Rolled Pork Loin stuffed with Apple and Caramelized Onion stuffing

This is a dish I had posted way back, but I still go back to it as it was one of my absolute favourite dishes that I've ever made. You can see all the other delicious servings that went along with this beautiful piece of pork here. 

Preparing this rolled pork loin was fun! A bit of muscle and time is needed :-)

To save myself a bit of the work though, I had the butcher cut a slit in to middle of the pork loin so I could stuff it but I ended up deciding to roll it too. I simply slice the ends open to butterfly the pork loin. You can also ask the butcher to butterfly it for you but I changed my mind to butterfly after the fact.

The butcher also scored the fat top of the pork loin for me.

Part of the fun was having the preparation of this dish become a joint effort. We all (myself and all my friends who were over for Christmas) each took a turn pounding the poor thing until reaching about 2cm thick. Boy oh boy that builds muscle!! This took some time, but that was probably because of all the laughing while doing it :-)

I seasoned both sides of the pork loin with some salt and pepper and rubbed each side with olive oil. 

To prepare the stuffing I used was a boxed cranberry stuffing (I’m no miracle worker I needed to leave something to be quick preparation), but I mixed it with some onions caramelized with apples and balsamic vinegar. Yum!

I spread the stuffing over the flesh side of the pork loin then simply rolled it (like a jelly roll).

I then tied 3 pieces of string around the rolled pork loin to hold it together while it roasts.

It roasted in the oven at 450F/gas mark 5 for about 1hr, until the internal temperature reached 165C. However, I turn up the oven temperature a tad half way through cooking so that the crackling gets going....yum yum yum!!

Allow the pork to rest for about 15 minutes before slicing.

This is a seriously delicious pork! Just try and you'll see. 

Enjoy!

Pesto Sauce (Basil)

This has got to be my favourite Italian sauce. It's fresh (meaning no cooking involved!), ultra tasty and super easy to make!

The mix of flavours bursting with every bite from the earthiness of basil, nutty flavour of pine nuts, and the vintage appeal of parmegiano. And who can miss the kick of garlic! Such simple ingredients to make this most satisfying sauce.

Another great thing about pesto is that it can be stored so easily and used in numerous ways.

Of course the most traditional (and my favourite) is with pasta.

You can also use it with chicken, fish, potatoes, stuffings....the options are endless.

I've made pesto a few times and this has to be my best yet.

1 large handful of fresh basil leaves

1 cup parmigiano reggiano (freshly grated)

1/2 cup pine nuts (lightly toasted)

1 clove of garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Mix all ingredients together all at once, slowly adding the olive oil in last (mix in less or more as you can choose the consistency you prefer)

I usually mix my pesto up in a food processor but if you have a pestle and mortar go for it! :)

Yummm! Enjoy, however you decide to serve it up!

Smoked Salmon and Ricotta Croustades

These little beauties are great for 3 reasons;
1. They look great
2. They taste even better
3. So quick to make

If you're going to a dinner party, have a busy day beforehand, Croustades are your godsend!
You can fill them with any tasty combination you'd like. Let your imagination run wild

Butternut Squash and Sage Manicotti with Roasted Red Pepper Bechamel

I have been been having a tough time getting back into the kitchen since our big move last year. All the stress I guess? But I certainly can feel it all coming back! :)
I made this dish yesterday for a dinner party. I was so excited to have my 'mojo' back in the kitchen I started doing a happy dance and sliding back and forth along the floors 'Risky Business' style. ha! No joke!

My plan was to make a Roasted Butternut and Red Pepper Manicotti with Bechamel sauce (still a delicious idea), but along the way I thought why not added the red pepper to the bechamel!? Don't you just love it when that happens? You have a clear plan in mind and half way through there's a new spin to the dish you're creating. This is one of my favourite thing about cooking; there are no rules and many suprises!

Leftover Chicken Pasta

Wow! Has it really been 6 months since my last post?!
Time really flies but I have been feeling a hollow space in my heart from my lack of cooking and blogging this year.
What other way would I return than with a pasta dish?
I had some left over chicken.....you got it, this is a 'leftovers' and 'fridge clearout' pasta dish, and as many of you know, often the best kind of pasta dish!.... as I was saying, I had some leftover chicken and some stuffed olives on it's last edible days. I remembered I had some canned jalapeños that I bought specifically for my "it just needs a little something" moments with cooking. These three ingredients were shouting out "mexican!".

Halusky Recipe

This has to be my all time favourite meal! I can never get enough of it. When we have this for dinner I'm the one having double portions. Honestly, I can't control myself!
I must have been Central or Eastern European in a past life because I'm so drawn to foods like this.

