Roast gammon, potatoes, carrot and swede, courgette frittata and some steamed kale

OK - I'll not pretend that shortages have begun to bite yet - but I though it was still worth sharing the basic timings of a good roast dinner.  This was our Mother's Day tea (not my Mum, sorry Mum - we couldn't risk visiting) - which is slightly hilarious, as the Mum in question is veggie - but this was to cater for all!

The ingredients were all sourced from Tod market - which is doing its best in these troubled times.

The ham joint is a big 'un - so that it can be used for sandwiches and other stuff, over the next few days.  All the left over veg will go into "leftovers soup" so there is zero wastage.

Start the ham early - it needs to poach for 3 hours, then get a glaze on and bake for another hour or so.  It was so worth it!





Baked, glazed ham

Ham joint
Mustard (english and wholegrain)
Honey
Olive oil

Potatoes
Olive oil
Carrots
Swede
Butter
Courgette
Eggs
Kale

1.  1 o'clock - put the ham in a large pot of water, boil for 3+ hours - topping the water up as necessary, but otherwise ignore and get on with the rest of your day.
2.  About 4pm - take the ham out of the pan, transfer to an oven dish.  Leave to settle for 30 minutes.
3.  Make the glaze - mix mustards, a small spoon of honey, salt and pepper and olive oil - paste over the joint.
4.  About 5 ish - pop the ham in the oven - turn to 180.
5.  5:30ish - start the veg prep - cut potatoes into even sized pieces (these were baby potatoes, so I just halved them).  Toss in olive oil and salt and roast - check them after about 50 minutes - if they are doing too fast - take them out and put them back in for the last 10 minutes to heat through again.
6.  Peel and chop carrots and swede - boil for about 20 minutes - when cooked mash them with butter and seasoning and pop in the oven.
7.  Chop courgettes into small cubes, whisk eggs.  Mix the eggs and the courgette and pour into an oiled baking dish - bake for about 25-30 minutes.
8.  Take the ham out of the oven to rest for about 20-30 minutes.
9.  Prep the kale by removing the hard stem, shredding, and steam for 15 minutes.
10.  serve, scoff - delish

Cheese souffle

We have introduced film night to Kitchenfairies entertainment, and, because I can't resist a food ritual I have decided to match the food to the film.  Tonight it was "The Bucket List" - so I asked for bucket list food suggestions.  One of these was cheese soufflé - check here for the others.

Souffle is notoriously easy to muck up - but if you make sure the cheese sauce is nearly cold before mixing in the eggs, and fold the egg whites in gently, and NEVER open the oven door, then it is achievable.


Soya milk  (about 500ml)
Cornflour
Gouda  (about 100g)
Cheddar  (about 100g)
Parmesan  (about 30g)
butter
4 eggs, separated

1.  Make the cheese sauce by heating the soya milk, slaking the cornflour in a little water and mixing in.  Simmer the sauce, whisking, until it has thickened.  Add grated cheese and stir until melted.  Set aside.
2.  Wait for the cheese sauce to cool, vigorously whisk in any skin which has formed on the top.
3.  Whisk egg yolks until they go a little creamy, stir into the cheese sauce.
4.  Whisk egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
5.  Butter an oven (or soufflé) dish.
6.  Fold the egg whites into the sauce mix.  Start by folding in a spoonful, quite quickly, with a metal spoon to loosen the sauce mixture.  Then fold the rest of the egg whites in, gently, until there are no blobs of white left.
7.  Bake at 180 for 30 minutes.
8.  Serve, scoff, gloat

Vegetable frittata with roasted baby potatoes

Well Christmas cooking this year has not been well represented on KitchenFairies.  There are a number of reasons for this … KitchenFairies HQ had more then its normal number of keen cooks, so the meal prep was shared … and I don't have details of all recipes;  a number of us were struck by the lurgy, so were not on top our game; we were too greedy to wait for pics to dive into the delicious food which was put in front of us … ho hum, normal service will be resumed.

This recipe is a great one for using up all sorts of vegetables and cheese which are loitering in the fridge - and any cheese which is hanging about.  I used mainly cheddar, but also some nice soft French cheese (I have forgotten the name - it wasn't brie or camembert … but along those lines …) and a little feta.

