Frost Bites

PREAMBLE

This make an ideal starter for a dinner party, it can be prepared in advance then put into the oven 15 minutes or so before you need it; allowing you time to spend on other matters or indeed even talking to your guests.

INGREDIENTS

This recipe serves 6.

– 3 large, ripe avocados. Make sure they are ripe by pressing the ends of them, you should feel some “give”.
– Juice from one freshly squeezed lemon.
– 4oz of butter.
– 4oz of flour.
– ½ a pint of milk.
– 8oz of prawns, shelled and cooked.
– 1 teaspoon of paprika pepper.
– 4oz of grated mature Cheddar cheese.
– Salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste.

PREPARATION

– Cut the avocados in half, remove the stone, and sprinkle lemon juice over them (this prevents them going brown). Place in individual avocado pots (oven resistant).
– Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, mix in the flour forming a smooth paste.
– Gradually add the milk, stirring continuously.
– Add the paprika pepper, salt and pepper, allow to thicken.
– Add the prawns, mix.
– Fill the avocados with the mixture.
– Sprinkle with the cheese.

COOKING

Place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees, bake for approximately 15 minutes until browned.

TIPS

Serve with wholemeal bread and butter. As an alternative to prawns you may wish to use crab.

PREAMBLE

When I was working in Simi Valley, I experienced hearty American cuisine first hand. When dining the custom there is to have a starter, followed by a soup course before the main course. American portions are not ungenerous, and to a simple European such as myself the extra course was a little daunting. However, the waiter was quite insistent that I take the soup course.

I am very glad he persuaded me to “pig out”; as it gave me the opportunity to try Black Bean soup. I now make sure that on every subsequent visit to America I have a few bowls of this marvellously tangy soup.

I have to say that the habit of having a soup course as well as a starter has stayed with me, when working away from home anyway (my excuse being that I use up more energy; therefore require more “inputs”).

The Scandinavian countries practice the concept of “healthy eating”; their Social Democratic governments have for many years pushed a healthy lifestyle, eg 100g of meat a day as being the only way to live (have you noticed how fond the so called “Social Democrats” are of telling you how to live your life?). To this end, whenever I have stayed in a Scandinavian hotel, I have experienced a raised eyebrow and query concerning my order for a starter and a soup. Ignore the raised eyebrows, the customer is always right.

INGREDIENTS

This should serve 4-6 people.

– 12oz of black beans
– 3 pints of water
– 4oz of smoked gammon, diced very finely.
– 4oz of lean stewing steak, diced very finely.
– 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced.
– 1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced.
– 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper.
– 1 teaspoon of powdered English mustard.
– Butter
– Salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste.

PREPARATION

– Soak the beans overnight in a large bowl of cold water.
– Drain.

COOKING

– Melt a good sized knob of butter in a large saucepan.
– Add the meat, carrot, onion, cayenne, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir vigorously for a few minutes until the meat begins to change colour.
– Add the beans, stir, then add the water.
– Place the lid on the saucepan and simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

TIPS

When serving, you may wish to add a swirl of double cream to each bowlful.
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PREAMBLE

This is a simple recipe for a nourishing, and tasty soup, that is quick and easy to prepare. Ideal for lunch, a starter or snack.

INGREDIENTS

This should be enough to serve 2 people.

– 2 large parsnips, peeled and chopped.
– 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped.
– 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped.
– A good sized handful of fresh parsley, coarsely chopped.
– Olive oil.
– 1 ¾ pints of water.
– Salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste.

PREPARATION

None!

COOKING

– Pour a little olive oil into a saucepan.
– Place over a medium heat and add the garlic
– Add the dry ingredients, stir.
– Add the water.
– Bring to the boil, then simmer with the lid on for approximately 25 minutes.
– Take off the heat and blend in a liquidiser, or with a hand blender.
– Place over the heat and warm it up again, it is now ready to serve.

