fresh red chillies, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp mild curry powder
1/4 tsp ground tumeric
1/4 tsp garam masala

Method

1. Make the dry marinade in a bowl, combine the ginger, chillies, garlic, curry powder, tumeric, garam masala, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn the pork in the marinade, cover, and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

2. Heat a wok or large frying pan, add the oil, and heat until hot. Add the strips of pork in batches, and stir-fry over a high heat for 5 minutes or until browned all over.

3. Add the spring onions and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add the red pepper and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the tomatoes, coconut, and measured water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer very gently for 15 minutes or until the pork is tender.

4. Add the chopped coriander, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with coriander sprigs before serving.

Friendly Tip: If you are not a lover of pork whether through choice or religion, you can use Chicken as your choice of meat. I did this the following week and it was just as gorgeous.

Lamb Tagine

Serves 6-8

1/4 tsp saffron threads
150 ml (1/4 pint) hot water
3 tbsp olive oil
1.5 kg (3lb) boneless shoulder of lamb, trimmed and cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes
1 Fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced crosswise
2 green peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
1 large onion, sliced
30 g (1 oz) plain flour
1/2 tsp ground ginger
450 ml (3/4 pint) lamb stock or water
grated zest and juice of 1 orange
125 g (4 oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots
salt and black pepper
mint sprigs to garnish

Method

1. Prepare the saffron. (Put the saffron threads into a small bowl, add the measured hot water, and soak for 10 minutes). Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole, add the lamb in batches, and cook over a high heat for 5 minutes or until browned. Lift out and drain on paper towels.

2. Lower the heat, add the fennel, peppers, and onion, and cook gently, stirring, for 5 minutes.

3. Add the flour and ground ginger to the vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 1 minute. Add the saffron liquid to the casserole, return the cubes of lamb, then add the stock, orange zest, and salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook in a preheated oven at 160 C (325 F, Gas 3) for 1 hour.

4. Add the orange juice and apricots and cook for about 30 minutes until the lamb is tender. Taste for seasoning and garnish with mint sprigs before serving.

Friendly Tip: If like me you find the taste of sweet and sour a bit too much for your palate, omit the Apricots from your meal. Something else to bear in mind is to perhaps serve a plain cous cous and not have too much other flavors with the lamb as this may take away from it's overall taste.

Cannelloni Al Forno... Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

450 g (1 lb, 4 cups) skinned and boned chicken breast, cooked
225g (8 0z) mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, crushed
30 ml (2 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh tarragon
1 egg, beaten fresh lemon juice
12- 18 cannelloni tubes
475 ml (16 fl oz, 2 cups) ready made tomato sauce
50 g (2 oz, 2/3 cup) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
1 sprig fresh parsley, to garnish

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F, Gas 6). Place the (cooked) chicken in a blender or food processor and blend until finely minced. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Place the mushrooms, garlic and tarragon in the food processor and blend until finely minced.

3. Beat the mushroom mixture into the chicken mixture thoroughly, then add the egg, salt and pepper and lemon juice to taste and mix together well.

4. If necessary, cook the cannelloni in plenty of boiling water according to the instructions, then drain well on a clean dish towel.

5. Place the filling in a piping bag fitted wit a large plain nozzle. Use this to fill each tube of cannelloni once they are cool enough to handle.

6. Lay the filled cannelloni tightly together in a single layer in a buttered shallow ovenproof dish. Spoon over the tomato sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until brown and bubbling. Serve garnished with a sprig of parsley.

Friendly Tip: If cooking the cannelloni tubes prior to filling, be mindful of cooking them too soft as this can cause them to split when filling. Instead you may choose to cook them for half of the instructed time as they will be cooked for a further 30 minutes in the oven.

Crunchy Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Serves 4
Ingredients:

4 Chicken breast, boned
25 g (1oz, 2 tbsp) butter
1 Garlic clove, crushed
15 ml (1 tbsp) Dijon mustard

For the stuffing

15 g (1/2 oz, 1 tbsp) butter
1 bunch spring onions, sliced
45 ml (3 tbsp) fresh bread crumbs
25 ml (1 oz, 2 tbsp) pine nuts
1 egg yolk
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley
salt and black pepper
60 ml (4 tbsp) grated cheese

For the topping

2 bacon rashers finely chopped
50 g (2 oz, 1 cup) fresh breadcrumbs
15 ml ( 1 tbsp) grated Parmesan cheese
15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh parsley

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C (400 F, Gas 6). To make the stuffing, heat 15 g (1/2 oz, 1 tbsp) of the butter in a frying pan and cook the spring onions until soft. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly.