Halusky (pronounced ha-loosh-kee) is the Slovak version of gnocchi. It's a pasta made with potato dough. The difference between the dough is that halusky is more like a thick batter than a roll-able firm dough. So, perhaps a more similar comparable would be Austrian or German 'spaetzle', except that spaetzle isn't made with potato.

There are many different ways to eat Halusky. Two of the most popular kinds are bryndzove halusky (sheep cheese with sausage or bacon) and kapustove halusky (sour cabbage - "saurkraut"), or more commonly named Strapacky (pronounced sh-tra-pach-kee).
Bryndzove halusky is Slovakia's national dish, and I certainly don't wonder why. Yum! This is the one in the photo.

Halusky
2-3 potatoes
4-5 tbsp flour
1 tsp of salt
1 egg

Instructions:

1. Peel potatoes and finely shred them
2. In a bowl combine potato, salt, egg and flour. The dough shouldn't be too tough but also not too watery. You may add more or less flour, or a bit of water if the dough is too tough
3. Boil a large pot of salted water
4. You have to work quite quickly here: With a halusky sieve (called a halsukar - see image to the right) or a strainer with large holes, put the dough in it hovering over the pot of boiling water. Stir the dough in the sieve with a wooden spoon. Little bits of dough will drop into the water as you stir. If the dough starts to get tougher you can quickly dip the strainer into the water as you go to loosen the dough a bit. Continue stirring the dough until all of it has dropped into the water. NOTE: If you do not have a haluskar or strainer with large enough holes you can instead, cut off  1/2 tsp size dough pieces and drop them into the boiling water
5. The halusky is cooked when all the dumplings are floating
6. Prepare halusky with flavour and topping of your choice (2 possibilities below)

Bryndzove
3-4 tbsp sheep cheese (or goat cheese as alternative)
2-3 tsbp milk
1 smoked sausage or 6 strips bacon, chopped and fried, reserve the juices

Stir the sheep cheese, milk and some of the reserved frying juices with the halusky. The cheese will melt in quickly. Top with the bacon or sausage.

Kapustove
1 jar (no more than a litre) of sauerkraut, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
1 smoked sausage or 6 strips bacon, chopped 
1 tsp caraway seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

Fry the sausage or bacon, remove and set aside. Then fry the onion and sauerkraut with caraway seeds, salt and pepper. Stir the sauerkraut mixture with the halusky and top with the bacon or sausage.

I am proud to send this one in for Presto Pasta Nights' 200th roundup! Hosted this week by Helen from Fuss Free Flavours. Congrats Ruth, on reaching #200! How time flies!!

BLT

Who can resist a classic BLT sandwich? Not many, I'd say. Check out this elegant looking piece of work. You may notice the added touch of sautéed onions. This is the perfect scenario to say "a little goes a long way".

(Makes 2 sandwiches)

1 ciabbata loaf

6-8 strips of bacon

8-10 slices of beefsteak tomato (or any large tomato of choice)

A few iceberg lettuce leaves, torn into large pieces

1/4 onion

Instructions:

1. Slice open the ciabbata loaf and toast under the grill until slightly golden
2. Cook bacon in a frying pay until desired crispiness. Remove bacon (do not drain off fat)
3. Sautée onions in the same frying pan as the bacon, Remove onions 
4. Rub the ciabbata loaf, open side down, in the frying pan to soak up all the lovely juices
5. Layer all your toppings into the ciabbata, close and cut into 2 sandwiches

If you feel and hear that bacon crunch as you bite down you know you've done a great job!

Oven Roasted Vegetables recipe

What a great time of year for this colourful medley of veg! The amazing thing about roasting vegetables as your side dish is that you can use any vegetables you want. What are your favourite? Now mix these together, coat them in whatever your favourite flavouring is, whether it be plain olive oil or a chilli and cumin blend. It's all your choice. There are no rules!

Here is a simple recipe I made the other night

(Feeds 4 people as a side dish)

Vegetables:
1 yellow pepper - sliced into strips and halved
1 red pepper - sliced into strips
1/2 large onion - sliced and halved
1 zucchini - sliced and halved
1/2 eggplant (UK - aubergine) - sliced and quartered (please see NOTE on how to prepare egg plant)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 garlic bulb - cloves separated but left in shell
2 tbp fresh parsley- chopped

Flavour: Vinaigrette
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp mustard powder
salt & pepper to taste
1 tsp dried thyme

Instructions:
1. Whisk together all ingredients for the vinaigrette
2. Combine all vegetables, parsley and vinaigrette together is a roasting pan or baking dish. Toss until well combined
3. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper
4. Place vegetables in a 450 F  (220 C) oven until vegetables are tender and starting to brown at the edges (about 35 min)

Once your vegetables are plated you'll be at the best part! Squeezing out all the lovely flesh from the garlic shells. Oh yeah!!

