Wood fired oven is here

Well, pizza oven arrived.

The fire was built.

Then we roasted a chicken and some veg (chicken marinated in garlic and rosemary, potatoes sliced with onion in stock, butternut squash with chili and wilted spinach).

Pizzas were eaten. Assorted - designed by gathered victims - not many pics as too much scoffing - but declared a success.  More recipes next time :)

National vegetarian week: Day 4: Egg fried, vegetable rice

 Easy peasy - as long as you have some cooked rice - briefly sautee whatever veg you are putting in (chopped pretty small for short cooking time) - today - spring onion, mushrooms, yellow pepper, celery, tender stem broccoli, shake of mixed herbs - could easily have added peas/sweetcorn from freezer if low on veg.  Stir fry in peanut/ vegetable oil for 5-8 mins... til it seems a bit softer - add cooked rice - soy sauce - ? about 2 x tbsp, rice wine about 1 tbsp and a good grinding of black pepper.  Stir, in large frying pan for a few mins - don't let it burn.  Meanwhile - how ever you have cooked your rice (you can use micro basmati if not big on cooking rice) - add riice to frying pan - stir to make sure flavourings distributed. 
Beat 2 x eggs in bowl - add to rice mixture - leave to set, (ish) don't let the bottom burn, move the egg about a bit if need be - fold together until done (2 mins) serve

National Vegetarian Week: Day 3: Dahl and rice

 Yum yum skiddidily yum yum - IF you like pulses, gentle curry and spinach - victim HATES all of these things - after the ... OK I'll try it if you pick the slimy bits out... it's vile... blah ... what else is there?  - I actually extracted a "compliment" .. and I quote " it tastes really nice, no really nice - but the texture's a bit, well, blah... where are the chunks of stuff?". Hey ho!  I was quite pleased.  The victim had suffered an exam at mid-day, so to destress we went for a Pizza lunch (I had fiorentina in order to keep with National Veggie Week, J had a chicken'y thing - they were OK, but not great - but as outside oven is due on Friday was interested in watching chefs at work, and analysing menu).  Anyways up - ideas yup - but we can do better.  So, when we got home I wasn't hungry but J, who doesn't really like pizza (go figure!) was - so had nuked leftovers of one of her faves.

Dahl - boiled up some yellow split peas in a fair old volume of water for a bit (20mins ish... timings really not important in this "recipe").  At the same time fried sliced onion until browned, added crushed cloves of garlic (2), rated ginger (1 tsp
?),  ground cumin (1/2 tspish),urad dhal (optional - well all spices etc are optional - the urad dhal add a level of nuttiness, but really, not essential), fennel seeds, grated ginger (tsp?),  a shake of tumeric and decent shake of mixed herbs.  (by the way - drawback of open plan kitchen / dining room - splutters from TV watchers getting roasting spices in the back of their throats).  Fry until aromas bursting out (ask TV watchers!) - take off heat.  Add spicy mixture to cooking split peas, tsp garam masal, and some chopped green beans (or whatever you fancy, or not.. I just had some around).

Add oniony/spicy mixture to peas - stir in a tsp of marmite/vegimite - or other savoury condiment.  Simmer again until everything is a bit of a delicious mush - I would say about 15 mins (depends on age of split peas etc). Cook - simmer/ bung in oven - chuck in slow cooker for half a day... (45 mins simmering should really be loads, if you are busy and have chucked it in an oven (medium/180C... ) it could happily sit there for hours. About 5 mins before serving shuck in good handfuls of spinach.  As soon as it has wilted enough to be stirred in - jobs a good 'un.

Victim winced - well - she hates cooked spinach, lentils, curry without meat (what can you do???!)... so also made the cheese and cracker platter with instant apple chutney (matchsticks of onion; apple and  half a red chili, grate of ginger, squirt of limejuice, salt) cheshire cheese, baby plum tomatoes, pickled onions (not my choice!), crackers and fresh herbs. This got much more of a thumbs up.

National Vegetarian Week: Day 2: leek and mushroom stroganoff(ish)

Well, as these things do - it started out as leek and mushroom stroganoff, but more vegetables were added as I went along.  If it were to be a more "pure" version I would have wanted a salad or something to include the extra veg - but this way it became the easier pasta and sauce option.

No complaints form victim!  even though no meat in sight, not even a chicken stock cube.

