Topic: Maggie May's Recipe A Day

[Lo]

The icecream sound divine 

[Lo]

I have lots more and am scribbling down the ones likely to be eaten in this house 

[Maggie May]

No problem, Maggie, you've put up 10 recipes already which is well over your 'one a day' target that you set yourself in your resolution, meaning you're more than entitled to lie fallow for a few days on the posting front.

I am delighted that you are mentoring me, since you and I both know that I will only respond to an extremely strong mentor.

Well I see what you say, and recognise the temptation.  But unless - Holidays, away days, falling off the twig for whatever reason, whatever, if it is forseeable I think the deal is I should anticipate it and post in advance.

[Commie Bobbie]

Gonna be bookmarking this for laters - need to eat some decent healthy stuff for my ongoing weight loss!

[Maggie May]

I have lots more and am scribbling down the ones likely to be eaten in this house 

Yay.  More Lo stuff.  Brilliant. 

[Jason McG]

Maggie, if you have that carrot soup recipe and it's easy enough to copy and post you're more than welcome to put it up.

[BazC]

Two of my faves for doing quickly when I get back from work. Really tasty, but take 20minutes each.


Thai Sea Bass

2 Sea Bass Fillets (Once really pricey, but good value now)
2 Small Thai Chillies
Bunch of Fresh Coriander
1 Lime
Salt and Pepper
Butter
Drop of Rape Seed Oil


Squeeze Half the lime over the fish on a large plate. Remove the seeds and the white pith from the chillis and chop very finely over the bass along with the coarsely chopped Coriander. Season the bass on the skin side with plenty of salt. Put a knob of butter in a pan with a drop of oil to stop the butter burning. Quickly fry the fish skin side down for 4 minutes, and turn over for 1 minute. Remove the fish and put of a piece of Kitchen Paper. Add a little more butter to the pan, and add zest of the lime and the remainder of tghe juice, whisk until light and serve over the bass.

Really nice with Charlotte Potatos with a bit of Creme Fraiche.

Wine Options

Hunters Riesling, Marlborough, NZ  £10.99 a bottle, a very dry Riesling, with a lot of Citrus fruit character and refreshing acidity.

Joseph Mellot Touraine Sauvignon £4.99 a bottle, basically Sancerre without Sancerre on the label, top producer! Plenty of tropical fruit character, a little citrus fruit and a rounded, flinty, clean finish.
http://www.laithwaites.co.uk/product.paspproduct_code=26378&mscssid=5AF664640F9F48A8A2420702CCF3423E&x=5&y=8



Chorizo Pasta

Half a chorizo ring finely chopped
Can of Chopped Tomatos, as good quality as possible.
Marscapone Cheese
Finely chopped Onion
Finely Chopped Garlic Clove
Bag of Fresh Spaghetti

Put the chorizo, garlic and onion in a pan, fry it off until slightly browned. Add the tomatoes and reduce down until the watery liquid has been cooked off. Turn the heat down on the sauce while cooking the Spaghetti. At the last minute add a dessert spoon of Marscapone cheese and stir well. Add to the pasta and season.  MMMMMmmmmmmmmm

Bodegas Primicia Anniversario Rioja 2006   £5.79 a bottle, blended with 5% Gran Reserva Fruit, liquoricey, blackcurranty spicy drop of Rioja, very elegant and from one of, if not my favourite Rioja house.

http://www.laithwaites.co.uk/product~product_code~60265~mscssid~9655C790CB434146B9BB1A4335AC65C0.pasp

Seabass one sounds very nice and, fast and easy to make. Exactly what I was after- nice one.

[Maggie May]

Maggie, if you have that carrot soup recipe and it's easy enough to copy and post you're more than welcome to put it up.

Well Jason PM'd me with that, and it has been proved as a most fantatic soup recipe, and which he served as a starter on Christmas Day.

Jason.  You take the glory for it and post it up.  Your recipe is sublime.   

[Maggie May]

And of course you can nick a few others that people are putting up as well to store on the computer, meaning that if you stick to your resolution you could end up with 500 recipes (or more) all stored and sorted by the end of the year.

No.  Anything I greedily glean from others is "outwith" and is a bonus and will be welcomed but not added to my personal tally. 