Olive oil
Potatoes
Onions
Leeks
Garlic
Mushrooms
Red pepper
Courgette
Parsley (optional, or use a pinch of dried herbs)
Leftover cheese (see above)
Butter
Eggs
Cheddar - grated

1.  Toss the potatoes in olive oil and roast (at 180ish) for about an hour.
2.  Chop and sautee onion, leeks, garlic … in olive oil - add chopped mushrooms, pepper, courgette … and whatever else needs using up in olive oil, until almost done.  Turn of the heat.
3.  Stir bit sized chunks of leftover cheese into the mixture and top with a handful of baby spinach.  Leave to wilt.  Stir in gently after a minute or two.
4.  Butter an oven dish - transfer the veg into it when the spinach is nearly fully wilted.
5.  Whisk eggs (8 in this case) vigourously to get some air into them.  Pour onto the veg mixture - prod and shake to get the egg into all the gaps.  Top with grated cheddar and bake for about 30 minutes.
6.  Serve, scoff

Eggy hotpot ...

I'm not sure what to call this.  It's chock full of early autumnal vegetables and potatoes, simmered until almost done, with eggs added and poach/steamed on top.  The idea came from shashuka , but it's a much more English version.  The spicy ragu mix just gives it a little chilli heat.

Olive oil
Onion
Garlic
Spicy ragu mix
New potatoes
Green beans
Tomatoes
Cavolo nero
Frozen peas
Veg stock
Eggs

1.  Soften the chopped onion and crushed garlic in olive oil, add a pinch of spicy ragu mix.
2.  Add chopped new potatoes, green beans and chopped tomatoes and simmer in stock until they are almost done.
3.  Add shredded cavolo nero, cover and allow to wilt.
4.  A couple of minutes later add a good handful of frozen peas, cover and thaw.
5.  Check that the mixture has still got some stock, crack the eggs on top, cover and simmer gently for 3-4 minutes.
6.  Season, serve, scoff.

Easy, delicious and quick.  What more could you want.

Kedgeree

This amazing long hot summer continues, and I am enjoying myself cooking in the garden.

I got a load of bargain smoked haddock from Paul the fish on Saturday, and with a houseful, decided on this delicious kedgeree.  It was well received by all;  most of us had seconds, one person had thirds.

Basmati rice
Eggs
Smoked haddock
Coconut oil
Onion
Garlic
Curry powder
red pepper
carrots
frozen peas
Baby spinach

1.  Prepare the main bits - cook rice, boil and peel eggs and poach the fish.
2.  Pull the dish together.  Fry chopped onions, garlic in spices until onions are nearly translucent.  Add vegetables and a little water, cook until the veg are done.
3.  Add cooked rice, flake in cooked fish and stir around gently.  Cook for about 4 minutes.
4.  Add frozen peas and baby spinach - stir them in until spinach is wilted - again about 5 minutes.
5.  Top with boiled eggs.
6.  Serve, scoff.....

Fritatta

Sunday teatime - no real plans, and the chickens have been laying, so a swoop of leftovers, and a chopping of some veg, a grating of some cheddar and this delicious thing was born.  If you have leftover potato wedges it is very, very easy - but they are optional, or you could boil and chop potatoes to add anyway.

Olive oil
onion
mushrooms
red pepper
frozen peas
cold leftover potato wedges
eggs
cheddar

1.  Sautee chopped onion in olive oil.
2.  Chop the rest of the veg and add them to the onions, then chuck in a handful of frozen peas, stir around until warmed through.
3.  Whisk eggs lightly with a fork and pour onto the vegetables.  Turn the heat down and "fry" gently for about 4 minutes.  Turn the oven on to about 180C.
4.  Grate the cheese and sprinkle over the eggs.
5.  Move the pan to the oven for 10 minutes. The cheese should be bubbling and golden, and the egg will be set through without going dry.
6.  Serve, scoff ... if you are more organised than me you could have a lovely green salad alongside.

Smoked haddock and spinach hotpot

 Week 11 of kitchen renovations... dinners have not been exciting, and have been aesthetically challenged in the main (scampi and oven chips is hardly inspiring!) ... but I am managing a win with most Friday dinners.  Paul's excellent fish helps big style.