NOTE:  EGGPLANT TIP - To avoid your eggplant releasing too much water and from it tasting too bitter simply lay slices out flat, cover in some slat and let sit for about 30min to an hour. You will see beads of "sweat" all over, this is the bitter water being released. Now rinse the eggplant and you're ready to go!
Also if you don't like tough skin you can peel the eggplant, but it's not necessary, totally personal choice.

NOTE2: ADDING POTATO - If you're adding potato or a hard root vegetable such as squash to your roasted veg make sure to cut them bite size so they cook through. Then you have a couple cooking options
1. Turn your oven up a bit (about 475 F / 245 C). You may also need to leave them in for a few more minutes.
2. Or you can par boil the 'hard' vegetable before mixing into the rest of the vegetables.

Homemade Pizza

We went to some friends for dinner and hockey night a week ago. We were treated with homemade pizza! We love pizza! It's probably our favourite "treat" meal. They even had a stone slate! I have to get one!!!
But get this... I have never made homemade pizza! I've made pizza from bread bases (ie Ciabatta Pizza), but never made the dough from scratch. I know, shocker right?

We usually buy the Dr Oetker Restaurante Pizza. It's the dish we usually have at the end of the week when I'm tired and just don't feel like cooking. But, uuuummm, hello!! why don't we have it on nights when I do feel like cooking and have homemade pizza?? Duh! I don't know where my foodie head has been floating off to in the past.
So this weekend I went for it. Wow! It was so quick and easy. It was actually quicker and easier than making the effort of getting my coat and shoes on, walking to the shop, waiting in line and buying a frozen pizza.

PIZZA DOUGH
1 (8g) package active dry yeast

• 1 cup warm water (cooler than bath water but warmer than room temperature)
• 2 cups all purpous flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons white sugar (optional, I read sugar makes the crust a bit puffier)

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl mix water with yeast. let stand for about 10 min, then add olive oil

2. In a large bowl combine flour, salt and sugar

3. Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture, then pour in wet mixture. Stir together well until a dough forms. Cover with a cloth to let rise for about 30min, or until dough has doubled in size. Meanwhile heat the oven to 375 F (190 C, gas mark 5)

4. Roll dough out (or toss it in the air and pretend you're an Italian cooking in your own pizzeria, like I did) onto a floured surface until it's round and about 1-2 cm thick. Place on a pizza baking sheet (or stone slate if you're lucky enough to have one already)

5. Top with tomato sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice and bake in the oven for 20-25 min, until reached desired golden colour crust and top

I didn't have any tomatoes or sauce on hand but I had some sundried tomato alfredo sauce leftover. Why not eh? I made a sundried tomato alfredo pizza with mushrooms, spinach and mozzarella. Yum yum yum yum!!

Hors D'oeuvres Party

We had my parents and some family friends over for hors d'oeuvre and wine the other night. It turned out really well, obviously including some panic within the last hour before guests arriving (I think I just put my hair dryer down as they pulled up to the front of our place). What party is complete without a little last minute rush and panic eh?

Now on to the food.....

I don't mean to boast but these are the best Chicken Goujons (is that a posh name for chicken strips, chicken nugets or chicken fingers? hhhhmmm?) I have ever eaten! They came out so crunchy and flavourful. I didn't want them to be at all greasy so I baked them.

I made these, served with very good quality mayonnaise to dip (I meant to make a curry mango dip but totally forgot to buy the curry ingredients). The mayo we have is so nice it was just fine served plain as a dip (I just looked for the mayo on the shelf that didn't have anything in it that I didn't recognise, no funny stuff, no chemical mumbo jumbo). Scrumptious! Although I should try to make my own mayo next time. It's suppose to be super easy right?

Chicken Goujons recipe
(recipe adapted from All Recipes)
450g skinless, boneless chicken (I used thighs instead of breasts because I find them to be more tender)
1 egg
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp milk
couple pinches of salt and pepper
150g fine bread crumbs
2 tsp dried thyme
1. Set oven to 240 C / 475 F / gas 9
2. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or foil
3. Cut chicken into strips
4. In a bowl mix together, egg, milk, olive oil and salt & pepper. Add the chicken strips, stir and coat them well with egg mixture
5. In a separate flat dish mix breadcrumbs and thyme
6. One at a time, place chicken strips into the breadcrumbs, turning them to coat evenly. Place chicken goujon onto the baking sheets
7. Bake chicken goujons in the oven for 15min or until golden (Mine stayed in closer to 20min)

I also made my vegetarian spring rolls. But this time I added egg to the filling. Yummy!