[Gus 1855]

Seabass one sounds very nice and, fast and easy to make. Exactly what I was after- nice one.

It is great, I have it once a week, maybe with the odd variation. Throw in a bit of Lemongrass one day, a bit of tumeric and garam masala the next. Use haddock every now and then.

The great thing with it, is that is really light and fresh, as supposed to stodgey stuff which I really hate if I am home late.

[Maggie May]

Oh no, I'm still expecting 366 recipes from you by the end of the year (it's a leap year, remember), but that you have so many people contributing here means that your collection on your PC could easily top 500 by the year's end, the majority of which are yours, the rest being favourites that you've gleaned from here.

No. I wouldn't do that.  I'm happy to glean good ideas.  But I will post 366 originals.

[Joshytoohotty]

Baked Sea Bass with Chilli and Garlic-

It's best to use whole Sea Bass for this if you can, because you stuff the fish it will take the flavour on a lot more when stuffed into the cavity of a whole fish. However, if you're only cooking for yourself it can be done with fillets as well. Basically for the recipe I will describe it as if you're using a whole Sea Bass, if you are using fillet simply make an incision on the thickest part of the white fish meat and stuff it with the ingreidents. If you like you can make several incisions and stuff them all, it won't look quite as neat and tidy but it will look a bit more rustic with lots of chilli, butter and garlic oozing out of the fish.

Ingredients-

-1 Sea Bass (whole, gutted and scaled. I tend to go by the idea that 500g will do two people very nicely. I have a little more sea bass with this dish than normally because there's not a lot of accompinments)

-2 large red chillis (deseeded and finely chopped. Taking care to scrape the white membrane off the chilli because this is
where the real heat is. It's important to do this otherwise the heat will be too much and you'll ruin the fish.)

1 clove of garlic (crushed and chopped)
About half a pack of butter
A small handful of fresh coriander (bunched and roughly chopped)
1 Lemon
Good extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt (don't be tempted to use table salt, the taste is too intense and it will ruin the fish)
Freshly ground black pepper

Really simple here.

Pre-heat your oven to 180c/Gas mark 4

Get your scaled and gutted sea bass and make some incisions along the side of the fish, not too deep but just far enough to make a little gap that leaves you enough room to stuff some salt into. 7 or 8 incisions on each side of the fish should be enough. Stuff some sea salt, pepper and a little butter into the incisions, being careful not to open them up. All this does is make sure the flavour will sink deep into the fish.

In the cavity stuff your chilli, the rest of the butter, some more salt and your crushed garlic,  reserving a little of each ingredient to make the sauce. Now place some tin foil over a baking tray and rub extra virgin oil into the foil to prevent the fish sticking to it. Place the fish on the foil and throw some extra virgin olive oil over the top of the fish. Chuck some lemon juice in, and again a little chilli and garlic around the sides, and some more butter. You can also slice the lemon up here and put the slices around the fish if you wish, depending on how much lemon flavour you want the fish to take on. Basically the ingredients around the side of the fish, mixed with the extra virgin olive oil will make a sauce that the fish will bake in as it cooks, the taste of the fish will be a million times better as a result because the steam is going to rise off the sauce underneath it and move through the fish, flavouring everything. You can throw in some whole chillis, garlic cloves etc here if you wish, again it depends on how much you like each flavour.

Double wrap the fish in the tin-foil and place into your pre-heated oven. The length of time you bake for here depends on the size of the fish although I tend to go for about 10 minutes per inch.(thickness)

When the fish is cooked simply remove from the foil, cut a nice bit of the fish and place on the plate. Pour the sauce that has collected in the tin foil over the fish, chucking some of the roughly chopped coriander over the sea bass to garnish. Serve with whatever you like with your fish, although personally I'd just have a bit of rocket wiith a lemon and olive oil dressing and a nice bit of ciabatta to mop up the sauce.

[Joshytoohotty]

Spaghetti with pancetta and pesto-

Stupidly simple this one, but the flavours work really well together. It might not be michellen star stuff but I'm yet to find a person who hasn't loved it!

