Chicken with Cashew Nuts

This dish is fairly rustic in style - everything cut into fairly large dice. It makes it very easy to prepare, and the different textures all compliment each other in the finished dish. The peppers retain their crunch.

350g chicken thighs
2 onions
1 red and 1 yellow pepper
100g cashew nuts (roasted)
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar

1 Cut the chicken breasts into 2 cm cubes
2 Dice the onion and peppers
3 Chop the garlic
4 Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan
5 Add the onions and garlic
6 As soon as they begin to soften add the chicken
7 Stir constantly until the chicken has coloured all over
8 Add the soy and sugar.
9 Add some water - approx 1/2 a glass
10 Leave to simmer for 5-6 minutes over a medium heat
11 Add the cashews and peppers
12 Cook for a further 2-3 minutes

Serve with plain boiled rice

Gong Xi Fa Cai!!

Happy Chinese New Year!!

In honour of the year of the Snake I have included a couple of my favourite chinese style recipes.
Perhaps not 100% authentic...... - but based on the western style - and healthier than a take away!
I hope you enjoy.

Beef with Basil

If you can get hold of some I would use holy basil in this dish - but normal basil will do.
I marinate the beef in 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and a pinch of sugar before cooking for an hour or so - but this is not essential.
I am generous with the white pepper - I really think it adds something special to the dish.
Forgive the photo - I am hoping these will get better!!
The peppers are added late - so retain their crunch in the finished dish

Ingredients

2 steaks ( I used rump)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 red pepper
2 red chillis
1 bunch fresh basil
2 tbsp oil
salt
5 tbsp soy sauce (2 for marinade)
white pepper

1 Cut the steak into thin strips, set aside in a non metallic bowl with two spoons of soy sauce and a pinch of sugar (if you have time to marinade)
2 Finely slice the onion and pepper
3 Chop the garlic - slice the chillis
4 Pick  the basil leaves - tear any large ones in half
5 Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok.
6. Cook the onion over a high heat until it begins to take colour.
7 Add the garlic and chilli and cook for a couple of minutes
8 Add the beef and sear
9 Once the meat has been seared add the peppers
10 After another couple of minutes add the basil leaves
11 Add the soy sauce, stir and add the white pepper (be generous)
12 The dish is ready to be served

Petit pois a la francaise

I first tried this recipe with fish pie following a Rick Stein recommendation. The flavour of the cooked Little Gems is brilliant. I’ve tried various versions of this – many are a bit more elaborate – but this is the one that I return to. He obviously knows a thing or two  that Rick Stein……

Petit pois a la francaise- -Serves 4

25g/1oz butter

2 leeks, finely sliced

2 Little Gem lettuces, each cut into 6 wedges through the root

450g/1lb frozen petit pois

150ml/5fl oz water

1 teaspoon beurre manié

1.       Melt the butter in a large, shallow pan, add the leeks and cook gently for two minutes until soft.

2.       Add the quartered lettuce hearts and turn them over in the melted butter. Add the peas, water and ½ teaspoon of salt, cover and simmer for ten minutes until the vegetables are tender.

3.       Stir in the beurre manié and leave to simmer for one minute. Finally, season to taste and serve.

Crispy Topped Fish Pie

Crispy Topped Fish Pie

(Photograph to follow!)

There are certain comfort foods that I return to again and again , and the fish pie is one of them.

I am a fan of most versions of the fish pie – but have settled on his as my favourite to serve! It started life as a Mary Berry recipe. The crispy top is a revelation – and the additional of the leeks and broccoli seem to make this a bit more of a ‘grown up’ version of the old classic. Somehow they retain their vibrant colours throughout the cooking.

I have changed some of the ingredients, as I think a fish pie NEEDS a bit of smoked fish to give I a lift  - so that is what I have done here.

The only other thing I would say is that to get the full effect of the grated pastry it really does need to be really cold. It heats up very quickly as soon as you handle it – and this effects the look of the topping.

If I have the time I cool the pie prior to adding the topping – which ensures it keeps its shape.

In writing this I realise it sounds like overkill – but these are only tips (borne out of cooking it loads of times) the pie is lovely without the additional cooling!!

Please do try it - you won’t go back to mash!

Serves 4 (well)

300g cod fillet

300g natural smoked haddock

1 bay leaf

2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced

175g broccoli – cut into small florets

200g (or a handful) cooked king prawns or tiger prawns (something with a bit of size)

15g  butter

15g pain flour

250g ready made shortcrust pastry

30g gruyere cheese

1                     Put the cod and haddock with the milk and bayleaf  into a large frying pan or saucepan. Bring slowly to the boil and poach gently for about 10 minutes, until the fish flakes easily.