So - what I did was - chopped and rinsed 2 leeks, sauteed these in olive oil ( about 1 tbsp) with 1 (large) crushed garlic clove and about 3 inches (chopped up) of a bunch of celery.  Once this had softened a bit I added - 1 diced red pepper, chopped mushrooms - 3 big handfuls - mixture of closed cup and chestnut and about 5 stringless runner beans - chopped, good pinch of mixed herbs.  Then added good splosh of white wine (probably about a glass), splosh of mushroom ketchup  (about 2 tbsp), a squirt of tomato puree (about 1 tbsp), salt, good ground of pepper and about a teacup of water.  Stirred - making sure the bottom wasn't catching - and left to simmer over a low(ish) heat for about 15 mins.  You could have omitted some of the veg and/or add frozen peas/ corn... just try to get an interesting balance.  Meanwhile cook tagliatelle according to packet instructions - I always try the pasta a minute or so before the suggested time to test if it is al dente.  For this recipe (and for most I suspect) just under is better than just over - so drain when it's neeeearrrly done.  Chuck drained pasta into sauce and toss, stir in creme fraiche - about 150 ml, but to what looks good (or natural yoghurt, though this might curdle if it is too hot).  Serve immediately with sprinkled paprika and chopped chives (or parsley).

Chickens - all present and correct - Sophie and Rosemary still broody - chucked them off many times - but still determined.  Cats x 2 - both home and scoffing - no more squeaking from either of them, I think they have recovered from separation trauma.  Dogs x 2 - still poddling on.  Victim - exam tomorrow - big stress - but will overcome.

National Vegetarian Week: Day 1: Butternut Squash and Chickpea Thai Curry

Well, victim moaned - how predictable is that - but actually it was really nice and fresh.  Briefly soften 1 onion or 2 spring onions, add garlic and Red Thai curry paste - added diced butternut squash, red pepper and chopped mushrooms.  Chuck in tin of coconut milk, and about the same of water.  Season with black pepper, and a little red chili if you like it hot.  Add drained tin of chickpeas - simmer.  After about 15-20 minutes, when the butternut squash is soft add handful of baby spinach - stir until it is just wilted - serve with Jasmine rice.

Other news - Jack - the cat has been off wandering for 2 days, which is not like him - but returned somewhat squeaky in the middle of last night.  He's still being a bit clingy, but I think he's fine - and had just got himself locked in somewhere.  Sophie and Rosemary are still resolutely broody, despite our best efforts to de-nest them. And, hurray hurray - pizza oven arrives Friday.  Have to go to a Ball Friday night, but pizza party on Saturday sounds likely.

Italian sausage casserole

Tomato and basil Italian sausages from Waitrose... so wanted to do something a bit more interesting with them.  Sliced onions and celery, softened off in a little olive oil and added garlic.  Browned off the sausages (could have done this a bit more, seems to have "washed off").  Added veg - red pepper, mushrooms, green beans and butter beans, stock cube, herbs, new potatoes and a tin of chopped tomatoes - in the oven - ignore for a hour.  Easy and delicious - some taken for outlaws today.


 Egg news - 1 yesterday - Sophie and Rosemary still resolutely broody.  Jack (cat) seems to have gone missing - I hope he's just gone for a wander and will be back soon.

British sandwich week: day 5: Chip butty!

Recipe:  butter 2 slices of bread, insert hot chips.  Season with salt, pepper and vinegar, if this has not already been done at the chippy.  Optional - more vinegar, tomato ketchup or (if you really have to) brown sauce (hp or daddies have the seal of approval from victim) - all others .. on your own head be it - but a winner could be worth millions! Other sandwiches this week - cheese and tomato, peanut butter (crunchy) and jam, ham and mustard, tuna salad (below)...

British sandwich week

British sandwich week - hmmm - has not been exploited, as yet, to its full potential - ham and mustard, peanut butter and jam, cheese and tomato and tuna salad!  I have made the bread, though, for these sandwichy extravagances - in the machine, much to victim's disgust.

Very excited today though, as we have ordered a wood burning pizza oven - can't wait for that to arrive!

Rosemary and Sophie both still broody, still keep trying to break it - 1 egg yesterday - Nigella I think.

Meatloaf ... veg out of hell

Meatloaf - zizz onion and garlic, reload zizzer with bread for breadcrumbs, once zizzed empty into bowl with onions and garlic mush and continue with a courgette or two, and half a red chilli... this is the first secret veg.  Mix zizzed ingredients with minced beef and 2 eggs.  Add herbs, and a good amount of seasoning - squish and mix with hands and put into lined loaf tin.  Bake in bain marie in hot oven for 45 mins +.  Meanwhile I made a slightly spicy tomato sauce (onions, garlic, celery, carrot (secret veg 2 and 3) and chopped tomatoes - splash of lea and perrins, salt and black pepper) simmer on low for however long it takes, adding water if it gets dry.  Also boiled some potato chunks, then put in oven drizzled with olive oil for 15 mins, steamed sweetcorn and runner beans.  Victim left visible green stuff - but that meant 5 types of 6 eaten!  chortle.  Next time will spice meat mixture more, as it was a tad ordinary - maybe just add some spicy BBQ or cajun sauce to the mix.