Serves 2-3

Ingredients-

Spaghetti- 350g

Pancetta- 350g (roughly diced)

Half a brown onion (finely chopped)

1 clove of garlic (finely choped)

Lemon Thyme
Parsley to garnish

Half a lemon

Green Pesto- 3 tablespoons (you can make your own here but equally a good quality one from a deli will do nicely)

Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cook your spaghetti in a pan of boiling, salted water.

Meanwhile:-

Start by sweating off your onions and garlic in a couple large table spoons of the extra virgin olive oil until the onions are transulecent. Taking care not to use a high heat here because the garlic goes bitter if it's burnt, a nice low heat to gradually sweat off your onions until they take on a nice translucent quality is perfect.

When your onions are translucent add the pancetta to the pan, cooking until crispy. On top of  the pancetta throw some lemon thyme, the smokiness of the pancetta will love the fresh lemony taste of the thyme. When your pancetta is nice and crispy and everything is smelling beautiful, take it all off the heat. Your pasta should be done now so drain and toss with a little extra virgin olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon juice. Throw the pasta into the pan with the onions and pancetta and add the pesto. Throw everything together until the pasta is nicely coated with the pesto and the onions and pancetta are spread evenly over the dish.

Serve on a nice big white plate and garnish with the parsley and some freshly grated parmesan, I can never resist just drizzling with a little more oil as well to finish.

[wickolfc]

My own recipe, you will need:

Beans
Bread
Butter

Toast the bread, spread it with butter, warm the beans in a pan and put on top of the toasted bread. Easy.

[Maggie May]

Preserved Clementines in Brandy or Liqueur

12 Clementines
6 cloves
100g caster sugar
625ml brandy, Grand Marnier or Cointreau

You will also need 2 x 500ml preserving jars

Preheat the oven to 140C/gas1/Fan120c.  Wash the two jars in very hot soapy water.  Rinse them thoroughly and put them in the oven for 20 minutes, so that they are sterilised and completely dry before you use them. 

Peel the Clementines and remove all the white pith from them.  Using a potato peeler, strip the very top of the peel from about four of the Clementines.  Slice that into very fine strips.  Divide the Clementines between the jars, leaving space at the top.  Add the sliced peel and cloves.

Put the sugar in a pan with 4 tablespoons of water.  Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, the simmer for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is syrupy.  Remove from the heat and add the brandy or liqueur.  Pour over the Clementines and seal the jars.  Keep in a cool dark place for up to three months.

I know the time for Christmas and tying up of the jars with a festive tartan bow is over, and de dar, de dar.  But you might want to think about laying this in now for the Summer barbeque party table. 

[gerrardspetal]

Cheese on Toast.


One slice of bread (preferably without mould)
Slice a piece of cheese
put bread in the toaster
waiting patiently
heat up oven
place cheese on toast in oven
melt the fuck
eat it

add brown sauce at own discretion.

seriously though Maggie, I'll keep me eye on this, love a cooking cooking session.

you sure you have read the thread??
Only posted this yesterday

cheese on toast is always a fave too   toast under the grill one half of a slice of bread. when toasted put some grated cheese on other side then toast till melted.  mmmm yummy.

ahhh so you do it a little different ?

[Jon G]

Thread of the year already, love it.

[jiky]

feta cheese and crispy bacon on toast with a squeez of fresh lime. Wunderbaum!!!!

[Maggie May]

I have lots more and am scribbling down the ones likely to be eaten in this house 

Well, whilst I appreciate that you do have other things with which to occupy yourself, if you have any more at home like the sweet potato and pepper soup, if you could get a shift on and post them it would be gratefully received.  I made it at the weekend. and all wuffed it gratefully down in mugs while we were working.  The recipe was clamoured for and has been passed on.  So.......

No problem, Maggie, you've put up 10 recipes already which is well over your 'one a day' target that you set yourself in your resolution, meaning you're more than entitled to lie fallow for a few days on the posting front.

And of course you can nick a few others that people are putting up as well to store on the computer, meaning that if you stick to your resolution you could end up with 500 recipes (or more) all stored and sorted by the end of the year.

My Mentor.  I've been reviewing what I posted and I need to have one knocked off the tally of 10.  It is the Melba Toast recipe which I sent to Jason as a suggestion to accompany the smoked salmon pate I recommended he try for Christmas Night.  It was the last I added to my canapes library and copied it in by mistake.