A couple weeks ago I instructed Marek how to make salsa. He's got it down pact now and I think his tastes better than when I make it! I made it for the first time a couple months ago and from then on we decided never to get store bought salsa again. It's so easy to make and tastes so much better fresh!

Salsa recipe

2 large tomatoes, chopped fine (make sure they're just ripe and firm)
1/2 a jalapeno pepper, chopped fine (less or more depending on how hot you like your salsa. Also the seeds are what make salsa hot, so keeping them or not is, again, personal preference)
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 shallots, chopped fine
handful of fresh coriander, chopped
2 tbsp olive
squirt of a wedge of lemon
1 tsp each of salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together well and serve!
You could even use the salsa for chicken goujons dipping!

I couldn't forget to tell you about the prosciutto and pear bites that Marek put together. So savoury and fresh. these lovelies gave a good balance to all the hors d'oeuvres we served

Pear, Prosciutto and Gorgonzola Bites recipe
1 french baguette, sliced
1 pear, sliced into bite size pieces
12 slices of prosciutto, cut in halves
25g cream cheese
50g blue cheese
handful of crushed walnuts





1. Warm the baguette slices in the oven a bit
2. Blend together the cream cheese and blue cheese
3. Layer ingredients on top of the baguette slices in this order; cheese mixture, a few walnut bits, a piece or two of pear, a piece of prosciutto
Serve! Yum!

Last but by far not least are the Rich Chocolate Pots.
I posted a week ago about Chocolate and Love organic chocolate and said I would be making something with the chocolate. Well, here it is! Be warned though, this dessert is not for the faint hearted, IT IS RICH !

Rich Chocolate Pots recipe
(Direct from my favourite cookbook - Good Housekeeping Cookery Book)
300g good quality plain dark chocolate, in pieces (I'd say no more than 70% otherwise the dessert could be too bitter)
284ml double cream
250g mascarpone (I used half mascarpone, half cream cheese)
3 tbsp cognac
1 tbsp vanilla extract (I probably put double that amount because I LOVE Vanilla)

To decorate: Marek came up with the coconut topping, and I had some little chocolate coins to put in the middle. Another idea would be a dollop of whipped cream on top, sprinkled with crushed walnuts

1. Put chocolate into a heat proof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Leave until all chocolate is melted and smooth. Lower hear to it absolute lowest
2. Add cream and mascarpone, cognac and vanilla. Mixx well. (if you use cream cheese as I did it may take a bit longer to melt into the chocolate than the mascarpone)
3. Once all blended well and mascarpone (and cream cheese) have melted fully, divide mixture into glasses and chill in the refrigerator for atleast 20 min. Then you can top with you decoration of choice

The recipe in my book said this serves 6, but I have to say it was so rich I would say it serves 12. Next time I make these I will divide them into shot glasses. They are seriously rich, but irresistibly delicious! Dare I say it? they are orgasmically delicious!

It was a wonderful party and everyone was impressed with the food. Yay!!
One comment I won't forget, "When we were your age we weren't putting together something this nice". That comment pleased me to no end.

I love dinner parties!

Long live Cast Iron! : Chantal Cast Iron Review

How many of us dream of our perfect kitchen?

If we were all sitting in a room together right now I bet I'd see a whole lot of hands in the air! I had been living in temporary conditions and saving to move for so long I kept putting off buying the kitchen items I so badly wanted. How many of you are nodding your head right now? "I know how that feels", you're thinking.
I would spend hours browsing around alluring kitchen shops, always tempted to buy buy buy. Every item in the shop speaking to me. All the beautiful stainless steels, pastel colours and shimmering copper. I'm in a dream world in these stores. It's like Kitchen Disneyland for me. But I could not hop on the rides.

Well now that we've finished our move and live in a city where we plan to hopefully stay for a very long time, I will now begin slowly collecting these kitchen items I have been dreaming of for so long.

First on my list has always been the cast iron dutch oven. You know, the ever famous Le Creuset beauty. I won't lie to you, the pot in the image is not Le Creuset. I admit I was stuck on the idea of the trustworthy brand from French cuisine, but who am I kidding, I can't afford such luxury right now. I've purchased the Talavera Cast Iron Dutch oven from Chantal. Chantal vs Le Creuset cast iron pot is purchased at about 1/3 of the price! So why not right?

I've read many reviews on Le Creuset vs Chantal. I have to say that most are in favour of Le Creuset claiming Chantal's enamel begins to chip away after a while. In the same breath, however, I have noticed some of these people talking about their pot being in the oven at 450 degrees. The instructions on my Chantal tag says max 400 degrees..... hhhmmmm....
You can also check out this review from the Boston times - Pot vs Pot.

