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Written by Tony Carson

Category: Recipes

Created: 14 October 2022

• Takes a bit of time
• Pork Mince
• Welsh Recipes

Wild baby Dragons are available in most larger Chinese supermarkets. When choosing your Dragon, the ones with the Blue Tongues are the males….. OK, OK, we didn’t really kill a baby Dragon for this gig!!!!

Ingredients - For the filling:-

500g Pork mince, budget mince works well as the additional fat makes the pie filling hold its moisture
500g Leeks, washed and sliced
50g Margarine (Dairy free for us)
2 Tsp Cumin Seeds
1 Tsp Cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper to season

Ingredients - For the Hot Water Crust Pastry:-

450g Plain Flour (Gluten free for us)
170g Lard
200ml Water
Salt to season

Ingredients - For the Jelly:-

500ml Chicken Stock
1 Sachet of Gelatine

Other Ingredients:-

2 Eggs, for Egg Wash

Method:-

(1) In a saucepan melt the Margarine and sweat the leeks without browning for five minutes on a medium heat until softened.

(2) Add the Cumin Seeds and Cayenne Pepper and cook for a further five minutes. Set aside to cool.

(3) In a bowl add the Pork mince, Leeks and season. Mix well and then divide into two portions. Cover and put into the fridge until needed.

(4) To make the Pastry, mix the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Bring the Water and Lard to the boil in a saucepan then stir it into the Flour with a wooden spoon to form a smooth dough. Divide into two portions and leave the Pastry for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

(5) Lightly Grease two Pie Tins. Place on a baking tray covered in Greaseproof Paper.

(6) Take two thirds of each portion of Pastry and press into the Pie Tins, forcing it up the sides with the fingers. Roll the remaining Pastry into a rough circle for the lid. Repeat this process with the remaining portion of dough.

(7) Fill each Pie Tin with the pork filling. Brush the pie edges with Egg Wash and place the lid on top. Pinch the lid edge and the top of the Pastry edges together with your thumb to crimp the pie and create a seal. Trim the edge with a knife so no pastry is hanging over the edge.

(8) Pre-heat an oven to 180°C. Brush the top of each Pie all over with beaten egg yolk, make a hole in the middle of the Pastry lid and cook for one hour.

(9) Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once the pie is cold, refrigerate for two to three hours.

(10) Follow the instructions for the gelatine and add to the stock to make a firm jelly in a pan over a low heat.  Pour the stock into the round hole in the top of the pastry until the pie is full. Cool in the fridge until the jelly is set.

We actually had one Pie hot without the Jelly for dinner the other evening. The second I cooled and added the Jelly, as in the photo. This one will made the foundations of a great cold supper.

Details

Written by Tony Carson

Category: Recipes

Created: 12 October 2022

• Quick and Easy
• Sea Food
• Lactose Free
• Gluten Free
• Welsh Recipes

The recipe called this a “Traditional” Swansea Breakfast which seems to be a bit contentious. Traditional or not to was packed with flavour.

Pickled Cockles are interesting price wise. 89p in one shop and £2.00 in another shop within sight? Clearly I bought the more expensive ones although they were exactly the same brand - If you believe this you probably need an appointment with somebody about your mental function. Best of luck getting any sort of NHS appointment however!!!!!

Ingredients:-

1 Large Onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp of Oil to fry
4 Rashers of Bacon, chopped
100g of Cooked Cockles
120g of Laverbread
The Juice of a Lemon
Black Pepper to taste

Method:-

(1) Heat the Oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and cook the Onions until softened.
(2) Add the Bacon and cook until crisp.
(3) Add the Cockles and mix in the Laverbread.
(4) Season with freshly ground Black Pepper and the Lemon Juice.

We used this a the centrepiece for a Breakfast with Sausages, Fried Egg, Fried home made Cheese & Chive Bread and Hash Browns. But it beat us. All that was required was the Fried Bread. This is a recipe we’ll certainly be doing time after time!
 