The chickens have decided it's spring, and have been laying despite the recent snow - so the classic combination of smoked haddock and poached egg led to this.

Red onion

Olive oil

Potatoes

White wine stock pot

Water

Grainy mustard

Garlic

Green beans

Spinach

Smoked haddock

Eggs

1.  Sautee chopped red onion in olive oil, add crushed garlic.

2.  When a bit soft add slices of peeled potatoes, ad a handful of chopped green beans.

3.  Pour on stock made with a white wine stock pot and a spoonful of wholegrain mustard.

4.  Put the lid on a stew until the potatoes are nearly soft.

5.  Add a couple of big handfuls of baby spinach and the fish.  Lid back on a steam until fish is nearly done - about 10 minutes.

6.  Break in eggs, put the lid back on and steam for another 5 minutes.

7.  Serve, scoff ... a triumph.

Eggs, potatoes and red peppers

Drawing inspiration from shashuka, but driven by the practicalities of a limited kitchen and limited ingredients ... eggs, with potatoes and red peppers ... it was delicious, actually.  Made even more delicious as our own pekin bantams provided the eggs.

Olive oil
Red onion
Garlic
Mixed herbs
New potatoes
Red pepper
Water
Cherry tomatoes
Eggs


1.  Sautee sliced red onions and crushed garlic.
2.  Slice the potatoes to about the thickness of a £1 coin and add to the onions, stir in.
3.  Chop the red pepper, add to the potatoes with a pinch of mixed herbs.  Add a glass of water and simmer/fry/steam for about 20 minutes.   Add chopped cherry tomatoes.  Keep an eye on it, add more water if it looks like it'll start sticking, turn the heat up if its too liquidy.
4.  Test the potatoes with the point of a sharp knife.  When they are done crack in the eggs.  Cover and cook for about 8 minutes.
5.  It's done when the whites are set ... serve, scoff ... yum

National curry week: Day 3: Egg and pea curry with gf chapati

Dead easy this - but you need the right gf flour - the normal one for pastry etc simply will not work, you need the professional pizza version.

For the chapati:-

Flour
salt
cold water

For the curry:-

onion
garlic
oil
cumin seeds
fennel seeds
turmeric
chilli flakes
tomatoes
boiled eggs
peas

1.  Start the curry by sauteeing onions and garlic in the oil until soft, add spices and continue to cook.
2.  Chop tomatoes and add to the sauce, simmer until cooked, adding water to stop it going dry.
3.  Make the chapati dough - knead together flour, a tsp of salt and water into a soft dough.  Start with a splash of water, and add more as you get the consistency correct (if it gets too wet, add more flour).
4.  Divide the dough into balls, cover and set aside.
5.  Boil eggs - when done drain and peel - you could slit them to get more flavour in - add to the curry sauce and continue cooking for 10 minutes or so.  Then add frozen peas and heat through.
6.  Fry chapatis in a dry pan for a minute or so on each side, until they start to puff up.
7.  Serve, scoff.

Smoked haddock and cavolo nero risotto

Well, it makes a change from fish and chips, but still fish on a Friday.  Again, all sourced from Todmorden Market - olive oil, herbs and rice from me at The Mediterranean Pantry, fish from Paul, vegetables from Garry or Traynors and eggs from one of the butchers .... jobs a good'un. Also - basket to bowl in 25 minutes.

Onion
Olive oil
risotto rice
White wine (optional)
italian seasoning
Stock/water
cavolo nero
mushrooms
smoked haddock
eggs
frozen peas

1.  Soften chopped onion in olive oil.
2.  After a couple of minutes add risotto rice, stir into the oil until every grain is lightly coated.  Pour in a glass of white wine, add a sprinkle of herbs, and stir.  Add a cup of water/stock and simmer.
3.  After about 6 minutes add shredded cavolo nero and chopped mushrooms, stir again.  Add more liquid as it absorbed by the rice.
4.  Put eggs on to boil.
5.  After another 5 minutes put the fish on top of the rice to steam.
6.  Keep an eye on the risotto, making sure it doesn't get too dry, add a little stock if necessary, but be gentle with the fish - after 10 minutes it will be nearly cooked so fold it gently through the rest of the mixture, with a handful of frozen peas.
7.  Leave the risotto to stand for a few minutes off the heat so that it can suck up the remaining liquid.
8.  Take the eggs out of the hot water, run under a cold tap, peel off the shells - and, there you go ...
9.  Serve, scoff