So far, my Chantal Dutch oven works brilliantly! I've used it about 4 times in the past week and no problems yet. I am very pleased so far. I want to cook everything in this thing. It's so addictive! Long live cast iron! The journey to my perfect kitchen begins. Kitchen Disneyland here I come! One piece at a time though. That's fine by me :)

Note: You may find that Chantal website does not advertise their Talavera Cast Iron Collection. I am also boggled by this. Seems Chantal do not normally produce cast iron so this is a special edition line sold only in certain stores ?? I found mine at HomeSense.

Oh and if you have bought a cast iron pan and would like to season it, please read my post about how to season a cast iron pan.

Happy Birthday Cup Cakes

I had my 30th Birthday last year, to which Marek spoiled me rotten with an amazing surprise beach holiday!

How do I compete with that, I ask you?!!?

This year is his 30th (yes, I am a cradle robber! hehe! ok, it's only one year but it's funny to say "I am a cradle robber). Unfortunately it's not in the cards for me to spoil him with such a gift at the moment (although there is something planned....sssshhh, I can't tell you in case he's reading this). In the meantime I have baked him 4 dozen cup cakes! I'm such an awesome partner right! :)

As you can see I've made a couple varieties. I made Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes, and Devil's Food Cupcakes. Both extremely delicious and irresistible!
Marek is not a fan of the typical super sweet icing sugar icing so I made a cream cheese icing instead, which actually I also find so much better. Creamier and more sofisticated (oooh lala!), hands down!

Vanilla cupcake (for strawberry shorcake)

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg whites from large eggs
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup 2% milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, shortening, milk and vanilla  in a large mixing bowl.  Mix at low speed for 2 minutes.  Scrape bowl.  Add egg whites and mix at high speed until fluffy and smooth, approximately 2 minutes.
3. Fill liners 1/2 to 2/3 full of batter.  Do not overfill.  Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
4. Cool 10 minutes in pans then remove from pan, and place on wire racks to cool completely.

Devil's Food cupcakes

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup baking cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line cupcake pans with paper liners.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Mix at low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly while mixing.  Mix at high speed for 3 minutes, scraping bowl every minute.
3. Pour batter into cupcake liners until they are 1/2 to 2/3 full.
4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
5. Cool 10 minutes in pans then move to wire rack to cool completely.

Cupcake recipes, courtesy of www.cupcakerecipes.com .

Taste My Plate tips for moist and fluffy cupcakes:

• Ingredients must always be at room temperature
• Sift flour
• Separate eggs, and whip egg whites to be added at the very end of stirring ingredients together.

Cream cheese Icing

1/2 cup butter

1 1/2 cup cream cheese

2 cups icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Whip all ingredients together with an electric mixer.
(Bare in mind the above measurements are approximate. I mixed mine bit by bit until I got the flavour and consistency that I wanted)

For chocolate cream cheese icing reduce icing sugar to 1 1/2 cup and add about 1 cup cocoa powder. Of course the amount of icing sugar or the amount of cocoa powder added can depend or your sweetness and chocolaty preferences but make sure to add enough that the icing is thick enough to spread.

For the Strawberry Shortcake cupcakes slice a few strawberries and place a 3 slices fanned out onto each cupcake.

I was told these cupcakes are nice because they're not too sweet, they're moist and fluffy, and just right to go with an afternoon cup of tea!

Marek was sure pleased with these! He took them to work where they were gobbled up within 15 minutes! 

My baking skills are coming together!! :))

Marek's favourite Beef Stew

Jamie Oliver is a great inspiration to most of us, in the UK. Am I right?
I love beef stew and could easily make it up as I go along (which I have several times), but this time I wanted to get some professional advice. I came across Jamie Oliver's "Jool's favourite beef stew".
I didn't have all the ingredients so I just ended up improvising a little, while using the basis of Jamie's recipe. I also came up with an amazing secret ingredient to create the most delicious stew....and this can be supported by my sweet man's words to describe this stew, and I quote "this is the best stew I've ever had!". I'm not lying, he really said that! And he really meant it! :)

(Feeds 4 people)

• 500 g stewing beef
• olive oil
• knob of butter
• 1 large onion - largely chopped
• half a butternut squash - cubed
• 1 large sweet potato - cubed
• large handful of baby carrots - largely chopped
• handful of fresh parsley - chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste 
• 1 tbsp dried French herbs (I used herb provencial)
• 4 cloves garlic - pressed but not chopped
• 1/2 bottle of red wine
• 1/2 litre (300ml) beef stock
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (not too much salt, remember your stock may be salty enough)

and for my secret ingredient...........ooouuuuu I don't know if I should tell you....uummm.....uuuhhh, ok, here it is.....drum roll please... drrrdrrrrdrrrrdrrrdrrrr.....