Chicken news:  Sophie and Rosemary still broody despite frequent de-nesting (chickens swear you know)- only one egg (Clarissa?) and Clarissa trying to become an inside chicken - roaming into the kitchen at the slightest opportunity.

Pork,mustard, cider and apple casserole with veg

Didn't have long, but had outlaws expected for Sunday nosh up - so - quick casserole with pork fillet and apples from the veg box with assorted health giving greens.

Soften leeks, celery and garlic in olive oil - add bite sized pieces of pork fillet (yes, I know - criminal waste of the lean meat - but it stays tender, and doesn't need 3 hours slow cooking to be a tasty, but light stew which goes down well).  Add a couple of good splodges of grain mustard, decent slosh of dry cider and about 1/2 pint chicken stock.  Simmer for 20 mins (ish) add 3 chopped apples, bung back in oven.  Add handful of frozen peas and finish off in oven for 10 mins. (Could have stirred in creme fraiche for creamy finish - but didn't feel like it).

Meanwhile - bored with mash, and not wanting the moaning I get with plain boiled spuds... boiled some peeled spuds in smallish chunks until nearly done - drained and chucked in baking dish in a hot oven with a drizzle of olive oil for last 10 mins, to get a crispy (faux roast) potato crust. Served with steamed carrots and kale.  Yum to curly kale - yah boo sucks to one of the victims who doesn't like it... it's REALLY good for you.

Baked doughnuts

Was thinking of a lower fat treat, so tried these - and they work.  They are not exactly a doughnut, because they're not deep fried, so the crispy outside soft inside equation is not quite the same.  But baking them in a warm, not hot, oven means the drying out at the same time as rising gives them a dried out crisper crust, and that softer cakey bit inside.

So:-
Mix togther....
125g plain flour
75g sugar
1 sp baking powder, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, pinch salt.  In another bowl mix 90ml milk (I used soya milk), 1 egg, drop of vanilla extract, and tbsp peanut oil. Beat the two mixtures together.

Fill greased doughnut tins about half to two thirds of the way up and bake in a medium oven (about 165 C) for about 10 minutes.  They will go a golden brown, and when they are done will come out of the tin with the tiniest encouragement from a pallette knife.  Icing is just juice of half a lemon and icing sugar to a stiffish consistency drizzled over the top.  Actually I think a maple syrup glaze would go really well - might try that next time.

Egg news:  2 today - and Rosemary has gone broody.  She has lost all her breast feathers to try to better nurture her non-existent clutch, and in hunkering down on the nest.  Trying to chuck her off every hour or so, but I think she's a determined little mother hen... still fingers crossed she comes out of it soon, or we'll have to find a sources of fertilised eggs for her.

Chicken salad, with avocado, pine nuts and red pepper

Mix 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise, 1 tbsp natural yogurt, 1 tsp dijon mustard, splash of balsamic and grinding of black pepper.  Chuck in 2 chopped spring onions, 1 chopped roasted red pepper (from a jar), 1 chopped avocado and 2 chopped, poached, cold chicken breasts, handful of herbs from garden - mix.  Shred chosen lettuce, add chicken mixture and sprinkle on roasted pine nuts.  It's not even a recipe it's so easy.  Delicious.  Veg 3. Dinner - left over BBQ casserole with rice and brocolli so veg at least 7.  Eggs 3.

Turkey and sweet potato chili with brown rice

Gently fry chopped onion and garlic, add pepper, chopped kholrabi and fry a little longer  Add chili mix (I often make my own but today was persuaded to use a mix - sod that in future!).  Fry again, add turkey in tiny peices and chopped runner beans and mushrooms.  Add a little water to make sure it does not stick.  Add drained black and kidney beans.  Simmer, then add a tin of tomatoes.  Add about half a pint of water. Cover simmer until done (about 40 minutes - but could be on, or stuck in an oven for much longer and not be ruined).  Serve with brown rice and natural yogurt.  A spritz of lime on serving zings it up a bit.  Victim enjoyed, and I am pleased to have got a low fat, high veg meal into us as we start our health kick.   Loads left for sticking in freezer - and taking to work for nuking.  Egg news:  3 today (my money's on Sophie, Clarissa and Rosemary)

Steak and spring vegetable medley

Steam whatever veg is around - I used tender stem brocolli and green beans.  Fried a finely sliced onion in a dribble of olive oil, added steak and browned, added mushrooms.  Stir for a couple of minutes and chopped mushrooms.  Stir again for a couple of minutes, tip in veg and sauce (spoonful of tomato puree, splodge of american mustard, Lea and Perrins, black pepper - let down with the same volume of water, stir until smooth).  Bubble mixture for a couple of minutes to ensure that the tomato paste is fully heated through, then chuck in big handful of spinach.  Served on a few raw spinach leaves.  Kind of an English stir fry.