Anyway.  Today's are:

Cherry Tomatoes with Pesto
Pesto freezes very well, so if you see Basil plants on two for £1 of similar offer at the supermarket, its well worth buying some and freezing it in batches so it is always to hand.


450g/1lb small cherry tomatoes

For the Pesto

90g/3 ½ oz fresh basil leaves
4 garlic cloves
60ml/4tbsp pine nuts
5ml/1tsp salt, plus extra to your taste
120ml/4fl oz olive oil
45ml/3tbsp grated parmesan cheese
90ml/6tbsp grated pecorino cheese
Ground black pepper

Wash the tomatoes.  Slice off the top of each tomato, and scoop out the seeds with a melon baller or small spoon.

Place all the pesto ingredients, save for the two cheeses, in a blender and process until smooth.  If you want to freeze the pesto, this is the stage when you do it and batch it.

Otherwise, fold in the parmesan and pecorino cheeses.  Season to your taste, and then stuff the hollowed out tomatoes with the mixture.  This is at its best when chilled for about an hour before serving.


Stuffed Celery Sticks

I’ve put these immediately after the Cherry Toms with Pesto because this filling works extremely well with Toms, done say, 50/50 with the pesto in a buffet.  And anyway, the three cheeses and walnut make a lovely change from just lobbing in Philadelphia to the celery sticks.

12 celery stalks
25g/1oz crumbled blue cheese
115g/4oz cream cheese of your choice
45ml/3tbsp soured cream
50g/2oz chopped walnuts

Trim the stalks to about 4in lengths.  Then just blend the three cheeses together.  I think this is always best done by hand to preserve the texture.  Then, when blended, fold in all but 15ml/1tbsp of the walnuts.  Fill the celery sticks with the mixture and garnish with the chopped walnuts.


Marinated Mussels

Makes about 48-50

*You can prepare these ahead of time and marinate them for up to 24 hours.

** Remove the dressed mussels from the fridge at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to develop fully.

*** Serve the half shells on a bed of crushed ice or coarse salt to hold them firmly.

1kg/2 ¼ lb mussels
175ml/6fl oz dry white wine
1 garlic clove, finely crushed
120ml/4fl oz olive oil
50ml/2fl oz lemon juice
5ml/1tsp hot chilli flakes
2.5ml/½ tsp mixed spice
15ml/1tbsp Dijon mustard
10ml/2tsp sugar
5ml/1tsp salt
15-30ml/1-2 tbsp chopped fresh dill or coriander
15ml/1tbsp capers, drained and chopped if large
Ground black pepper

With a stiff brush and under cold running water, scrub the mussels and remove any sand and barnacles; pull out and remove the beards.  Discard any open shells that will not shut when tapped.

In a large pan or casserole set over a high heat, bring the white wine to a boil with the garlic and freshly ground black pepper.  Add the mussels and cover the pan.  Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2-4 minutes until the shells open, shaking the pan occasionally.  Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, chilli flakes, mixed spice, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, the chopped dill or the coriander and the chopped capers.  Stir well and set aside.

Discard any mussels with closed shells.  Remove the mussels from the shells, reserving the half shells for serving.  Tip the mussels into the marinade, toss them to cover them well, then cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill in the fridge, giving them a stir from time to time.*

Then just place one mussel in a half shell, spoon a little marinade over and cover until ready to serve. ** and ***

[Lo]

Caramelised Onion & Goat's Cheese Tart

500g Puff pastry
3 tbsp Rosemary infused olive oil (I tend to just use olive oil, sometimes I infuse it)
3 Red onions, chopped
2 Brown onions, chopped
1 Clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Fresh chopped thyme
25g Pine nuts
100g Goats cheese


1. Roll out the pastry and Score a 1cm border around it (or make individual ones with boarders scored round them.
2. Gently fry the onions in the olive oil for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the garlic, thyme, vinegar and sugar to the onions, as well as 100ml of water. Cook gently until the water evaporates, giving the onions time to caramelise.
4. Stir the pine nuts into the onion mixture.
5. Divide the onion mixture between the four pastry bases, ensuring that no mixture goes over the scored border – this would stop the edge of the tart rising.
6. Scatter the goats cheese evenly over the top of the four tarts.
7. Brush the edge of the pastry with a little milk and bake the tarts in an oven at 200 degrees C for 20 – 25 minutes, or until the pastry and cheese are golden brown.