TIPS

To add richness, serve with a swirl of double cream.

The soup can be prepared several hours before it is needed, and kept chilled in the fridge.

When people think of pate they often think of Ardennes or Foie Gras, which are time consuming to prepare or expensive to purchase. I too was under this delusion. However, as a student, I spent a year in a bed and breakfast run by a lady who used to cook in one of Edinburgh’s main hotels. She showed me a simple recipe, similar to this one, which dispelled my prejudice.

INGREDIENTS

– 8oz of chicken livers
– Two finely chopped shallots
– Two cloves of garlic, crushed
– 1 teaspoon of black pepper
– 4oz of butter
– 1 wine glass of good quality brandy, eg Remy Martin VSOP

PREPARATION

Remove the sinews from the chicken livers. This is easily done by holding the sinew of each liver between thumb and forefinger, and pulling along the sinew with the thumb and forefinger of the other hand (REMEMBER TO WASH YOUR HANDS BEFORE AND AFTER, DO NOT WEAR JEWELLERY!). This separates the liver from the sinew.

COOKING

– Melt two ounces of the butter in a pan over a moderate heat.
– Add the garlic, shallots and black pepper. Stir regularly until the shallots are soft.
– Add the chicken livers. Stir constantly until the livers turn pale pink.
– Add the remainder of the butter, stir and ensure it is melted.
– Add the brandy and stir in thoroughly.
– Take the pan off the heat and put the mixture through a blender.

Pour the mixture into a ramekin. Put into the fridge and allow to set. This should take approximately two to three hours.

TIPS

Serve with hot toast and butter; with a side garnish of tomatoes, finely sliced cucumber and finely sliced onion

PREAMBLE

Start your dinner party as you mean to go on!

INGREDIENTS

This should be enough to serve 6 people.

– 6oz of granulated sugar
– ¼ of a pint of water
– 2 teaspoons of freshly chopped mint
– Approximately ½ of a fresh pineapple, cubed.
– 1 orange, peeled, segmented and pips/pith removed
– 1 grapefruit, peeled, segmented and pips/pith removed
– 12 measures of gin
– 6 glacé cherries
– 6 mint leaves

PREPARATION

This dish should be prepared the day before.

– Mix the water and sugar, bring to boil in a saucepan and boil rapidly for approximately 3 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool.
– Place the prepared fruit into a bowl, pour the sugar water over it, add the mint and gin. Stir and cover with a lid or cling film.
– Place in the fridge overnight.

COOKING

None!

TIPS

Serve in sugar frosted glasses with a glacé cherry and mint leaf on top of each. I prefer this dish as a starter as is sharpens the pallet, and loosens the tongues before the main meal.

I have used fresh fruit and made my own sugar sauce. However, if you are feeling lazy then purchase a couple of large tins of good quality fruit in syrup (syrup not water!); these will be adequate.

PREAMBLE

A long standing drinking chum of mine in Seoul has made a special request that I put this one in writing (before senility or booze erases it from my memory cells).

To put a little bit of “touchy feely” family appeal to this one, it is a recipe passed down to me by my father.

INGREDIENTS

– One smoked gammon (allow 1lb per person).
– Tinned pineapple chunks in syrup (don’t buy the unsweetened “healthy” variety, the syrup is used in the sauce and has more flavour).
– Powdered English mustard
– Cloves
– Demerara sugar

PREPARATION

Soak the gammon overnight in cold water, make sure that it is fully covered by the water. The soaking process is important as it removes the excess salt.

COOKING

Place the soaked gammon in a pot of cold water (water almost covering the gammon). Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes per lb. Should you be cooking a large piece that requires lengthy cooking, then don’t forget to keep an eye on the water and top up accordingly to prevent boiling dry.