• 4 tbsp of maple syrup (sshhhh, don't tell anyone. it's our little secret)

Instructions :

1. In a large stew pot, heat olive oil and butter. Once butter is melted add the onions and saute with dried provencial herbs for about 7 minutes before adding the beef and all remaining ingredients
2. Once all ingredients are mixed well in the pot bring it to a boil, then reduce heat
3. Simmer on low for roughly 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally

That's all there is to it!

It's not necessary, but if you're a dumpling lover like me you can add these simple dumplings to your stew about 30minutes before it's finished. Beef stew and dumplings, yumm!!

Otherwise some nice crusty french bread along side your stew is also perfect!

Dumplings:

• 150g self raising flour, sifted
• 75g shredded vegetable fat
• warm water (just enough water to bind the dough, but not making it sticky)
• pinch or two of salt
• some chopped parsley - optional

Mix together the sifted flour and vegetable fat with your fingers until mixture is a cornmeal like consistency. Then add salt, parsley (if using) and water. Mix all together with your hands until it forms a large dough ball.

Tear off spoonful size pieces and roll each one to form a small ball (about half the size of a golf ball).

Drop each ball into the stew. The dumplings will expand while cooking. Cook for about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

A Christmas never to forget!!

Biggest apologies dear readers, for I have left it this long to post my Christmas feast! I know, I know, I deserve a slap on the wrist! Is this bad luck? Does this fall under the same category as taking down Christmas decorations on the Twelfth Night?

Ah well, not much I can do now. I mean, why should I let the Twelfth Night stop me?

Any of you ever play football in a beautiful hill top park during sunset on Christmas day?  Yup, we sure did, with our closest friends. It was so different and so magical. Luckily too, that I got preparations started for most of the Christmas dinner in the morning and wasn’t actually making the traditional turkey. I loved every moment this past holiday season!

My Christmas began when I walked into the butcher’s ON 23^RD DEC to collect the ‘piece de resistance’ for our Christmas feast... well, except for the Vegetarian joining us...she could say it looked pretty but sure as Heck couldn’t tell you if it tasted it ‘pretty’ - does that adjective work for food?

But I digress. Allow me to carry on. “My Christmas began when I walked into the butcher’s...” I had placed my order a couple weeks prior to Christmas. The time I picked up my order was when I had left my place of work for the last time before my Christmas Holiday was to begin! What a wonderful feeling!

All the customers in the butcher’s were obviously there for the same reason, and what a joyous feeling in the air it was! “Wot can-I doo fa ya luv?” were the words I heard from behind the counter. I gave the warming and welcoming ‘Cockney’ butcher man my ticket and explained the details of my order. A very helpful man he was, and I couldn’t help but feel as though I was in the midst of a Charles Dickens story; all the loud and cheerful banter on both sides of the counter, with echoes of “Happy Holidays!” and “Merry Christmas” coated with the thickest of London accents. I loved it!

“...and a Merry Christmas to-ya luv”, the butcher man hollered as I opened the door to leave. Big smiles all around!

As I walked down the city’s cobbled street, re-wrapping my scarf around my neck, and imagining all the cheer that was to come....the feeling of Christmas overwhelmed me!

The following day was Christmas Eve. We had a decent lie in, but once awake couldn’t wait to get started on all our arrangements for our best friends to arrive! We’ve got friends in Paris and in Portugal who also do not have their families in Europe so we arranged for us all to be together in London at our place. We had all been talking about the foods and drink to share for weeks! It’s so nice to spend the holidays with others who adore and look forward food as much as we do!

The Christmas jingles blared, the drinks got poured and drank, and the food...well, it certainly didn’t just sit looking pretty on plates did it?!

I’ve already posted a few bites we had (Check those out here), so now I will post our Christmas Day dinner.

I debated for a while if I should go for traditional Turkey dinner or to go completely contemporary. I asked our friends for their votes and it was a bit of a mix so I went halfway. I prepared 2 main parts to the meal, which were roasted quail and stuffed rolled pork loin. The rest of the meal was the usual traditional trimmings of brussel sprouts, sweet potato mash, stuffing, aaaannd ....who could ever survive Christmas without the awesomeness of golden and crispy roast potatoes!? Even if I did go completely contemporary roast potatoes were never to be left out!!

Roasted Quail –

Clean the birds and pat them dry with paper towel.

I tossed the the birds in a bag of flour, salt and pepper to coat them. Then I browned them on all sides in a frying pan before stuffing each one with a lemon wedge and some thyme sprigs to roast them in the oven for roughly 20 minutes

Rolled Pork Loin stuffed with Apple and Caramelized Onion stuffing –

I had the buther cut a slit in to middle of the pork loin so I could stuff it but I ended up deciding to roll it too. I simply slice the ends open to butterfly the pork loin.