[berrno3333]

A recipe for Oxtail soup would be great.

[Voni]

Do you have a receipe for Chocolate Fudge Cake Maggie?

[Maggie May]

Cheese on Toast.


One slice of bread (preferably without mould)
Slice a piece of cheese
put bread in the toaster
waiting patiently
heat up oven
place cheese on toast in oven
melt the fuck
eat it

add brown sauce at own discretion.

seriously though Maggie, I'll keep me eye on this, love a cooking cooking session.

I know you do Babe. 

But I think cheese on toast (with whatever additions), has to be the most compulsive food of all time.  It has that unique "once sniffed and instantly recollected and thereafter when imagined has to be had" quality. 

[Maggie May]

A recipe for Oxtail soup would be great.

Well I do have a cracking recipe.  It is for clear Oxtail soup, not the creamed variety.  You roast the oxes and veg and then combine them to simmer in the usual way.  The you fish out the oxes, split them up cool them, strain and discard the rest of the veg.  The next day chill and skim the soup of ox fat which will lie on the top, (which store and roast your spuds in by the way). Then chop more veg and poach in the ox stock.  Set aside.  Pick off and chop the ox meat.  Put the cold ox stock in a pan and clarify it with egg whites and loads of eggshells you've previously saved in the freezer.   Then batch it up into cartons, divide the meat and veg between the cartons and freeze it.

Reason I am so freezer orientated is that this is utterly delicious, but such an utter bastard that I intend to make it in industrial quantities.

Do you have a receipe for Chocolate Fudge Cake Maggie?

Yes.  My pleasure.   For you, my lovely Voni, it must not just be Fudge Cake, but Triple Chocolate Voni Fudge Cake. 

It uses basic package stuff, but is gloriously moist, rich, choclately and sinful. 


Triple Chocolate Veroni Fudge Cake
1 chocolate sponge mix
60ml/4tbsp chocolate spread
1 large egg
Water
1 Mars Bar
30ml/2tbsp cocoa powder
50g/2oz butter
175g/6oz icing sugar
30ml/2tbsp milk

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas6/fan180c.  Grease and line the bases of two 18cm/7in sandwich tins with greaseproof or baking paper.

Empty the cake mix into a bowl.  Add 30ml/2tbp of the chocolate spread., the egg and the water as said on the packet.  Beat the mixture for two minutes.  Add the remaining water and beat for a further one minute.  Divide the mixture between the tins and level the surfaces.  Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until risen and the centres spring back when lightly pressed.  Allow to cool slightly, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Break up the Mars Bar in a pan and melt into the remaining chocolate spread, the cocoa and the butter, stirring frequently.  Gradually beat in the icing sugar and the milk until the sugar forms soft peaks.

Use some of the mixture to sandwich the cake together, and then spread the remainder all over the outside, dipping the knife in hot water for easy spreading.

[Maggie May]

My Mentor.

I wish the claim a credit for the Triple Chocolate Veroni Fudge Cake, on the grounds that (a) I adapted a packet recipe to make it utter megga and (b) I had not posted this anywhere else before. 

[Voni]

Thanks a million!!!  It sounds fantastic Maggie. Can't wait to try it out!!!

[brunny]

I know you do Babe. 

But I think cheese on toast (with whatever additions), has to be the most compulsive food of all time.  It has that unique "once sniffed and instantly recollected and thereafter when imagined has to be had" quality. 

totally agree, need some lea and perrins on it though

[Maggie May]

totally agree, need some lea and perrins on it though

Damn right.  I defy anyone, on reading this, not to give a lick with the a little lip to the tonge upfront and then lick from right to left.

[PaulF]

It uses basic package stuff, but is gloriously moist, rich, choclately and sinful. 


Triple Chocolate Veroni Fudge Cake
1 chocolate sponge mix
60ml/4tbsp chocolate spread
1 large egg
Water
1 Mars Bar
30ml/2tbsp cocoa powder
50g/2oz butter
175g/6oz icing sugar
30ml/2tbsp milk

I'm diabetic. This could kill me. Die Happy I say 

[Elli]

You do realise Garreth's caused you to do this thread in the hopes I'll spy some likely-looking ideas and invite him to be Chief Taste Tester?

