Details

Written by Tony Carson

Category: Recipes

Created: 01 January 2022

• Sides
• Decent Beef
• Gluten Free
• Sauces

We probably blew our budget well and truly yesterday. But it was New Years Eve and we don’t go out so we treated ourselves.

The DIY Beef Wellington was actually based around a piece of Rump Steak I found in the yellow sticker fridge which we trimmed. The remainder is destined for a stir-fry this evening.

The star of the show was Sue’s Red Wine Sauce.

Ingredients:-

3 Shallots, finely diced
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
175ml of Red Wine (B&Ms - £1)
300ml of Beef Stock
1 Tbsp of Hendersons Relish
2 Tbsp of Margarine
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:-

(1) Add the Margarine to a pan over a low heat and add the Shallots.
(2) Season with Salt & Pepper and fry until softened
(3) Add the Garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes.
(4) Add the Red Wine, turn up the heat and bring to the boil.
(5) Turn the heat down and allow to simmer until it has reduced by a third.
(6) Add the Beef Stock and Hendersons.
(7) Continue to simmer until the sauce thickens.
(8) Strain the sauce.
(9) Return to the heat and stir in a little more Margarine to give the sauce a glaze.
(10) You can use the Shallots & Garlic as a side.
(11) Cut the Beef Wellington in have and serve with the sauce drizzled over.

Looks a bit ‘Chefy’ we know, but it tasted really good!

Details

Written by Tony Carson

Category: Recipes

Created: 30 December 2021

• Turkey
• Gluten Free
• Asian Recipes
• Christmas Fodder
• Slow Cooker Recipes

Well it’s traditional making a Curry out of your Turkey leftovers, after all. That’s the last of our Turkey crown. There’s a Turkey thigh in the freezer but I suspect I might suffer a beating with it if I get it out any time soon!

Ingredients:-

450g of Cooked Turkey, roughly shredded
2 Onions, chopped
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
A Thumb of Ginger, grated
1 Bay Leaf
¼ Tsp of Salt
½ Tsp of Turmeric
2 Green Chilles, chopped
1 Tsp of Cumin Powder
1 Tsp of Cayenne Pepper
1 Tin of Tomatoes
1 Tbsp of Tomato Puree
½ Tsp of Spirit Vinegar
2 Tsp of Brown Sugar
The juice of a Lime
2 Tbsp of Cashew Nuts, ground
125Ml of Water
Oil to fry
Fresh Coriander, sliced Lime and Cashew Nuts to garnish

Method:-

(1) Heat the Oil in a large pan and add the Onions, Ginger, Bay Leaf, Salt and Turmeric.
(2) Fry until the Onion is golden brown.
(3) Add the Turkey and cover the meat in the Onion mixture.
(4) Add the Chillies, Cumin, Cayenne and stir well.
(5) Add the Tomatoes and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
(6) Stir in the Tomato Puree, Vinegar, Sugar and Lime juice.
(7) Add the Water and simmer for 10 minutes.
(8) Stir in the Cashew nut powder.
(9) Serve over Rice garnished with chopped Coriander, Lime slices and Cashew Nuts

So 6 serving for us humans, 3 dinners for Smooh the Cat and various sizeable scraps for the Foxes. Not bad going from our £5.01 yellow sticker Turkey. But we’re ready for something different now…..
 

Details

Written by Tony Carson

Category: Recipes

Created: 27 December 2021

• Cured Meat
• beef

This is an unusual ‘cure’ for me. Most of the cured meat items we’ve played with so far require some level of dehydration. Pastrami however needs the cured meat to be moist and succulent. I picked a bit of Rump Steak for this experiment as it wasn’t hideously expensive and after I’d trimmed the fat the meat had the sort of texture I’m looking for when I eventually cut it alone, rather that across the grain.

Ingredients:-

Good low fat Beef
Fresh ground Black Pepper
Salt
Saltpetre

The tricky thing is measuring the Saltpetre for a small piece of meat. You need 2g per 1kg in weight to preserve the colour. I had 200g of meat when it was trimming and our scales only work from 1g upwards. So I divided and divided until I had an approximate amount. If it’s under the Salt will cure the meat but it will be green in the middle. If it’s over the meat will be livid red and there will be a nasty ‘Nitric’ after taste.  We shall see…..

Method:-

(1) Mix the curing ingredients.
(2) Coat  The meat on all sides.
(3) Place in an air tight box in the fridge.
(4) Turn after 7 days.
(5) Slice along the grain and serve in a Sandwich or as part of a cold salad.

See you in three weeks!

Details

Written by Tony Carson

Category: Recipes

Created: 27 December 2021

• Fish
• Gluten Free
• Foraged

Claire bought her mum some Black Truffles in Oil for Christmas. A real treat and generally well beyond our self imposed budget. So they deserved a special recipe.

Ingredients:-

Mussels
White Wine
½ a Tsp of Shrimp Paste
3 Shallots, finely diced
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
2 Slices of Black Truffle, finely cut, plus some to garnish
Rice Vermicelli
Dried Wild Mushrooms. Steeped in cold water for 30 minutes
Butter / Margarine to fry
Bonito Fish flakes to garnish
Grated Italian Style Cheese
Bonito Flakes, Black Truffle and Fresh Parsley to garnish

Method:-

(1) Add enough White Wine in a large pan to cover the Mussels.
(2) Heat to a simmer, add the Mussels and cover with the lid.
(3) Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
(4) Remove from the heat and strain.
(5) Reserve the liquid.
(6) In a large frying pan melt the Butter and add the Shallots.
(7) Fry until softened and add the Garlic.
(8) Cook for a further 2 minutes.
(9) Add the Truffle Shavings stir in the Shrimp Paste.
(10) Add the reserved Wine and Mushrooms and allow to simmer.
(11)  Cook the Rice Vermicelli according to the packet instructions and once done drain.
(12) Add the cooked Mussels to the pan and gently heat while stirring.
(13) Add the Vermicelli using tongs to combine until coated.
(14) Sprinkle with Grated Italian Style Cheese.
(15) Garnish with Bonito Flakes, Truffle flakes and Fresh Parsley.

This was really a restaurant type gig. Superb. Thank you so much Claire xxxxx

The Dried Mushrooms were Pine Bolite I found in the autumn and dehydrated. They've been waiting for a special recipe.....