The butcher also scored the fat top of the pork loin.

We all (myself and all our friends) each took a turn pounding the poor thing until reaching about 2cm thick. Boy oh boy that builds muscle!!

I seasoned both sides of the pork loin with some salt and pepper and rubbed each side with olive oil. I spread the stuffing over the flesh side of the pork loin then simply rolled it (like a jelly roll).

The stuffing I used was a boxed cranberry stuffing (I’m no miracle worker I needed to leave something to be quick preparation), but I mixed it with some onions caramelized with apples and balsamic vinegar. Yum!

I then tied 3 pieces of string around the rolled pork loin to hold it together while it roasts.

It roasted in the oven at 450F/gas mark 5 for about 1hr, until the internal temperature reached 165C. However, I turn up the oven temperature a tad half way through cooking so that the crackling gets going....yum yum yum!!

Allow the pork to rest for about 15 minutes before slicing.

Sweet Potato Mash –

I don’t really measure my ingredients for this so this is a rough guideline. Best is to just add little at a time and taste as you go

6 sweet potatoes – cooked, peeled and mashed

½ cup orange juice

2 cloves garlic – crushed

2 tbsp brown sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together. That simple!

Brussel Sprouts –

I got tired of the plain ol’ boiled or steamed brussel sprouts so this time I thought I’d go for a change.

I cut all brussel sprouts in half, blanched them then cooked them on a griddle pan with an equal amount of shallots, also cut in half. I seasoned with some salt and pepper

For the best ever roast potatoes please find it here

For the traditional stuffing and gravy you can check out my Thanksgiving post here

I know this post a month late but better late than never eh?

This really was a magical Christmas I had to share it with you all

Porky Pasta

Funny name isn't it? This dish is made with pork and pasta...hence the name. Why not? It's fun :)
This, as many of my pasta dishes, was a 'whatever is in the fridge and needs to be eaten' dish. Tasted delicious!


(Feeds 2 people)
300g short pasta (I love using conchiglie with this type of sauce because it catches all the yummy bits inside the shell)
225g ground pork
1/2 onion -  chopped
2 stalks celery - chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 cup beer
1/2 cup beef broth
2 tsp caraway seeds

1/4 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

- Cook pasta al dente in salted water

- Cook onions and celery with some olive oil until almost soft, then add the pork

- Once pork is cooked through stir in the flour and pour in beer and beef broth. Allow liquid to reduce then season with salt, pepper and caraway seeds. Stir in sour cream and allow to heat through

- Mix pasta in the same pan with the pork mixture and serve

Delicious quick fix!

I'm sending this one off as my entry for this weeks Presto Pasta Nights, hosted this week by Gay of Scientist in the Kitchen. Thanks Gay! 

Beef Steak and Dumplings with Onion Gravy

An ultimate creation! I had plenty of odds and ends left in my fridge from my New Year's Eve feast. Isn't it wonderful how the same ingredients (plus a couple others) can create a completely different yet super delicious meal!

So check this out. I whipped it together in less than 20 minutes!

(Feeds 2 people)

1 small sirloin steak (my steak on New Year's Eve was actually half of 1 large steak) - cubed

3 tbsp flour

1/4 onion - chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp butter

3/4 cup mushrooms - sliced

3 spring onions - sliced

3/4 cup beef or onion stock

1/2 cup beer

Some potato dumplings (use whatever kind of potato dumplings you have or prefer, I had some gnocchi in my fridge)

pepper to taste (no added salt should be necessary as the stock will be salty)

2 tbsp mascarpone (optional but strongly recommended for added richness)

small handful of fresh basil - chopped

Instructions:

- Saute onions with butter and olive oil

- meanwhile coat beef cubes with half the flour and some pepper

- add beef to the pan with the onions. brown the beef then add remaining flour, spring onion and mushrooms. Cook for another minute then gradually add the beef stock and beer.

- Simmer and stir occasionally for 5-10 minutes, or until sauce reduces and starts to thicken, then stir in the mascarpone and basil

- toss in the dumplings

Serve with crusty french bread (unless you're eating allot of dumplings, but I'd recommend to eat only a few dumpling so you have room in your tummy to soak up the gravy with warm crusty bread).

Yum!!!!

Pasta Primavera

This is a new favourite of mine! Delicious, healthy and quick to make! But not only that, the thing I like most about pasta primavera is you can use whatever spring vegetable you fancy most - no strict guidelines....Ok, I know it's not spring right now but these vegetables are actually available year 'round, so whatever. He he!