What's more, it's looking like it just might work

Some of these sound absolutely deelish

[Corkboy]

Yep, that one counts. As does the melba toast one from earlier - it might not be a fancy, complicated one, but people on here will learn how to make melba toast from it that did not know how before, so it counts in my book.

I'm not entirely sure what office you hold in this thread, but I can't believe my bold and innovative entry, Corkboy's Cholesterol Surprise has been so criminally overlooked.

[Lo]

Fruitburst muffins

225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
50g melted butter or marg
175ml skimmed milk
100ml honey
140g fresh or frozen blueberries
140g dried cranberries
140g dried apricots, chopped
140g raisins
1 tsp grated orange zest
1 tsp cinnamon

Heat the oven to 200, and line a muffin tin with muffin cases. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. In another bowl lightly beat the eggs, then stir in the honey, milk and butter. Add to the flour with the remaining ingredients. Combine quickly, again not over-mixing. Spoon into the cases and bake for 20-25 mins.

Broccoli and cheese bites

110g broccoli
4 slices of white bread
30g grated cheddar
30g mozzarella
3 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
3 tbsp grated parmesan
1.5 tbsp plain flour
1-2 beaten eggs

Steam the broccoli for 7-8 mins and allow to cool. Whizz the bread in a food processor to make breadcrumbs, and transfer to a bowl. Add the cheddar, mozzarella and chopped broccoli to the bread. If you prefer you can whizz the cheese and broccoli into a paste in the processor Squish everything together.

Mix the dried breadcrumbs and parmesan together on a plate. Put the flour on another plate and the egg in a bowl. Roll the broccoli mixture into balls (how ever big you want), dust with flour, dip in the egg then roll in the breadcrumbs. Refridgerate for at least an hour to cool.
Heat some oil in a non-stick frying pan and cook over a high heat for 30 secs on each side (longer if you've made big balls!) until golden.
   

[trigger]

Are there any recommendations for studenty fast and cheap recipes that taste nice?

Dog food.....open tin and eat with a fork

[Jason McG]

OK, here's the Carrot and Coriander soup recipe.

750g Carrots
500g potatoes
1 White Onion
1/2 pint of milk
1 pint of water
25g unsalted butter
2 Veg stock cubes
Freshly chopped Coriander
Salt and white pepper
Garlic (1-2 cloves)

Peel and dice carrots, potatoes and onion.

Fry the onion in the butter in a large stock pan, make the veg stock up adding salt and pepper and crushed garlic.

Add the carrots and potatoes to the softened onions and pour the liquid into the pan (this includes the milk). Chop 1/3 of the coriander and add now, stir and allow to simmer until the carrots and potatoes are soft.

Take off the heat and add half of the remaining coriander.

Blitz the soup with  hand blender (don't scold yourself) and when smooth add the last bit of coriander and stir in (leaving a bit left for garnish).

Carrot and Coriander Soup, DONE!

The base in this recipe, butter, onion, potato, milk and stock is a bit unusual but I think is brilliant for thick, root veg soups. Leek and Potato is good too.

You should find that one of the fresh coriander plants from the supermarket is the perfect size and the fresh stuff really makes a difference, I've tried it with dried and it's not as good. It's dead easy and not too sweet.

Enjoy.

[PaulF]

Broccoli and cheese bites

Sounds very very much like a good attempt to get Brad to eat his veg!

[Lo]

Sounds very very much like a good attempt to get Brad to eat his veg!

He would be suspicious of the green, Lucas however is a different matter

[Valore]

This thread has put me on my way to being a fat bastard.

[Maggie May]

You have surpassed yourself again, Lo.  I'll definately give those Brocolli and Cheese Bites a go.

And I can wholeheartedly recommend Jason's Carrot and Coriander Soup.  We swapped recipes before Christmas, and I tried his soup between Christmas and the New Year, and it was absolutely delicious.  I'd always swerved this soup before, because the recipies I had made the soup too sweet.  But Jason's soup is right on the money. 

Yep, that one counts. As does the melba toast one from earlier - it might not be a fancy, complicated one, but people on here will learn how to make melba toast from it that did not know how before, so it counts in my book.

