Thursday 19 May 2011

Fitest Food Photos to date... Slow Roast Moroccan Spiced Lamb with Parmesan Parsley Lemon Crust & Mint Cous Cous


PARSLEY & MINT COUS COUS
Boil water, enough to cover the Cous Cous let it absorb, season with Salt & Pepper
Add-
1 big hand full of chopped Mint
1 big handful of chopped Parsley
10 Cherry Tomatoes sliced
1 large cucumber, cubed/chopped finely
Red win vinegar- 2 good glugs/to taste


Leg Of Lamb
I cut half the strings so that it's still held together but nit as tightly- It makes it easier to rub in the garlic, herbs & spices
Stuff full cloves of garlic into wherever you can, if you're struggling, make small holes in the meat with a knife then stuff the garlic into it.
Rub the Lamb in rock salt then add the following-
Paprika
Cinnamon
Ground Ginger
Turmeric
Ground Coriander
All Spice
Add 2cm of chicken or lamb stock around the bottom of the leg of lamb
Add onion & carrots for a gravy.
Slow Roast for 4/5hrs on low 150, leave to stand for up to an hour before serving


Herb Crust-
Blend old bread, white or brown...both works
Add a big bunch of parsley
Grate in a large handful of parmesan
Salt & Pepper
Grate some lemon zest (half a side of lemon)
Blitz this all together until it's a fine breadcrumb or just until it's all mixed.
Add to the top of the Lamb and place under the grill



Grermalata

Zest of lemon (I used lime as I'd ran out of lemons ) & juice
1 garlic clove finely chopped
Small bunch of parsley
Olive Oil
Salt & pepper



Monday 16 May 2011

Beef with Chinese Gravy (ish), Cucumber, Spring Onions, Chinese Leaf & Coriander

This Meal feeds at least 7 grown men (I'm including myself in that)


It looks confusing, kinda more like a stew than anything Chinese but it actually worked out. Had a rough idea what I wanted to make, a cross between chicken/beef gravy and something lemongrassy or gingery.

Not sure I know the exact recipe but defo know the following's in there-
Ginger 4cm finely sliced 
3 cloves pf garlic, crushed then finely sliced
1 White Onion cut into fairly large pieces-Keeping it all chinky
3 Carrots slices into similar sized pieces to the onion-half the carrot then slice thinly
1 lemongrass stalk- cut into fine rings so you don't notice it too much when eating it
Saute the above for no more than 5mins
Stewing steak (it was all I had) flour, salt and pepper it then lightly fry for a minute so it's brown all over then add to the everything above.
Once all the meat and veg etc it cooking together add at least a pint of water, not too much coz you'll just need to flavour it more...
Add- 
2 large tbsp of Miso paste
2 large tbsp of egg dressing
2 Vietnamese chicken stock cubes
Big glug of Fish sauce (watch out as it's salty so do it to taste)
Big Sprinkle of Sugar/ Palm Sugar/brown sugar- to taste, start off with small amounts
Add a quatre of a scotch bonnet or red chilli to give it a little kick- or to taste
Then cook on the hob or in the oven on high for 45mins/1hr- alternatively slow cook for 3/4hrs on low.

Know it's a bit random but was a good opportunity to use all the weird bargain sauces and pastes I've picked up in the Vietnamese & Chinese Supermarket...it turned out YUM.


Shredded Chinese Leaf
Cucumber
Spring Onions
Coriander


Egg Fried Rice TIPS-
Use a not stick wok (it always sticks for me but this will help you out)
Add a big glug of Sunflower oil, mix with a dash of sesame seed oil-not too much coz its got a strong flavour.
Heat the oil and wok until it's slightly bubbling
Add the pre whisked eggs-add a bit of milk to them so they go a bit further- 4/5 eggs
Let the eggs cook in the oil for 30sec
Add a glug of fish sauce/light soy sauce mix
Add the fresh spring onion to the egg then the rice 
Stir so the egg doesn't quite set and mix it through the rice
Save some spring onion rings to garnish





Saturday 14 May 2011

Slow Roast Pork Belly....think I've finally mastered it.


Put the Roast belly of pork in a pan with a lid, cut into the top of the fat, not all the way through to the meat but enough to get some rock salt in, add a bit of oil (only small amount as there's loads of fat there already but just so it doesn't stick to the pan) Salt and pepper the whole bit of meat.
Cook on 150/160 for at least 4hrs, ideally 5 so the meat is stringy and falling apart.
Cut/pull off the layer of fat and put it on the roasting tray with the roast potatoes so it turns into amazing crackling (If it's ever not crunchy enough, put it under the grill)
Let the meat stand for at least 20mins, half hour before serving. 