3. To make the topping, fry the chopped bacon until crispy, drain and add to the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

4. Carefully cut a deep pocket in each of the chicken breasts, using a sharp knife.

5. Divide the stuffing into four and use to fill the pockets. Put in a buttered ovenproof dish.

6. Melt the remaining butter, mix it with the crushed garlic and mustard, and brush liberally over the chicken. press on the topping and bake uncovered for about 30- 40 minutes, or until tender.


Friendly Tip: If like myself you don't have sufficient time to make the stuffing then you may choose to use a ready made packet of stuffing mix.

Spring Onion and Humus Baked Potatoes

Serves 4


Ingredients:

4 baking potatoes, scrubbed
150 (5 0z) humus
4 Finely chopped Spring Onions
Salt and black pepper

Method:

1. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork. Bake in a preheated oven at 220 C (425 F, Gas 7) for 1-1 1/4 hours until tender.

2. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh and turn it into a bowl. Add the spring onions, humus, and salt and pepper to taste. Fill the potato skins with the mixture, return to the oven, and cook for 20 minutes or until piping hot. Serve at once.

Friendly Tip: These can be served as an accompaniment to a meat dish or as a starter, by serving each person with half of a potato as opposed to a whole. You may also chose to add soft cheese to the humus and spring onion mixture and Parmesan cheese on top to garnish.

Enjoy...

Thai Red Beef Curry... Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 tbsp sunflower oil
1 kg (2lb) chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes
8 Cardamon pods, split
2.5 cm (1 in) piece of cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves 6 cloves
8 black peppercorns
1 large onion, chopped
5 cm (2 in) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin seeds, coarsely ground
1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely ground
1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
600 ml (1 pint) water
90 g (3 oz) plain yogurt
1 x 400 g (13 oz) can chopped tomatoes
1 large red pepper, cored seeded, and cut into chunks

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole, add the beef in batches, and cook over a high heat until browned all over. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

2. Add the cardamon pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, cloves, and peppercorns, and cook over a high heat, stirring for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and tie in a muslin bag.

3. Add the onion to the pan, and cook over a high heat, stirring, for about 3 minutes until beginning to brown. Add the ginger, garlic, paprika, cumin and coriander seeds, salt, cayenne pepper and 4 tbsp of the water. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.

Return the beef and spices to the casserole, then gradually add the yogurt, stirring. Stir in the remaining water. Add the tomatoes and red pepper, and bring to boil. Cover and cook in a preheated oven at 160 C (325 F, Gas 3) for 2 hours or until tender. Remove the bag of spices before serving.

Friendly Tip: You do not necessarily require chuck steak, a good portion of boneless beef, bought from a butchers will be just as good.

Thai Red Beef Curry... Update..

Have just finished eating and cleaning up... dinner again was lovely, I'm ever so grateful that everything seems to be going according to plan so far. Apart from the cheesecake which was okay but could have been better in my opinion the varying dishes I attempt seems to be turning out the way they should.

The starters of cheese and olive bites as well as cheese and sausage bites were light and tasty; the only problem was that I failed to make enough as my hungry family seemed to have wanted more particularly the kids... I think I should have reminded them that it was just a starter and not a meal on its own.... they were just meant to tickle the taste buds and leave them wanting and I guess that's what they did.



The main course of Thai Red Beef Curry, served with Basmati rice and steamed vegetables was relatively easy to make and my fear that it will perhaps go awry considering the differences in how the curry is made from what I'm used to was unfounded. In fact dinner today all in all was a piece of cake compared to the last two weeks meals. It tasted very good and the compliments as usual were positive; everyone cleared all their plates and I must say that with the family I have when they give compliments they are normally genuine and have never failed to tell me in the past when I have not made something to their liking and why.

Desert was nice; the Lemon Flummery was served with whipped cream and caramelized lemon zest. It was refreshingly cold and creamy and left me wanting more. My Sis-in-law had a helping of my coconut ice-cream made last week also and couldn't seem to get enough of it, in fact she declared it to be so nice that she wanted to try making it herself and requested the recipe; to which my response was the recipe is on my blog... lol....





As you may have noticed I have been posting recipes, I figured there was not much point me ranting and raving about the foods I make if no one can attempt to make them themselves after reading my rants... so if you should try anything... I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.