Corned Beef Hash

A cheap and cheerful comfort food favourite. Just what's called for in this weather ad was perfect for when I got in from a run cold and wet! It's quick, cheap and easy to make. I've done my recipe for one as it was just for me, but it's easily multiplied!

Ingredients:

1 Potato - cubed and lightly boiled until al dente

Half a white onion - chopped

Splash of Worcestershire Sauce or Hendersons Relish

Salt and Pepper

Clove of Garlic - chopped

About 80 - 100g Corned Beef (a quarter of a 340g can) - chopped

Knob of butter

Method:

1.   Parboil potato cubes and drain. Leave to dry off for a few minutes.

2.   Melt butter in a large pan and fry onions and garlic until soft. Tip in the potatoes and combine. Fry until potatoes are starting to turn golden.

3.   Add corned beef, seasoning and Worcestershire Sauce/ Hendersons Relish. Combine and fry till golden.

4.   This is the basic recipe but add whatever you fancy to it. This time round I had some mushrooms and a green pepper so chopped them up and put them in. I serve mine with a poached egg on top and ketchup on the side. A friend of mine loves his with cheese on top. So go with what tickles your fancy!

 

Smoked Mackerel and Cream Cheese Tagliatelle

Having gotten in from work and a class late and being starving I didnt feel much like waiting for my dinner to cook. Pasta dishes are always a good stand by and as I am attempting to be good during the week fish was on the menu too! I just threw together a few ingredients from the fridge, freezer and cupboard. It actually tasted lovely!

Ingredients:

Half a white onion - finely chopped

Garlic puree - about half a tsp

Squeeze of lemon juice

Handful of mushrooms - chopped
Handful of frozen peas

A couple of smoked mackerel fillets - poached in water and rough chopped

A heaped tbsp light Philidelphia

Handful of spinach - chopped

Some fresh dill - chopped

Tagliatelle

Method:

1.  While fish is poaching and pasta cooking fry onion in a little oil. Add mushrooms.

2.   Add cream cheese, garlic puree, dill and lemon juice. Add a little hot water if too thick to make a sauce. Add peas to the pasta a few minutes before its finished cooking.

3.   Add mackerel to cooked and drained pasta and peas. Stir through spinach - it will wilt with the heat of the pasta.

4.   Stir through the sauce and combine to coat.

5.   Serve!

 

Golden Syrup Pudding

After a day's sledging to take my mind off a few pieces of bad news I decided comfort food was in order. With the ingredients I had in the cupboard golden syrup pudding was the one!

 

 

Ingredients:

 

100g Butter -softened
100g Caster Sugar
1tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Eggs
100g Self Raising Flour
6 - 8tbsp Golden Syrup

 

 

Method:

 

1.   Preheat oven to 200/ Gas mark 6.

2.   Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time.

3.   Add vanilla extract.  Fold in flour. Combine well.

4.   Pour syrup into a  greased baking dish. Spoon over sponge mix.

5.   Bake for about 35 - 40mins until risen.

6.   Serve with whatever accompaniment you fancy!

 

 

Angel Delight Ice Cream - Review

Everyone who has read this blog knows I do like my Angel Delight. So I was pretty excited (I even did a little dance in Morrisons!) when I spotted they now have a version especially for ice cream. Well I had to give it a go! I purchased the strawberry and butterscotch versions. I followed the instructions to a tee and you only need a hand whisk and 150ml semi skimmed milk.

I am pleased to report it actually tastes okay. Granted it's never going to be the same as Ben and Jerry's, but for a quick stand by and fairly low in fat it did the job.

Smoked Fish Risotto

Risotto is much easier to make than people seem to think. And as it only takes about 30 minutes it’s a great midweek meal. Once you’ve made it the first time you can switch the ingredients about-different meats, herbs, or make it veggie instead. Just keep the basic rice, onion, and stock combo the same.

Serves 2 (Easily doubled)

Ingredients:

2 Smoked fish fillets (I use smoked trout or haddock usually)

150g Arborio Rice

1pt Hot Fish or Chicken Stock

1 White Onion – diced

2 Garlic Cloves – chopped or 1tsp Garlic Puree

1 Large glass white wine

1tbsp Chopped Fresh Dill or 1tsp Dried Dill

1tbsp Butter

1tbsp creme fraiche

Salt and Pepper- to season

1. Melt butter in a large frying pan. Add onion, and garlic and fry until soft.
2. Tip in the rice and coat with butter and onion. It should slightly glisten. Add wine and bubble until the wine has reduced.
3. Add in a ladle at a time the stock. Let each amount be absorbed by the rice before adding the next. Repeat until rice is cooked. You may not need all of the stock.
4. Fold in the dill and the fish. Heat through. Season to taste.
5. Before serving fold in the creme fraiche.

I am trying to get extra veg into my diet so I added a handful of diced mushrooms, asparagus,a handful of chopped spinach and a handful of peas. Italians don't usually add cheese to fish dishes whether it be a pasta or rice based one, but food is for enjoying so if you want to add some grated parmesan go for it!

Salmon Mousse - Starter

This makes a great starter as it's light so won't fill you up too much, but is still tasty. I served with melba toast. Measurements are imperial i'm afraid as it's an old family recipe!


Ingredients

1oz Butter
Half a finely chopped White Onion
1oz Flour
1/2pt Milk
Pinch Thyme (Dried or fresh)
1 Bay Leaf - Dried
Sprinkling of Nutmeg
8oz of Red Salmon - good quality tinned is easiest, but you can use cooked fresh too
1 Level dessertspoon of Gelatine (dissolved in 2tbsp water)
2tbsp Tomato Ketchup
3tbsp Mayo
Juice of 1 Lemon

Method

1.   Melt butter in a saucepan and gently  fry onion until transparent, but not brown.
2.   Stir in flour and fry off for 3 minutes.
3.   Add milk gradually - stirring all the time.
4.   Add thyme, nutmeg and bay leaf. Simmer over a gentle heat for 10 minutes until thickens.
5.   Remove bay leaf and cool slightly.
6.   Flake salmon into the sauce and beat to combine.
7.   Add gelatine.
8.   Stir in ketchup, mayo and lemon juice.
9.   Season and chill until needed.

Black Forest Cheesecake - Not for the faint hearted!

Pudding combined elements from family favourite desserts – Black Forest Gateaux and a Cheesecake to make... Black Forest Cheesecake. Be warned this is a very rich and calorific pudding. But so worth it!!!

 

Ingredients:

2 Packets of Double Chocolate Chip Cookies or Oreos

70g Butter – melted

500g Mascarpone

1tsp Vanilla Extract

300ml Double Cream

200g Milk Chocolate

200g Dark Chocolate

20 Cherries in Kirsch or Syrup - stoned

2tbsp Kirsch or syrup from the jar

You will also need a 20cm tin – spring form if possible as it’s easier! This cheesecake will need to be set overnight ideally.

Method:

1. Grease tin with butter lightly and line the bottom with baking parchment.
2. Whizz biscuits in a food processor to crumbs. Combine with the melted butter.
3. Tip into the tin and press down to form base. Place in the fridge while you make the filling.
4. Melt the chocolates in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and set aside to cool very slightly.
5. Beat mascarpone in a large bowl with the vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
6. Gently whip the cream and kirsch/ syrup. Fold into the mascarpone.
7. Fold in the melted chocolates and the cherries.
8. Pour into the tin. Smooth the top.
9. Chill in the fridge overnight.
10. Remove from the tin and spoon over some of the syrup/ kirsch from the jar and top with a few extra cherries.