Sorry to be pedantic, but the melba toast can't count because I put it on my computer before Christmas, and not in the New Year, so it cannot form part of my vow.

I invented doing it this way because I was routinely in despair at making melba toast the proper way (toasting the bread then cutting each slice through horizontally and then toasting the cut slices).  More failures than successes I'm afraid (though the birdies did very well), so I came up with the idea of sort of "ironing" the bread thin and then roasting it, and it worked every time.

Anyway.  Today's offerings.  I've put three on again, as I'm getting twitchy about the times when I won't be online, so I want to build up my "credits".

Tuna in Rolled Red Peppers

This also works well with canned mackerel

Makes 24

3 large red peppers
200g/70z can tuna, drained
30ml/2tbsp lemon juice
45ml/3tbsp olive oil
6 green or black olives, stoned and chopped
30ml/2tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, very finely chopped

Place the peppers under a hot grill, turning them occasionally until they are black and blistered on all sides.  Remove them from the heat and place them in a polythene bag.  Leave them for five minutes, then peel them.  Cut the peppers into quarters lengthwise, and remove the stems, seeds and pith.

Flake the tuna and combine with the lemon juice and oil.  Stir in the olives, parsley, garlic and celery.  Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Lay the pepper segments flat, skinned side down.  Divide the mixture between them, and spread it out, pressing it into an even layer.  Then roll the peppers up and place them in the fridge for at least one hour.  Just before serving, cut each roll in half with a sharp knife.


Smoked Trout Mousse in Cucumber Cups

This creamy mousse can be made in advance and chilled in the fridge for two to three days in advance.  If you can’t use a piping bag, then just spoon the mixture into the cucumber cups and swirl the tops with a fork. 

Makes about 24

115g/4oz cream cheese, softened
2 spring onions, chopped
15-30ml/1-2tbsp chopped fresh dill or parsley
5ml/1tsp horseradish sauce
225g/8oz smoked trout fillet, flaked and any fine bones removed
30-60ml/2-4tbsp double cream
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper, to taste
2 cucumbers
Small dill sprigs to garnish

Put the cream cheese, spring onions, dill or parsley and horseradish sauce into a food processor and process until well blended.  Add the trout and process until smooth.  With the machine running, pour the cream through the feeder tube until a soft mousse-like mixture forms.  Season, turn into a bowl and chill for at least 15 minutes or until required.

Using a canelle knife or vegetable peeler, score the length of each cucumber to create a striped effect.  Cut each cucumber into 2cm/¾ in thick rounds, discarding the ends.  Using a small spoon or melon baller, scoop out the seeds from the centre of each round.

Spoon the smoked trout mousse into a piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle and pipe swirls on the mixture into the prepared rounds.  Chill until ready to serve and garnish the tops with tiny sprigs of dill.


Grilled Asparagus with Salt-Cured Ham

If you can’t find Serrano Ham, then use Italian Prosciutto or Portuguese Prosciutto Ham.  This is done here under the grill, but it can also be successfully done on the BBQ, but put the wrapped spears in a metal grilling basket to make the turning easier to control.  Don’t throw away the woody ends of the asparagus spears.  Put them in a poly bag and store them in the freezer to make stock for asparagus soup. 

Makes 12

6 slices of Serrano Ham
12 Asparagus spears, the woody ends trimmed.
15ml/1tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the grill to high.  Halve each slice of ham lengthwise and wrap one half around each of the asparagus spears.  Brush the wrapped spears lightly with the oil and season them.  Place them on the grill rack and grill them for 5-6 minutes, turning them frequently, until the asparagus is tender but still firm.  Serve right away.

A recipe for Oxtail soup would be great.

Do you still want this recipe Berrno?  It is delish but an utter swine to do. 

[hoonin]

What a great topic!

Who would have thought that Joshy was actually a white version of that soft arse chef Ainsley Harriot

Armin needs to get his Portuguese soup recipe in here. I love the whole concept of "peasant" food, as in cheap but good quality ingredients such as fresh vegetables. Always seems to taste so good!

[Lo]

Me and Lucas are liking the look of tuna rolled in peppers, shall have them for lunch soon