Whilst the gammon is simmering, prepare the marinade:

– Drain the pineapple chunks and set aside, DO NOT THROW AWAY THE SYRUP THIS FORMS PART OF THE MARINADE!
– Stir in two teaspoons of the English mustard into the syrup.
– Stir in four tablespoons of demerara sugar into the syrup.
– Add water to bring the volume of liquid up to approximately half a pint.
– Heat gently in a saucepan until the sugar and mustard are fully dissolved. DO NOT BRING TO THE BOIL. Take off the heat and set aside.

When the gammon is cooked, removed from the water and place in a roasting tin.

– Gently peel off the rind (skin) of the gammon (do not remove the fat). Place this rind in the water which you cooked the gammon (you will be able to make split pea soup from this).
– Score the fat of the gammon in a criss cross fashion creating one inch squares, much like a chess board.
– Insert one clove in each alternate square, and one pineapple chunk (with a toothpick) in the non cloved square until the fat side of the gammon is fully decorated.
– Pour the marinade over the gammon, making sure all parts are covered.
– Place the gammon in the oven (preheated to 180 degrees).
– Bake for 45-60 minutes (the gammon remember is already cooked, this process serves to caramelise the marinade).
– Baste the gammon regularly to make sure it is receives the full flavour of the marinade.
– Remove form the oven place on a serving dish and allow to rest before carving. Pour the juices from the roasting tray into a sauce boat and serve with the dish.

I recommend this dish be served with mashed potatoes, pease pudding (I can provide you with recipe for this) and carrots.

TIPS

I specify a smoked gammon, this is down to personal preference as to my view the flavour is superior to unsmoked. When selecting the gammon make sure that:

– It has a rind.
– It is covered in a good even layer of fat (this is an integral part to the flavour, without it the dish does not work).

I specify tinned pineapple chunks, if you want to make extra work for yourself by all means buy a fresh pineapple and cube it yourself…but tinned chunks from a reputable brand are every bit as good.

By the way for all you scientists out there, pineapple has an enzyme in it that when brought into contact with pork acts as a natural tenderiser (the dish I present here does not need tenderising, but I thought I would throw in that small piece of trivia).

PREAMBLE

Here is a dish that I would call a cross between a soup and a stew. It is my version of a tapas dish that used to be served by El Patio, an excellent Spanish restaurant in Croydon that is now sadly closed.

I heartily recommend it, but then I would wouldn’t I?

INGREDIENTS

This should be enough to serve 4 people.

– 1lb of Chorizo sausages, cut into 1 inch slices.
– 1lb of belly of pork, cut into 1 inch chunks.
– 1lb of tinned cannellini beans, drained.
– 1½ pints of chicken stock
– 1 glass of dry white wine.
– Extra virgin oil
– 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
– Salt and coarse ground black pepper, to taste.

PREPARATION

Have a drink!

COOKING

– Pour a good measure of olive oil into a saucepan.
– Place over a medium heat and add the garlic.
– Sauté gently.
– When the garlic begins to soften add the pork and the Chorizo.
– Sauté until the pork starts to go brown.
– Add the stock and the wine.
– Season and simmer with the lid on for 45 minutes.
– Add the cannellini beans.
– Simmer for a further 30 minutes, with the lid on.

TIPS

This makes an ideal starter or late evening snack, just right for soaking up the alcohol after a night out.

Serve with good quality crusty bread.

PREAMBLE

Here’s a novel combination of spaghetti and chicken which I used to cook in my pre-teen years. I rediscovered this in my student days as an economical way of producing a “romantic” dinner.

INGREDIENTS

This should serve between 4-6 people.

– 1lb (dry weight) of spaghetti, I prefer the long version.
– 1 large onion, peeled and chopped.
– 3 cloves of crushed garlic.
– 2lbs of roughly chopped tomatoes.
– 8oz of button mushroom, sliced.
– 2lbs of chicken breast, cubed.
– Butter
– 2 tablespoons of sugar.
– 2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper.
– 6oz of grated mature cheddar cheese.
– Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste.