Part boil potatoes for 10/15mins drain then shake in the pan to bash up the edges, then sprinkle with flour salt and pepper and add to a tray of hot sunflower oil. Turn while cooking so they get crispy all over...the crispy bits are the best and defo worth a fight over. Love my potatoes like this!


Yorkshire puddings, a must with every roast...I like mine to be really doughy so use a lot of eggs and normally guess the measurements based on the texture of the liquid. For me it should be quite gluppy, but the runnier the easier it is to make them rise.
Notes for success-
Always use plain flour not self raising
Add salt
Use muffin tin trays to get the extra height
Heat up the oil in the trays first 
Keep the mixture in the fridge before pouring into hot oil
Don't open the oven door otherwise they fall flat
Cook for 25mins on 200/220


The perfect greedy hangover roast


I had leftover sausage meat/pork mince from a sausage plat so cooked this up then added a bit to the gravy (THIS MEALS NOT FOR DIETS). The gravy was one I had left over and had frozen from the last time I made this. But for a good gravy, use the juices from the meat, add stock cubes and cook up chopped onion, celery, carrot, fennel and fresh thyme- I like mine chunky/I'm lazy but you can sieve the gravy and veg and add corn flour or just flour to thicken.

Sunday 8 May 2011

Royal Wedding






A version on Nans Sausage plat


LOVE TO LOVE TEAM
Setting the tone for the LOVE to LOVE club night at the George Tavern


Our Street Party


Did a 'W' on the other olive loaf but forgot to get a pic...


ALL THE BRIDES


Half of the buffet
Cherry Coca Cola Roast Ham
Meringue Strawberries and Cream tart
Nans Sausage Plat Pie
Mackerel Pate
Potato Salad
Coleslaw
Cheesecake


TIME OF OUR LIVES


Here we all are...




Few Drinks


The Feeling Boys giving it the HUGE one and doing loads of 80's covers...and being BRILLIANT!
http://www.thefeeling.com/


Sophie Ellis Bextor & Dan Gillespie Sells Givin it some...

Tuesday 3 May 2011

ROYAL WEDDING BUFFET COMING...

Summer Minestrone With Home Made Rosemary Bread


Ted Being Busy
He's never had so many features in a photo...


Once you've added flour, warm water, fast acting yeast, salt (sugar optional) mixed it all together, you knead it for 10 mins then leave to rise to double it's size somewhere warm, you then have to 'knock it back' you can test when it's ready by pushing your finger into it, it shouldn't bounce back too quick, then you literally have to punch the dough and kneed it all over again for 3/4mins and roll it into what shape you want, you can knead in any extras at the point, olives, rosemary etc..SO WORTH BAKING YOUR OWN, I've only just nailed it!


FOOD COMA TO FOLLOW


White Onion Cubed
Carrot Cubed
Spring Onion
Parsley
Mint
Leek
Bacon (Cooked First)
Mini Pasta Shells (Can't remember what they're called) Cook First but so they're just slightly under done, they'll cook more in the soup
Frozen Peas
Cherry Tomatoes
Parmesan to serve
Salt & Pepper
Veg Stock


AND... FOOD COMA

BBQ No4 or 5...Steak, Sausages, Halloumi, Coleslaw, Spicy Salsa, Potato Salad, Lamb Chops, Home Made Mint Sauce.


Keep an eye on the men doing the bbq...if you get too much oil or fat dripping into the bbq you can risk flaming everything/char grilling it, NO ONE wants it that burnt!!


BBQ Veg with Olive Oil & Salt & Pepper
Aubergine
Courgette
Peppers


Salt & Pepper Steak- Olive Oil 


Coleslaw
Red Cabbage Finely Sliced
White Cabbage Finely Sliced
Carrot Grated
Parsley
White WIne Vinegar
Salt & Pepper


Lamb Chop Marinade
Mint, Brown Sugar, Salt & Pepper, Olive Oil (Add Vinegar for the mint sauce and chop finely) 
Parsley Garlic Butter for the Steak, Salt & Pepper


Spicy Salsa
Lime
Parsley
Coriander
Red Wine Vinegar
Cherry Tomatoes
Spring Onion
Cornichons

Carb Free Healthyish Dinner...


Peel Courgettes into Ribbons, 
Griddle Hollumi 
Add Tin of Butter Beans
Red Onions finely cubed
White Wine Vinegar
Birds Eye Chilli Chopped super fine
Avocado finely Sliced
Glug of Olive Oil
Rock Salt & Black Pepper


Steam Purple Sprouting Broccoli Steam for 4/5mins So it's still crunchy
Finely Sliced Red Cabbage
Grated Carrot
White Wine Vinegar with Dijon & honey, Lemon & Salt and Pepper all mixed up.
Big bunch of Parsley Finely chopped



Merguez Sausages Oven Cooked or bbq'd
YUM