Courgette frittata, pesto gnocchi with tomato salad

The veg box often leaves us with challenges at the end of the week - but, as the bantams a re laying again, this challenge of onions, courgettes and cherry tomatoes was easily handled.  Also, had a packet of pesto gnocchi in the fridge, so that was easy too - and quick.


Red onion
Olive oil
Garlic
courgette
pesto gnocchi
eggs
tomatoes

1.  Chop a red onion - some very finely - reserve this for the salad,  sautee the rest with crushed garlic in olive oil.
2.  Add finely sliced courgette to the softened onion.
3.  Whisk together a number of eggs (7 bantam eggs in this case, but depends how hungry you are).  Add to the courgette mixture, cook on the hob for a few minutes (about 3), then finish under the grill/in a medium oven.
4.  Boil the gnocchi until they float, drain.  (You can then toss them in a little melted butter/olive oil if you wish).
5.  Put the salad together, chopped tomatoes, the reserved red onion and a sprinkle of salt.
6.  10 minutes after starting - serve, scoff, carry on with your day.

Spanish omelette packed with veggies

I like broccoli - really I do, but sometimes I don't want BROCCOLI, if you see what I mean - we also have a bit of a glut of red peppers from the veg box, so I wanted to do something tasty but quite quick.  Purists probably wouldn't call it a spanish omelette, possibly a fritatta but they tend to be potato free.  Lots of delicious slaw left over from last night, so a good big serving of that too - that's got to be 7 of my 5 a day, at least!




Veg packed spanish omelette

Olive oil
onion
red pepper
Mixed herbs
Potato
broccoli
eggs (lots)
grated cheese

1.  Sautee onions in olive oil, when softened a little add red pepper, and continue to soften, add a pinch of mixed herbs.
2.  Meanwhile boil sliced potatoes, steaming broccoli florets on the top.
3.  Beat together lots of eggs, season with salt and pepper.
4.  When the veg is cooked drain and leave to cool slightly - then mix into the eggs.  (Allowing them to cool slightly stops them scrambling the eggs as soon as you mix them in, which gives the omelete a peculiar texture.)
5.  Tip the mixture into a spoonful of olive oil in a big deep frying pan, fry gently for about 5 minutes.
6.  Put under the grill to cook from the top.  When the top is set add grated cheese, put back under the grill until its bubbling and delicious.

Crunch slaw

Red cabbage
Green cabbage
Onion
Carrots
Radish
Lemon juice/ cider vinegar
Olive oil

1.  Shred cabbages and chop carrots into slivers.  Chop onion into fine half moons, and radish into slivers.
2.  Mix veg, add a good pinch of salt, and mix again.
3.  Add a spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice and a slosh of olive oil, mix again.
If you like creamy coleslaw you could add mayonnaise and/or natural yogurt at this point.

Lamb shish kebab, egg curry, dahl and pilau rice,

National Curry week: Day 4

Nick at Melling's Butchers in Todmorden's indoor market has all sorts of goodies to save you a bit of time, and help spice up your tea - including these great lamb shish kebabs.  You can also pick up most of the other ingredients from The Mediterranean Pantry, and other stalls indoors and veg outside.

There may be a fair old list of ingredients, but it's actually very easy.