Details

Written by Tony Carson

Category: Recipes

Created: 09 October 2022

• Takes a bit of time
• Chicken
• Slow Cooker Recipes
• Welsh Recipes

This was a really hearty dish. There was sufficient Chicken left for us to make three large Pasties. The remaining broth made several bowls of Soup. I would say this would easily feed 4 hungry folk.

Ingredients:-

A Medium Chicken
6 Rashers of Bacon chopped
2 Leeks, thickly sliced
2 Large Carrots, thickly chopped
2 Tbsp of Cornflour to thicken
½ a Small White Cabbage, coarsely shredded
500ml of Chicken Stock
1 Tsp of Mixed Herbs
Salt & Pepper to season
Chopped Parsley

Method:-

(1) Rub about 1/2 teaspoon Salt in body cavity.
(2) Dice the Bacon and fry until crisp and brown in a Dutch oven. Remove and set aside.
(3) Brown the Chicken in the Bacon fat on all sides. Remove Chicken from pan.
(4) Add the Leeks and return the Bacon bits along with diced Carrots.
(5) Cook until lightly browned.
(6) Add the Chicken Stock.
(7) Mix the Cornflour with a little water and stir in.
(8) Add coarsely chopped Cabbage and season with Salt & Pepper.
(9) Stir to mix thoroughly until the Cabbage is slightly wilted.
(10) Heat, stirring frequently, until simmering.
(11) Add the chopped Parsley and Mixed Herbs.
(12) When the stew is simmering gently return the Chicken.
(13) Cover and simmer very slowly until chicken is very tender.
(14) Roughly cut the Chicken into chunks.
(14) Garnish with Chopped Parsley and serve in large bowls with crusty Bread.

The Chicken was remarkably tender and really tasty. Well worth the slightly longer than usual cooking process.

Details

Written by Tony Carson

Category: Recipes

Created: 07 October 2022

• Takes a bit of time
• Beef Mince
• Lactose Free
• Gluten Free
• Welsh Recipes

This was a fun take on a Burger! We heavily modified the recipe to be both Gluten & Lactose free.

Ingredients for the Burger:-

500g of Beef Mince, seasoned with Salt & Pepper
Garlic Powder

Ingredients for the Rarebit Sauce:-

1 ½ Tbsp of Dijon or English Mustard
1 ½ Tbsp of Worcestershire Sauce
¼ Tsp of Hot Sauce

Ingredients for the Welsh Rarebit:-

25 ml of Gluten free Pale Ale
2 Tsp of Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tsp of Dijon or English Mustard
200ml of Lactose free Milk
2 Tsp of Cornflour
2 Tbsp of Ground Cashew Nuts
½ Tsp of Hot Sauce
20g of Nutritional Yeast
100g of Lactose free Cheese

To serve:-

2 Gluten free Burger Bans
4 Rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon
1/8  of an Iceberg Lettuce, shredded
3 Gherkins, sliced
1 Small Red Onion, thinly sliced

Method:-

(1) Combine the ingredients for the Rarebit Sauce in a bowl and chill.
(2) Over a medium heat add the Pale Ale, Worcestershire Sauce, Mustard, Hot Sauce.
(3) Combine the Cornflour, Milk Ground Cashew Nut and add to the pan.
(4) Bring to a gentle simmer while whisking.
(5) Add the Nutritional Feast and continue to whisk until the sauce thickens.
(6) Set aside to cool.
(7) Stir the grated Cheese into the cooled sauce and return to the fridge until you need it.
(8) For the Burger season the mince with Salt, Pepper and Garlic Powder and form into two large patties.
(9) In a frying pan with a little Oil fry the Burgers on both sides until cooked through.
(10) Move the Burger to an oven try and cover with the Welsh  Rarebit.
(11) Grill until the Cheese is bubbling.
(12) Toast the inside of the buns.
(13) Spread the  Rarebit Sauce on to inside of the buns.
(14) Grill the Bacon.
(15) Assemble the Burgers with the Lettuce and Gherkins at the bottom, the Burger and Bacon next, topped with the Red Onion and a little more Lettuce.

This was one of the most tasty burgers we’ve had. I’m pretty sure you’ll not find this in a fast food joint!