England -v- Italy : Italian Sausage and bean casserole / Tomato and Mozzarella bites

In an attempt at reverse psychology I am going to be putting up some suggestions for pre / post match grub, and half time snacks - based on England's opponents.
I am looking at one pot wonders - or anything that won't need any effort on the night - and food that will help soak up a few beers - celebratory of course.
So England v Italy - I have gone with an Italian Sausage and Bean casserole which is an old favourite -  on the blog from last June: - http://hannahs-kitchen.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/this-is-simply-one-of-my-favourite.html

For a half time snack I have gone for something really quick and straightforward - but still packs a flavour punch.

Tomato and Mozzarella bites

20 cherry tomatoes
20 mozzarella bocconcini - or mozzarella cherries
Small bunch of basil
Juice half a lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
good pinch salt
cocktail sticks

1 Put the basil, lemon juice, olive oil and sea salt in a mini blender and whizz
2 Halve the tomatoes
3 Thread a mozzarella ball between 2 halves of tomato - as above
4 Drizzle with the basil dressing

If made ahead of time they would probably benefit from marinating in the basil dressing - but mine didn't last that long.......


So - here it begins - England v Italy - hope you enjoy.
Think I will have my work cut with Uruguay and Costa Rica!!

Prawn and Chorizo Skewers

This is a really quick recipe - one for the BBQ.
It was based on a Waitrose weekly recipe - where they included flatbread and tomato passata - but I think these are better on their own.
I have included the coriander and lemon dressing - which does add something.
A quick, but classy, dish to liven up a barbie - or a great starter.

200g raw jumbo king prawns
70g Chorizo de Leon cut into slices £1 coin thickness
2 tbsp olive oil
Small bunch of coriander
Juice of 1 lemon

1 Thread the prawns and chorizo on to 8 skewers (if using wooden skewers soak them beforehand)

2 Brush with olive oil

3 Place the coriander ,lemon juice and remaining oil into a mini food processor and pulse until finely chopped.

4 Place the skewers on the grill and barbecue until slightly charred, an cooked right through.

5 Serve with the coriander and lemon as a dressing.

Prawn Molee

PRAWN MOLEE

This is  a reat recipe from Rick Stein's curry book - I have hardly deviated from the recipe - I used vegetable oil instead of coconut oil - and tend to use minced garlic and minced ginger (following a tip from my curry guru Mira) - rather than slicing and shredding fresh, and I left in the seeds of the chilli, which were removed in the original recipe.

I have seen various recipes for this - and various spellings (!) - though never remember seeing it on a menu.

Quite straightforward - and makes a lovely rich Keralan curry, not too hot -  with a subtle sour note.

Serves 4

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 green cardammons bruised with a rolling pin

6 cloves

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp minced garlic 

1 tbsp minced ginger

2 green chillis, slit lengthways

salt

Small handfull curry leaves ( I used dried as could not get fresh)

Pinch turmeric

400ml coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar

500g large tail on prawns 

2 tomatoes, thinly sliced, to garnish

Boiled basmati rice to serve

1 Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan and add the pepper, cardamons and cloves and fry for one minutes until fragrant.

2 Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic, ginger, chillies, salt and curry leaves and fry for an additional minute.

3 Add the tumeric, coconut milk and vinegar, bring to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes, until reduced.

4 Add the prawns - if using raw cook for 4-5 minutes until cooked - if using cooked simply allow to warm through. 

5 Turn off the heat, cover and set aside for 3-4 minutes.

6 Serve with the rice, and garnish with the tomatoes - as above.

ENJOY!

Mira's Chicken Curry

This is a fantastic curry dish. When I first looked at the set of ingredients I did not believe that the outcome would be that interesting - but I could not have been more wrong. This is something we return to again and again.
Mira is an old friend - a solicitor who I have worked with for over 15 years - she sent me the recipe on the proviso that if I ever wrote a book she would get the credit  - so here it is. Not quite a book - but credit where credit is due!
I have used chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts in the original recipe.
Further Mira recipes to follow!