PREPARATION

– Melt a good sized knob of butter in a large frying pan, over a medium heat.
– Add the garlic and onion.
– When the onion begins to soften add the mushrooms, stir.
– As the mushrooms begin to soften add the chicken.
– Allow the chicken to lightly brown, then add the tomatoes.
– Add the sugar, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper; bring to the boil.
– Simmer, very gently, for 20 minutes (stirring regularly).
– Cook the spaghetti until tender, drain and put into a large (well buttered) casserole pot.
– Pour over the chicken and tomatoes. Toss thoroughly to ensure it is fully mixed with the spaghetti.
– Sprinkle the top with the grated cheese.

COOKING

Place in an oven, preheated to 180 degrees, bake for 20-30 minutes until the mixture is hot and the cheese melted through.

TIPS

I have used fresh chicken in this recipe. However, you can use cooked chicken; merely reduce the time that you simmer the mixture to about 5 minutes (you will need to pre cook the tomatoes in this case).

PREAMBLE

I asked Eva why this dish is called “flying Jacob”, and she said she had no idea. Her best guess is that the inventor of the dish was called Jacob. Well, whatever the real story, here is her version of this dish which is apparently popular among young Swedes.

INGREDIENTS

This should be enough to serve 4 people.

– 8 fresh chicken thighs, leave the bones in and the skin on (as this gives more flavour).
– ½ a pound of smoked streaky bacon, cut into 1 inch strips.
– 1 large onion, peeled and sliced.
– 1 large fresh red pepper, cut into large chunks.
– 2 large fresh green peppers, cut into large chunks.
– 1 pint of double cream.
– 3 tablespoons of chilli sauce, a reputable brand.
– 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped.
– Extra virgin olive oil
– Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste.

PREPARATION

– Season the chicken thighs and roast in an oven, set to 180 degrees, for approximately 40-45 minutes; until cooked.
– Drain the fat and keep the thighs warm.

COOKING

– Pour a good measure of olive oil into a large saucepan and place over a medium heat.
– Sauté the garlic and onions until soft.
– Add the peppers and sauté until soft.
– Add the bacon and seasoning, sauté until the bacon is cooked.
– Add the chilli sauce and the thighs, stir thoroughly.
– Add the cream and stir.
– Simmer over a low heat, with the lid on, for approximately 25 minutes.

TIPS

This is excellent served with rice or sauté potatoes.

PREAMBLE

This part of the lamb is the double loin taken to the tail. This is a most splendid dish to serve at a dinner party; it impresses both the palette and the eyes when served. Indeed we served it last Saturday, it was pronounced a success by all.

I was discussing it with the butcher when collecting it, and he said that it is not ordered that often these days; apparently people are too lazy, and settle for loin chops or cutlets from the supermarket. Well I say, more fool them!

As with all joints of meat, make sure you find a butcher you can trust to provide you with the quality needed for a succulent and tender joint. With this particular dish, ensure that you have him insert the two kidneys one on either side of the backbone in the part nearest the tail. This is easily done by making an incision with a knife, pushing them halfway in and securing them with a wooden skewer.

INGREDIENTS

This should serve 6 people.

– 1 saddle of English lamb (trussed for roasting), approximately 7lbs-8lbs in weight (don’t forget to dress it with the kidneys for decoration!).
– Extra virgin olive oil.
– 8 whole cloves of fresh garlic, peeled.
– A handful of fresh rosemary sprigs.
– A handful of fresh bayleaves.
– 2 teaspoons of English mustard powder.
– Salt and coarse ground black pepper.

PREPARATION

You should prepare the joint the morning before you cook it, to allow the flavours to permeate the meat.

