Wednesday 13 November 2013

BRUNCH HASH WITH SPICY EXTRAS


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Brunch Hash With Spicy Extras


This brunch dish is undeniably morish and exactly what's needed when you're struggling out of bed late on a Sunday. If you're in need of carbs this has to be one of the best ways to indulge in them, plus the spice really helps to blow out any cob webs or remnants of a hangover. This is the perfect way to cook for company, use up leftovers or just make a hearty brunch. Treat yourself.

Brunch Hash with Spicy Extras
Feeds 4-6
Cooking Preparation Time - 35 mins

Ingredients- 
Potato Hash -
3 x Large potatoes - Either use leftovers or cut up into small chunks and boil for 12mins until soft
1 x White onion - Cut in half and finely sliced
2 x Garlic cloves - crushed and finely chopped
1/2 x Red Chilli - Finely sliced
Salt & pepper
1 x Nob of butter
2 x Big glugs of oil
2 x Handfuls of fresh spinach - Washed and wilted 
2 x Handfuls of mature cheddar - Grated, 1 handful mixed in with the mash potato, the other handful goes on top of the hash to go crispy.
Coriander - Finely sliced and mixed in with the mash
Free range eggs -Allow one per person
Lambs lettuce
Sour cream

Spicy Paprika Tomatoes
1 x Tin of tomatoes
2 x Cloves of garlic - Crushed and finely sliced
1 x Sprinkle of fresh chopped coriander
1 x Tbsp of smoked paprika
1/2 x Fresh red chilli
Salt &  white pepper

Hot Guac-
2 x Ripe Hass avocados - Roughly mash with a fork 
1 x Red chilli - Finely cubed
1/2 x Red onion - Cut in half and finely sliced
Big glug of tabasco
Sprinkle of chilli flakes
Glug of red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper, white & black
Coriander - Finely sliced
1x Limes - Juice added

Instructions - 
Start by either getting your left over roasted or boiled potatoes out or by boiling up some fresh until soft.  Combine your garlic, onion, chilli, oil in your skillet and cook on a medium heat for a few minutes, then add to the potatoes, corinader and cheese,  mix thoroughly- the more lumps and chunks of potato the better. Add the spinach to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until wilted, add this to the potatoes also. (Left over cabbage or greens work just as well). Take your skillet or casserole dish and heat up on the hob, add a glug of oil and butter then add in the potato mixture and cook on high for 5 minutes, don't be tempted to move the potatoes around, leave it and let it go crispy. Add the cheese to the top of the potatoes and move to the oven or under the grill to go crispy on the top also. 

While the potatoes cooking under the grill/ in the oven combine all the Spicy Paprika Tomato ingredients and let cook on a medium to high heat until you're ready to serve. 

Combine all the Hot Guac ingredients in one dish, adjust seasoning accordingly, more chilli flakes, sauce, fresh chilli, lime or just salt & pepper. 

Once the the cheese had gone crispy on top of the potato make as many wholes as you need for the eggs, allowing one egg per portion or two if you're especially hungry. Crack the eggs into the wholes and place back in the oven to cook for a further 2/3 minutes.

Once cooked add extra coriander, chilli, lambs lettuce and sour cream plus the spicy paprika tomatoes all on top of the potatoes, place in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves. Make sure you don't miss the crispy best bits round the edges.  











Wednesday 6 November 2013

Whole Pumpkin Pie




If you're more into eating pumpkin than carving a face out of it then definitely give this one a try.

You probably couldn't buy into a more seasonal vegetable this time of the year and this close to halloween. The sweetness of the pumpkin, nutmeg and leeks combined with bundles of spinach (we all need as many greens as possible this time of the year) and cheese make for a propper comfort dish, that before you've even got to the crunchy pastry lid. If you're opting for cooking up a feast for halloween instead of trick or treating then make sure this is at the centre of your table.


Whole Pumpkin Pie



Feeds - 6-8

Cooking Time / Preparation- 30mins


Ingredients -
1 x Pumpkin (mine was about 10inches wide & 8 inches high -medium sized) - Cut the top off and scrape out all the seeds
1/2 x Fresh nutmeg - finely grated
Black pepper
Rock Salt
Olive oil- Big glug
500g x Fresh spinach - throughly washed and cooked on the hob, all water drained
3 x Leeks - Sliced into 1cm thick loops
2 x Large handfuls of mature cheddar (vegetarian) -Grated
1.5 Pints of semi skinned milk
1 x Tsp of dijon mustard
30g of Butter
4 x Tbsp of plain flour
Short crust pastry - Pre rolled if you want to save time
1 x Egg yolk - To brush over the pastry lid.

Instructions - 
Start by washing the pumpkin, then with a sharp knife carefully slice off the top, remove all the seeds inside with a spoon (your hand works just as well). Season with salt pepper and a quarter of grated fresh nutmeg, add a glug of oil and add to the oven on 190 degrees Celsius. Roast for 20 minutes.

While the pumpkin is cooking add your butter to a pan and melt over a medium to low heat, once melted add in the flour and whisk until into a thick paste, add in the dijon, grated nutmeg, salt and pepper, cook the paste for a minute or so and then start gradually adding in the milk until it turns into a thick sauce, this should take around 4/5 minutes, there's shouldn't be any lumps left once cooked. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly then add in the sliced leeks and let the cook for 5 minutes in the sauce, you can also add in the grated cheese at this point, make sure you stir it in thoroughly.
Wash the spinach and cook in a separate pan for 2 minutes until wilted. Drain the water that comes off it and add to the cheese and leek sauce.

Once the pumpkin has been cooking for 20 mins add the cooked filling and cover the top of the pumpkin with your shortcrust pastry, cutting it to fit the top of the pumpkin. Press the sides with the back of a fork and with a pastry brush cover with egg yolk to get the gold finish. Cook on 190 degrees Celsius for 12-15 minutes. Serve once the pastry is golden.

Serve up the pie so everyone gets a good slice of the pumpkin.








Sunday 3 November 2013

Latin American Pop-Up


Jones & Sons Restaurant




Radishes 




Paprika Potatoes


Basil Shortbread


Coleslaw



Team front of house


Mother


Meat


Andy - Owner of Jones & Sons


Krispy



Louis


Beef Pastries


Rib Eye Steak




Coleslaw for 75




Pomegranate, radish and grapefruit ceviche prep


75 People a night 


Chefsssss John & Jamie


Dalston Alfajores - Almond shortbread with a caramel filling, almond flakes and spicy banana salsa all sat on a dollop of chilli hot chic :-)


Blood Orange Granita with Basil Shortbread, finished with a sprinkle of basil sugar


Head Chef


The Chefs, couldn't have done it without you....smashed it :-)

THANKS TO EVERYONE THAT CAME AND ATE.

MORE POP-UPS BEING PLANNED...