Serves 4 generously

4-500g chichen thighs, cut into bite size chunks
2 large onions, chopped
1tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cinamon stick
2 cloves
2 green chilli (add more or less to taste)
1 tbsp chopped ginger
1 tbsp chopped garlic (or use minced garlic or ginger available in jars)
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 cup fresh coriander
1/2 bag spinach
1 cup fresh fenugreek or 2 tbsp dried (optional - I have had trouble buying fresh)
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp garam masala (optional)
3 tbsp cooking oil
Salt to taste

1 Heat the oil until very hot. Add the cumin seeds, cinamon stick and cloves. Cook for 1 minute.
2 Add the onions and cook on a medium heat until dark brown.
3 Add the garlic, ginger, tumeric and chillies - followed by the chicken.
4 Stir with the onions and cook for at least 5 minutes, until the chicken has taken on some colour.
5 Add the green, let them wilt, and then finally add the tomatoes. Add salt to taste.
6 Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the curry has taken on a dark colour.
7 If using garam masala add two minutes before the end of cooking time.

Courgette Ribbons with Tomato and Chorizo Sauce

This recipe started life in The Times, in a selection of recipes under 300 calories by Jaqueline Whitehart. Mine is slightly different - and therefore probably over the original 158 calories - but still a really tasty alternatitve to pasta - and just as quick.
It really is tasty - and you would have no idea is was pretty healthy - always a bonus!

Serves 2

3-4 courgettes
50g chorizo - thinly sliced (in my recipe I used 1 x 67g pack of prepared chorizo)
1 clove garlic - thinly sliced
1 tbsp tomato puree
250 g ripe cherry tomatoes




1 Use a vegeatable peeler to cut the courgette into ribbons. Discard the first slice as this will be mainly skin, a rotate the courgette as you reach the seeds.

2 Heat a frying pan to a medium heat - toss in the chorizo and allow to sizzle and brown. Remove the chorizo from the pan, leaving ehind the oil that has come from the chorizo.

 3 Add the garlic and fry until golden, make sure it does not burn. Add the tomato puree and stir for approximately 30 seconds, before adding the courgettes. Stir these for a couple of minutes.


4 Finally add the tomatoes, reduce the heat an cook slowly for about 10 minutes.

5 Serve sprinkled wit the reserved chorizo.

The Laughing Gravy

We visited The Laughing Gravy in Southwark on a cold December afternoon. This was my second time here - and both times the welcome has been great as soon as you walk through the door.

This is one of the many things that The Laughing gravy get right - the staff are friendly, helpful, knowledgeable - all without being obtrusive.

Whilst Sundays are mainly about the roasts the LG pretty much offers a full menu with plently of lighter dishes - and a number of vegetarian options.

I went for the Smoked Rabbit and West Country Crayfish scotch egg with salsify as a starter - it was a thing of beauty - an tasted as good as it looks......

 For mains  I went for the roast beef. I should say I don' often order it  as it isn't often that good - but I ca honestly say this is the best roast beef I have ever ad - and the gravy lives up to its top billing!

The amount of meat was also seriously generous - so much so I could not finish it - and had to forego a dessert.Great food  - coupled with a goo wine list, nd some local beers  adds up to a great spot.
I will definitely be back - and will make sure I am HUNGRY.

Vegetable Curry

It was National Vegetarian week recently - so to get in he spirit I dug out an old favourite vegetable curry recipe. It is based on a Nigel Slater recipe - his recipes work - and he has a great style of writing that just makes you want to cook!!

The recipe does call for salting and rinsing the aubergine - which I did - but I am not sure you need to do this with most aubergines these days.
The aubergine is meaty enough to hold its own against the spices - and you certainly don't miss meat. After cooking it I wondered what it would be like using portobello mushrooms instead - so that may follow another day!

2 large aubergines - cut into large chunks (see picture)

salt 

oil

2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

2 tbs ginger, finely chopped

8 cardamon pods

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tsp ground tumeric 

2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tin chopped tomatoes

natural yoghurt

coriander

mint

1.Place the aubergine in a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt to draw out the moisture. Leave for 30 minutes.

2.Whilst waiting for the aubergine in a large pan add the groundnut oil, put on a high heat, and add the onions, garlic and ginger. Lower the heat, cover with a lid, and allow to cook for 20 mins, or until the onions have softened.
3. Crush the cardamon pods, extract the seeds and crush in a pestle and mortar. Add them to the pan with chilli flakes, turmeric and cumin seeds, and stir to lightly toast.
4. Add the tinned tomatoes, and pour in enough water to cover the vegetables. Season well with salt and pepper, cover and leave to cook.
5. Rinse the salt off the aubergine, and brown the pieces on a griddle - in batches if necessary.
6. Add the griddled aubergine to the main pot, cover and simmer until the aubergine is very soft, about 25 minutes.
7. Taste the curry and adjust the spice t taste - I often add more chilli flakes towards the end of cooking. You can adjust the spice level by adding the natural yoghurt.
8. Sprinkle over the chopped coriander and mint and serve.