– Place the joint upside down and insert (at even intervals), into the folds of fat/meat on the underside, the cloves of garlic.
– Turn the meat over and place into a suitably sized roasting pan.
– Using a sharp knife make 45 degree incisions to the horizontal (deep enough to accommodate half the length of a bayleaf) into the upper side of the joint, on either side of the backbone at 1½ inch intervals.
– Pour over a generous measure of olive oil, and massage into the joint (use your fingers, very sensual!).
– Insert into each slit a bayleaf and sprig of rosemary, half the bayleaf and rosemary sprig should be protruding.
– Sprinkle the mustard powder evenly over the joint.
– Season with salt and pepper.
– Place in the fridge for a good 6 hours.

COOKING

Place the joint in an oven, preheated to 180 degrees. Allow 20-25 minutes per pound cooking time, depending on whether you prefer it a little pink or not.

Baste thoroughly at regular intervals. Should the meat appear to be cooking too fast, as can happen if you are using a fan oven, then turn the heat down to 160 degrees.

When cooked, remove from the oven and place the joint on a serving plate.

Allow to rest 10 minutes before carving.

TIPS

Carving may appear to be a little daunting, don’t worry. Do not attempt to carve across the backbone, you will achieve nothing!

Instead carve small slices at 45 degrees to the backbone. Starting furthest away from the tail, with the sharpest end of the knife pointing outwards from the backbone but towards the tail.

Serve with rosemary roast potatoes (see recipe), peas, carrots, roast parsnips (see recipe), a good lamb stock gravy and mint sauce (see recipe).

PREAMBLE

This was one of my mother’s favourite ways to use up the glut of cooking apples we had every year from the apple tree in our garden.

INGREDIENTS

This should serve between 4-6 people.

– 2lbs of cooking apples (preferably Bramleys), peeled, cored and sliced.
– Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon.
– 8 cloves.
– Nutmeg
– 4oz of butter
– 8oz of flour.
– 8oz of demerara sugar.
– Butter for the dish.

PREPARATION

– Sprinkle the sliced apples with lemon to prevent them going brown.
– Grease a deep oven proof dish with some butter.
– Place the apples in layers (interspersed with the cloves) in the dish.
– Mix the flour and butter together in a bowl, use your hands (remember to wash them and remove jewellery first!), until it forms a crumb like texture.
– Add the sugar, and use your hands to mix it well.
– Cover the apples with the mixture, and press down firmly.
– Sprinkle the top with good measure of nutmeg.

COOKING

Place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Cook for 45 minutes or so, until the apples are tender and the top golden brown.

TIPS

Most excellent with double cream, custard or ice cream.

PREAMBLE

My mother often used to cook this dish when I was growing up, it was her way to get a healthy sugar fix.

INGREDIENTS

– 1 large cooking apple (such as Bramley) per person (these apples are high in acidity when raw, if you eat them uncooked you will get a stomach ache..I know this from first hand experience!).
– Demerara sugar
– Butter

PREPARATION

– Wash and de-core the apples.
– Place in a roasting dish, buttered on the base.
– Pour demerara sugar into the de-cored centre of each apple, enough so that it overflows down the sides.
– Put a knob of butter on the top of each mound of sugar.

COOKING

Place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees. Cook for approximately 45-60 minutes until the apples are tender and the sugar has caramelised.

TIPS

Serve this as a desert (or sugar snack attack) with ice-cream, double cream, custard or whatever takes your fancy.

PREAMBLE

My English readers will no doubt have mixed memories of this dish from school days. Don’t despair, I have added a couple of things (namely cream and sherry) that would not have appeared in the school cook’s shopping list (well not for the pupils anyway!).

INGREDIENTS

This recipe should be enough for 4-6 people.