2                     Blanch the leeks and broccoli for 3 minutes in salted water. Drain.

3                     Carefully lift out the fish. Flake the flesh onto a plate, discarding the skin and any bones. Strain and reserve the milk.

4                     Put the leeks into the bottom of a pie dish – I use a 24cm one.

5                     On top of the layer of leeks and broccoli and the haddock, cod and most of the prawns, keeping a few back for presentation.

6                     Melt the butter in a small pan, add the flour and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually blend in the milk. Return to the heat and bring to the boil, stirring all the time, until thickened. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, season to taste, and pour over the pie filling. (this is the point at which I chill the pie if I have time)

7                     Grate the pstry and sprinkle over the sauce. Grate the cheese and sprinkle over to the topping.

8                     I decorate with a couple of prawns (tail – on if you have them – I realise this is a bit 70’s – but I am a 70’s child….)

9                     Bake in a pre heated oven at 200 (440 gas mark 6) for 25-30 minutes and serve at one

One of the things I love to serve with this is petit pois a la francais ( I know – more 70s) –and the lack of mash in the topping means you are free to add your carbs of choice!! 

Beetroot and potato gratin

This recipe was taken from a Lucas Hollweg autumn special in the Times. He has a great knack of writing articles that make you want to go and cook - straight away.
The ingredients in this dish signal the beginning of autumn - and the flavour is very autumnal and earthy.
Lucas suggests having this with a roast - and we had left overs on their own with some greenery to cut through the creaminess.
The colour is magnificant.

Serves 4 (very well)

500g beetroot
500g floury potatoes, such as King Edward
300ml double cream
200ml whole milk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6 sprigs thyme
slat and pepper

Preheat oven to 180 / gas mark 4
1. Peel the potatoes and beetroot.
2. Slice with a mandolin, keeping the beetroot and potatoes separate
3. Mix the cream, milk, garlic and the leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme. Season well.
4. Put a thin layer of the mixture in a 23cm gratin dish.
5. Put a layer of potato, followed by a layer of beetroot, seasoning each layer as you go.
6. Finish with a layer of beetroot (keep your neatest slices for the presentation on the top!)
7. Pour the remaining cream mixture over the top, and press down the vegetables with your hands.
8. Lay the remaining thyme on top.
9. Cook for 1 hour
10. Remove from the over and leave to settle for 10-15 minutes.

This really is worth cooking while the shops are full of fresh beetroot - when it's gone it's gone!

The Seagrass - Manzes, Chapel Market, Islington

The Seagrass - Manzes Chapel Market, Islington

On Thursday, friday and Saturday nights Manzes, a 19th century pie and mash shop in Islington, is taken over by The Seagrass restaurant.
Focusing on game and seafood the deal is £30 for three courses - and it is BYOB.
We were lucky enough to go on the Friday of the Jubilee weekend. Manzes is in Chapel Market - not the nicest part of Islington - but as soon as you step through the door everything else is forgotten. A really warm welcome - into a very traditional looking pie and mash shop - all tiles and marble - with additional bunting the night we went.

We were met by Ashley - a really warm welcome, and he ran through everything with us, and opened the wine (warning BYOB can be dangerous..........)

The menu was a really interesting mix - I could quite happily have had all of the dishes! Whilst we were deciding there was an additional amuse bouche of King Scallop - served pan fried with the coral - a beautiful start to the meal.

 

A selection of three starters, three main and three deserts - we went for the west coast mussels, horseradish and dill - and the pan fried wild duck, chorizo and sweet potato hash to start, and the Chargrilled sirloin with shallot and cracked black pepper, and the whole cornish crab for mains.

I could not resist the triple cooked chips as a side with the crab - and they were a masterclass in chippery!!

The mussels were as fresh as can be, and cooked to perfection. The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned, one of the best I have tasted in a long time - and it wasn't even my order...

The crab was lovely - but I always find that crab and lobster look tempting on the menu - the wrestling a involved in eating them takes away some of the enjoyment.

As I said the BYOB can be a bit deadly - apologies to anyone who got in my way as I ran down Chapel Market to get another bottle in before Waitrose closed......

All in all a great night, a really warm welcome with good service all night, great food - long may it continue!!