Saturday 27 July 2013

Cheese and Garlic Pasta Sauce on Smoked River Cobbler


Cheese and Garlic Pasta Sauce ~ Simple Food

Cheese and Garlic Pasta Sauce on Smoked River Cobbler

I loved this pasta sauce so much that I had the leftovers the next day straight from the fridge cold and enjoyed it just as much. I’ve added a little mustard to the ingredients of this sauce because there is something that I love about cheese and mustard, I think they go together really well. When you next have cheese on toast spread a little mustard on the toast before the cheese goes on and you will see what I mean.

For two servings you will need;

2 – Fillets of Smoked River Cobbler
Cheese and Garlic Pasta Sauce ~ Simple Food 
For the sauce;

100 Gm – Pasta of your choice
50 Gm – Grated Cheese
125 Ml – Milk
½ teaspoon – Italian Seasoning
1 ½ teaspoon – Vegita (or 1 – vegetable stock cube)
2 Cloves – Garlic
½ teaspoon – Mustard
1 teaspoon – Corn Flour
50 Ml – Water


Cook the pasta in boiling water for about 10 minutes and then drain,

leave to cool for a few minutes then pour the milk in and heat gently while adding the cheese stirring until the cheese has melted.
Cheese and Garlic Pasta Sauce ~ Simple Food
Cheese and Garlic Pasta Sauce ~ Simple Food







Then add the rest of the ingredients except the corn flour and water and keep stirring, taste and season to your liking. 
Cheese and Garlic Pasta Sauce ~ Simple Food

Now mix the corn flour with the water until it is smooth and add it to the sauce stirring until it thickens, simmer for about 5 minutes and your done.

Cheese and Garlic Pasta Sauce ~ Simple Food


Thursday 18 July 2013

Crushed Coconut Melon with Grape and Rum Sauce


Crushed Coconut Melon with Grape and Rum Sauce ~ Simple Food


Crushed Coconut Melon with Grape and Rum Sauce

You will need a really ripe honeydew melon for this, ideally it should feel quite soft to the touch on the outside so that when you slice it in half it will be really juicy.
On a hot day this is a very light refreshing dish, the gentle taste of the melon and coconut cream covered with the sharp sweet taste of the grape and rum sauce.

You should prepare the sauce on the day before because it is best refrigerated overnight

For 4 servings you will need;

1 – Ripe Honeydew Melon
80 ml – Coconut Cream
Multiple Scoops - Vanilla Ice Cream
Crushed Coconut Melon with Grape and Rum Sauce ~ Simple Food 
For the Sauce;

350 gm – Green Seedless Grapes
150 ml – Water
25 ml - Honey
1 desert spoon – Soft Brown Sugar
¼ tsp – Cinnamon
1 tsp – Vanilla Extract
50 ml – Rum


Put the grapes and the water in a pan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Crushed Coconut Melon with Grape and Rum Sauce ~ Simple Food


Let it cool down for a while and then liquidise the mixture.
Now press it through a sieve into the pan so that you have a smooth liquid with no bits of grape skin.

Bring it to a simmer on a medium heat; add the rest of the sauce ingredients and simmer for another 15 minutes to reduce it a little. Let it cool down and put it in the fridge, preferably overnight.

To prepare this desert the next day is quite simple.

Slice the melon in half and scoop out the seeds, scoop out all the melon from one half (saving the empty skin) and mash it up in a bowl with the coconut cream.

Crushed Coconut Melon with Grape and Rum Sauce ~ Simple Food

Put it in a sieve over a container to let the juice run out, you can save that for a rum shot to go with the desert.

Crushed Coconut Melon with Grape and Rum Sauce ~ Simple Food

Scoop the flesh from the other half in neat pieces with a desert spoon (also keeping the empty skin).

Cut both empty shells in half and each one load with equal amounts of the pulp, cover with melon pieces and a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream, pour over the sauce and serve.
 
What a delight. 

Monday 15 July 2013

4 Steps to Make a Good Sauce

4 Steps to make a Good Sauce ~ Simple Food


How to Make a Good Sauce

When I first started cooking seriously quite a few years ago I decided to progress from Spaghetti Bolognese, Chilli Con Carne and all the other concoctions that we in the UK used to cook quite badly in the 70s and 80s. Not that I don’t cook them now, I just cook them properly with care and attention and with a lot more knowledge.

I remember about 10 years ago the current Mrs Rose at that time said to me “Tony I love your cooking but you really need to get a grip with your sauces they are not the best”. That was when I decided to “get a grip” with my sauce skills, and now that I have I am going to share it with you.  

 I always make a sauce in 4 stages


  1.         The solids IE mushroom, onion, chillies, herbs and spices etc.
  2.        The thickener IE plain flour, corn flour etc.
  3.        The wine, water or stock
  4.        The cream, milk or more water or stock

That goes for gravy as well, because after all gravy is a sauce.

Some people complain about lumps in their sauce, there is only one reason for that; too much liquid at the beginning.

I perfected the art of sauce making purely because I am in the main a wet food man, rarely do I eat food without a cold or hot sauce, burgers and bacon sandwiches with ketchup, fish with white wine sauce and so on.

Let me take you through the process of one of my all time favourite sauces White Wine Garlic and Fennel Sauce.

I invented this sauce to go with one of my favourite types of fish River Cobbler I love fennel and I think that it compliments fish very well.

First of all take the solids; Fennel seeds (crushed to release the flavour) parsley and garlic, fry them for a few minutes in a little olive oil.

4 Steps to make a Good Sauce ~ Simple Food
Then add 1½ desert spoons of plain flour and make a paste.







4 Steps to make a Good Sauce ~ Simple Food
Then add about 50ml of white wine and mix to a paste.





4 Steps to make a Good Sauce ~ Simple Food

Then add cream and mix well.