– Approximately six medium thickness slices of brown bread (if you need more then use more)
– Approximately six medium thickness slices of white bread
– A cupful of raisins
– Half a pint of double cream
– A quarter pint of milk
– Two eggs
– Two glasses of sherry
– Four tablespoons of demerara sugar
– Two drops of vanilla essence
– Nutmeg
– Butter

PREPARATION

– Butter the bread and cut the crusts off (save the crusts for later).
– Cut the bread into soldiers (approximately 1 inch wide).
– Layer the base and side of a casserole/baking dish (dimensions approximately 5 inches deep, 8 inches in length and 5 inches wide) with the alternate brown and white soldiers (butter side down).
– Sprinkle the few raisins, then place more bread on top (butter side down), press down.
– Repeat the above step with layers of raisins and bread until you come to ½ an inch or so from the top of the dish.
– Mix the milk, cream, eggs, vanilla, sherry and sugar thoroughly.
– Pour the mixture evenly, and slowly, over the bread allowing it to soak in.
– Place the crusts of bread in a pattern over the top of the dish.
– Sprinkle some raisins, sugar and a generous pinch on nutmeg over the top.

COOKING

Place in a preheated 180 degree oven for 45 minutes. Serve piping hot.

TIPS

This dish is very good with either custard or double cream.

Any leftovers can be served cold with ice cream.

PREAMBLE

A lovely dish to end a special meal with.

INGREDIENTS

This should be enough to serve 4 people.

– 3-4 ripe pears, peeled and quartered.
– 1 glass of brandy.
– Butter
– ½ a pint of double cream.
– 4 tablespoons of honey.

PREPARATION

– Melt a good sized knob of butter in a frying pan over a medium heat.
– Put the pears into the pan and sauté for a few minutes.
– Add the honey and continue to sauté until the pears start to turn brown.
– Take off the heat.

COOKING

– Put the pears and honey/butter sauce into an oven proof dish.
– Put into an oven, preheated to 180 degrees.
– Cook for 10 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
– Remove from the oven and put back into the frying pan over a medium heat.
– When the sauce begins to bubble add the brandy.
– Stir in the cream.

Remove from the heat and serve.

TIPS

Superb on their own, or with ice cream.

PREAMBLE

A good chum of mine is very fond of this dish, and often serves it at dinner parties. I understand that it was developed for Queen Victoria, hence the title.

INGREDIENTS

This should be enough to serve 4 people.

– 4oz of breadcrumbs.
– 10oz of caster sugar.
– Zest (grated rind) of 1 fresh lemon.
– 1 pint of milk.
– 4 eggs, separate the yolks from the whites.
– 4 tablespoons of raspberry jam.
– Butter.

PREPARATION

– Mix the breadcrumbs, zest and 2oz of sugar together in a bowl.
– Bring the milk to the boil.
– Blend the milk into the breadcrumb mixture.
– Add the egg yolks to the above mixture and stir thoroughly.
– Generously butter an appropriately sized baking dish.
– Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

COOKING

– Place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees, and bake for approximately 40-50 minutes until set.
– Leave the oven on, and increase the temperature to 200 degrees.
– Allow the pudding to stand for 15 minutes.
– Warm the jam and spread over the top of the pudding.
– Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk until stiff, the bowl should be able to be inverted without the mixture dropping out.
– Blend in the sugar, gradually, using a wooden spoon. If you drop it in all at once your meringue mixture will lose its stiffness, as the air will be knocked out of it.
– Spoon, with the wooden spoon, the meringue over the top of the pudding.
– Place the pudding back into the oven and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes until the meringue begins to turn golden brown.

TIPS

This is quite a sweet desert and I would suggest you forgo the normal desert wine (which in itself is sweet) in favour of a dry alternative, say Chablis.

Meringues can be a little temperamental. Here are a few technical notes regarding the preparation of meringues:

– The stiffness of the meringue mixture is achieved by adding air to the egg white.
– Should you be making meringue on a humid/muggy day you will not achieve as good a result as on a dry day (check your barometer before making meringue!).
– When adding the sugar it should be done gradually so as not to knock the air out.
– Use a wooden spoon, or plastic spatula, when blending the sugar into the egg whites and spooning the mixture. Cold metal spoons bruise the mixture and will not get the results that you desire.