Olive oil
Ghee
Onions
Garlic
Ginger
Tin tomatoes
Eggs

Basmati rice
Cardamon pods
Turmeric
Curry leaves
Fennel seeds
Chilli flakes
Mustard seeds
Chilli

1.  Drizzle the shish kebabs with olive oil and stick them in a medium-hot oven.  They'll be ready in about 30 minutes.
2,  Chop onion and fry in 2 lots of ghee - 1 for the rice, one for the egg curry.
3.  Boil lentils with a crushed clove of garlic.
4.  Add the rice to the onions, add cardamon pods, stir and then add water.  Boil, slam on lid and turn the heat down - let it cook while everything else finishes.
5.  To the other onions add crushed garlic and grated ginger - fennel and cumin seeds, a little chilli and some turmeric.  Stir around - then add a tin of chopped tomatoes and a splash of water.  Cook down gently.
6.  Boil the eggs for 10 minutes.  Keep an eye on the sauce, turn off the heat/add water if it gets too thick - if you like it really spicy you may wish to add garam masala.
7.  When the eggs are cooked, peel them - put the sauce on top.
8.  Make the tarka for the dhal - in olive oil quickly fry whole spices (coriander, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds,  slit chilli and curry leaves).  Pour over the cooked lentils.
9.  Serve, scoff.

Tortilla with fennel, carrot and avocado salad

The organic box gave a lovely bunch of vegetables this week, and the biggest carnivore was away, so we figured on a meat free meal.  So, tortilla (or spanish omelette) with salad it was.

Onions

Olive oil

potatoes

Fennel

Carrots

Avocado

Lime

Sesame seeds

Avocado oil

Lettuce

Orange infuse olive oil

balsamic vinegar

eggs - lots of them

1.  Chop onions and fry until soft in olive oil.

2.  Cut potatoes into slices and boil.

3.  Finely chop fennel and carrots, sprinkle on sesame seeds.

4.  Beat together eggs, seasonned with salt and pepper, add a little water to loosen the mixture.

5.  Drain the potatoes and put into a large mixing bowl, add the onions, stir gently, then pour on the eggs.

6.  Tip the eggy potato mix into olive oil, in a large frying pan.  Cook over a a gentle heat for a few minutes  Then place in a medium oven, under a medium grill to cook the top.

7.  Finish the salads by drizzling orange infused oil and balsamic onto washed lettuce leaves.

8.  Slice and avocado and add to the fennel and carrot salad, squeeze on the juice of half a lime to prevent it from browning - drizzle with avocado oil.

9.  Serve, scoff.

Mushroom omelette

 Sometimes something really simple is exactly what you want.  I wasn't sure if it wasn't too simple to post, but actually, does everyone know how to make a good omelette?

We had this with sautee potatoes and a simple salad with balsamic and olive oil drizzled on it.






Potatoes
Olive oil

Red onoin
Garlic
Mushrooms
Herbs (fresh chives in our case)
Eggs

Salad

1.  Chop the potatoes into small chunks and fry in olive oil.  Start at quite a high heat, them when they have started to go golden, turn the heat down and put a lid on - this helps the potatoes cook through more quickly.  Keep your eye on them, and toss/turn periodically to allow even cooking.
2.  Over a medium heat fry the chopped onions, after a couple of minutes add the garlic and mushrooms.  Fry until the mushrooms loose their water, and then the pan becomes almost dry again.  Stir in chopped chives, and set aside.
3.  With a fork whisk 3 eggs, add seasoning.  Pour the eggs into the frying pan, in olive oil (or olive oil and butter) at a medium high heat.  When the egg starts to cook pull it into the centre with a wooden spoon, and tilt the pan to allow the raw egg to fill the gaps.  Keep doing this until it's almost cooked.   Tip in mushroom mixture and fold over.  After a minute turn onto a plate.
4.  Scoff.

Sauteed potatoes, smoked haddock, steamed purple-stemmed broccoli - and a poached bantam egg.

This is not really a recipe, as the title is the basic instruction!  It takes about 30 minutes, start to finish...

Chop potatoes into 1cm cubes - sautee in olive oil - cover if you need them to speed up on cooking through - take the lid off to crisp them up.
10 minutes later put the water on to steam the broccoli, and the broccoli in the steamer.
10 minutes later, pan fry the fish - quite gently.
6 minutes later break eggs into the water under the broccoli, and turn the heat off.
3 minutes later - serve.

Spanish omelette

I was really proud of this.  It was LOVELY.