All this is happening on a medium heat and at this point you need to be tasting and seasoning and also adding stock or water to adjust the thickness to your preference.

That’s it, it’s done, there is nothing complicated about making a sauce.

Here are some more sauces that you can try; 


How to make The Best Gravy
Marsala Sauce










Creamy Lemon and White Wine Sauce
Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce
Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce















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Saturday 13 July 2013

Flaked Salmon with Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce

Flaked Salmon & Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce ~ Simple Food


Flaked Salmon with Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce

There are lots of different flavours of thyme and my favourite is fresh lemon thyme
(thymus citriodorus) because of it’s gorgeous fresh aroma. This is a very simple sauce to go with a very simple dish, it doesn’t overpower anything it‘s just a lovely creamy accompaniment.

For 2 servings you will need;

2 – Salmon Fillets
Flaked Salmon & Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce ~ Simple Food 
For the Sauce;

25 ml – White Wine
A small bunch of Fresh Lemon Thyme (just use the  leaves)
100 ml – Double Cream
½ - an Onion (grated)
50 gm – Butter
1 dsp – Plain Flour
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste.

Melt the butter in a pan on a medium heat and add the onion and thyme, cook on a medium heat for about five minutes then add the flour and stir well then add the white wine and stir into a paste.

Flaked Salmon & Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce ~ Simple Food

Flaked Salmon & Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce ~ Simple Food







Leave the paste to simmer for about 5 minutes stirring all the time, keep stirring while you add the cream.

Flaked Salmon & Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce ~ Simple Food

Flaked Salmon & Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce ~ Simple Food







Add a little water to get it to the consistency of your liking, now you need to taste and season.

Flaked Salmon & Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce ~ Simple Food

Take the sauce off the heat and poach the salmon in water 10 minutes on a medium heat should be enough, put the sauce back on the heat just before the salmon is done.

When the salmon is cooked through, drain and put it on a plate and flake it off the skin with a fork discarding the skin.

Flaked Salmon & Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce ~ Simple Food


Return to the sauce for the finishing touches, you will probably need to add a little more water and seasoning. Remember it’s all about your personal taste so get the consistency and seasoning right at this point.


Give it a final stir and pour over your salmon

Flaked Salmon & Fresh Lemon Thyme Sauce ~ Simple Food

I had mine with sweet potato mash




Tuesday 9 July 2013

Chicken Liver Pate with Red Wine and Brandy

Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food


Chicken Liver Pate with Red Wine and Brandy

I’m a great lover of chicken livers they are a good source of iron, what a great summer lunch served with lots of wholemeal toast
Also a very tasty starter to get your juices flowing, and so easy to make.              

If you have never made pate before follow this recipe and find out how easy it is to creat something with real taste.

You will need;

300 grams – Chicken Livers
1 – Onion (finely chopped)
2 – Cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
Fresh Parsley (chopped)
Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food
75 grams – Butter
1 teaspoon – Mustard
1 teaspoon – Ground Ginger
75 ml – Double Cream
25 ml – Brandy
25 ml – Red Wine
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

You can play around with different herbs with this recipe, it’s very versatile.

Melt 25 grams of the butter in a frying pan on a medium heat; add the onion and garlic to it any fry on a medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes until softened.

Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food

Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food







Now add the livers, mustard, ginger, brandy and wine. Cook on a medium heat, add the parsley and leave on a medium heat until it is cooked down and the liver is cooked through then add the cream and stir in.

Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food

Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food







Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food
Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food







After a further 5 minutes take off the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes, then transfer along with another 25 grams of the butter to a liquidiser and blend according to whether you want a smooth pate or a course one.

Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food

Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food







After you have blended transfer to ramekins and press down quite firmly. Take the last 25 grams of butter and gently melt in a pan then pour a thin layer over the top to cover, then refrigerate overnight.



Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food
Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food







Just add wholemeal bread or rolls..............Wonderful!

Chicken Liver Pate ~ Simple Food


Saturday 6 July 2013

Honey Roasted Crispy Poussin Chicken


Honey Roasted Crispy Poussin Chicken ~ Simple Food

Honey Roasted Crispy Poussin Chicken

The poussin chicken (sometimes called spring chicken) 
Smoked River Cobbler Salad
is my favourite chicken, tender, moist and very tasty.
This lovely honey roast coating that I have developed 
is very much after the style of the coating that you 
would put on Chinese crispy duck. It’s very simple 
to do and the result is amazing, you can serve this 
delightful dish hot or cold.

I've based this recipe on two servings with a 450Gm 
poussin chicken.

You will need;

Honey Roasted Crispy Poussin Chicken ~ Simple Food1 – Poussin Chicken

For the Coating;

40 Ml – Honey
20 Ml – Light Soy Sauce
20 Ml – Water

Plunge the chicken into a pan of boiling water, and boil for about 3 minutes. Mix the honey, soy sauce and water together.
Honey Roasted Crispy Poussin Chicken ~ Simple Food

After 3 minutes of boiling drain the chicken and pat it dry, then while the skin is still warm coat it with the honey mixture and leave for about an hour.

Honey Roasted Crispy Poussin Chicken ~ Simple Food

Save what is left of the mixture to drizzle over before serving.

After an hour has passed preheat your oven to 200c, place the chicken on a rack over an ovenproof tray or dish and put in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes.
Honey Roasted Crispy Poussin Chicken ~ Simple Food

After 30 minutes take it out of the oven, it should be dark brown in colour. 
Honey Roasted Crispy Poussin Chicken ~ Simple Food

Check to make sure it is cooked through, cut it in half down the middle of the breast and leave it to cool if you are serving with salad or serve immediately with vegetables of your choice.
Honey Roasted Crispy Poussin Chicken ~ Simple Food