I have made spanish omelettes many times, and, indeed, published them on here a few times - but this one was really good.  The thing I did differently was to cook the veg - then beat the eggs in a big bowl - then tip the veg into the bowl - and pour it all into the frying pan together to finish it.  And, most of the eggs were from our lovely little bantams. ... thanks girls!

Olive oil
Potatoes
Courgettes
Frozen peas
Eggs

1.  Peel and chop potatoes into slices - boil for about 5 minutes in salted water.
2.  Slice courgette and add to potatoes - boil for another 5 minutes.
3.  Add a cup of frozen peas, turn the heat off.
4.  Heat some olive oil in the bottom of a big, heavy frying pan.
5.  Beat together some eggs, gently, season.
6.  Drain the veg and tip into the eggs.
7.  Pour the egg mixture into the frying pan - on a medium heat.  Fry gently for a few minutes.
8.  When the edges are coming away from the sides of the pan - stick under a grill to finish the top off.
9.  Turn onto a big plate.
10. scoff.

Quails eggs with fried rice and cumin cabbage

When you have a veg box once a week you also have the end of the week ... and whatever veg is left.  This week there was white cabbage, and also some quails eggs we bought - just before our bantams had a laying spree - so we have eaten our girls' eggs already.  This is odd, because we were really looking forward to the quails eggs - they are delicious.

Some cooked rice, some frozen peas and a few spices ... ta dah!



Coconut oil
Fried onions
Crushed garlic
Cooked rice
Courgette
Cumin seeds
Turmeric
Cabbage
Quails eggs
Frozen peas
Tomatoes

1.  Plonk some coconut oil in a frying pan and chuck in a handful of fried onions, stir, add crushed garlic.
2.  Add the fried rice, and turn around until every grain of rice is lightly coated.
3.  Add chopped veg - courgette in this case, and a splash of water to keep it moist.
4.  About now ... tiny spoon of coconut oil in a pan - add shredded cabbage, tsp cumin seeds and  1/2 tsp turmeric.  Stir.  Add a half cup of water, lid on, turn the heat down.
5.  Put qualis eggs into a pan with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute.  Turn off the heat.
6.  Add peas to the rice mixture ... stir in.
7.  Wait 3 minutes and serve ....

Yum - if you have cooked rice this is on the table in under 20 minutes.  (You can also buy cooked rice in microwavable trays - this can be used from the tray, without microwaving - from 2.)

St Patrick's Day tea - colcannon and bacon

A nod in the direction of the green isle for St Paddy's Day.  We don't (often) drink guiness (other stouts are available), and I wasn't in the mood to start on the soda bread - but I did think a great big plate of steaming mash and cabbage, with loads of butter - good bacon, and our own eggs would be an appropriate recognition.  It was good, and I am full.  (Haloumi was fried for the veggie version).

Spuds
Cabbage
Butter
Olive oil
Bacon
eggs
Haloumi

1.  Peel and cut potatoes into chunks, boil.
2.  Shred  cabbage and steam over the potatoes.
3.  When the potatoes are nearly done, start the frying process - cheese, and bacon, then eggs.
4.  Mash potatoes with loads of butter and seasoning, and beat in cabbage.  Keep warm until the rest is ready.
5.  Scoff.

Pancake day: pancake with sugar and chocolate hazelnut spread

Pancake day!  Gluten free pancakes were made ... and "decorated" with chocolate hazelnut spread AND! sugar!!!! (you may be able to tell, this wasn't entirely my idea!).

Gluten free flour
eggs
soya milk
salt
almond oil (I would use peanut, but I had run out)
sugar
chocolate hazelnut spread

1.  Put the GF flour in a bowl, make a well in the middle.
2.  Break in an egg (or two)... whisk in a tiny bit.
3. Splodge in about a cup of soya milk, and whisk again.  Add a pinch of salt.
4.  For the batter, you are aiming for a consistency of double cream, so whisk, add more milk if required.
5.  Leave to stand.
6.  Heat oil in frying pan - when it hits smoking point - add batter and tip pan around to make a thinnish pancake ...
7.  Give isa couple of minutes, when it looks dry on top it's time to flip ... flip - cook the other side.
8.  Turn out onto plate - add topping - hazelnut spread if you really must!  but lemon and sugar for me, maple syrup ... or savoury ...