Many of you might already know that the word 'primavera' means spring, so really we should use spring vegetables otherwise it would have to be called something else (like pasta 'inverno' - winter pasta...hey! that's a great idea!! I might work with this idea...I'll keep you posted on it)

Although this pasta has an Italian name (and it is PASTA after all), it is not actually and Italian dish. This is an an Italian-American dish. Who knew!?

Anyway, back to the matter at hand.... Pasta Primavery, yes, super delicious, simple, healthy, excellent when you're hungry but don't want a heavy meal.

(Feeds 2 people)

300g short pasta (such as fusilli, penne, rigatoni)

1/2 a small courgette - julienne

3/4 cup muchrooms - sliced

1/2 a small carrot - julienne

1/2 red, orange or yellow bell pepper - julienne

1 cups broccoli florets

3 spring onions - sliced diagonally

1 clove garlic - crushed

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp each of fresh basil and parsley - chopped (or 1/2 tbsp each of dried)

1/2 tbsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
- Cook pasta al dente in salted water
- In the mean time heat half the olive oil in a pan, add broccoli and carrots. Heat through for about 1 minute then add all remaining ingredients. Cook on medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.
- Toss the pasta in the pan with all the vegetables and the remaining olive oil

This tastes delicious as is but you can also 'luxury' it up a bit and serve with some parmesan shavings and an added sprinkle of chopped fresh basil


This will be my entry for this week's Presto Pasta Nights, hosted by the founder herself, Ruth Daniel's from Once Upon a Feast!

Tuna and Vegetable Fusilli

Sometimes less is more, especially when it comes to food. This dish would definitely fall under this category!

Marek had a visit with the dentist today, leaving him with a bit of man blues. He came home very hungry as he wasn't able to eat anything most of the day.

Anything with tuna makes Marek happy and considering this along with him not being able to eat anything too tough on his teeth, a simple and soft pasta dish without a 'swooshing in the mouth' sauce is an an ideal meal.

Look at the colours!! Who wouldn't want to dig in??

300g fusilli (or pasta shape of your choice)

1 1/2 yellow pepper (chopped in large chunks)

1 leek (sliced so-so thick)

1 1/2 large beef tomatoes (chopped in large chunks)

1 can of tuna

2 tbsp chilli oil

3 tbsp virgin olive oil

1/2 tbps paprika

1 tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp celery salt

2 tsp black pepper

(additional salt and pepper to taste if desired)

Ok, so it may look like there are quite a few ingredients but it's really minimal effort using several 'commonly in the cupboard' ingredients, trust me! :)

Instructions

- While cooking the pasta as per package instructions cook the leeks and yellow pepper with chilli for about 2 minutes then add the tuna, tomatoes, celery salt, black pepper, paprika and parsley. Cook for another couple minutes.

- Toss in the pasta and olive oil, and add extra seasoning if desired.

This is my entry for this week's Presto Pasta Night!

Moroccan Beef Curry

Again I have left it too long since my last post, but be assured that does not mean I have stopped cooking.....NEVER!!

However, today I will not be sharing any recently cooked dishes, but instead a dish I have been making for a couple years and just never got around to posting it.
This is one of my guy's favourites. I didn't go searching for recipe ideas to get inspiration for this dish. It is from my own inspired creativity. I didn't feel like going to the shop so I had a rummage through our cupboards, and feeling I have some idea what Moroccan food consists of I figured these ingredients would work well....and success! :)
Although if anyone recognizes this to be similar to a dish which actually already exists please feel free to let me know the name! :)

500g lean ground beef

olive oil

1 can chick peas

1 large onion (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

2 stalks of celery (thinly sliced)

1/2 cup raisins

3/4 cup yoghurt (preferably greek style, but for less fat you can use plain)

2-3 heaped tbsp of curry paste (mild, medium or hot is your choice)

2 tsp celery salt

Instructions:

- In a pan cook the onion, celery and garlic with olive oil on low-medium temperature until all has softened (about 7 minutes). Add beef and cook on medium heat until browned.

- Stir in celery salt and curry paste, cooking for another couple minutes. Now stir in the yoghurt and raisins and cook on a low heat for about 8 minutes.

This can be served with rice, cous cous or flat bread and dips.

Cucumber and yoghurt dip is a nice accompaniment, especially if you've made the curry quite spicy.

This time I've served with cous cous, a little flat bread with cucumber dip and houmus, as well as some roasted vegetable.

QUESTION: Does anyone know the authentic correct spelling of the word 'houmus' ??

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Even though I'm living in London I really try not to miss celebrating Thanksgiving.
I usually have a couple friends over for a roast dinner but this year I was felt like creating a 'big family feel' , so I invited over extra company. There was 6.8 of us (.8 due to the 2 young children).
I'm not used to feeding more than about 4 people. Combine this with the tiny English oven cooking a Thanksgiving dinner with a couple hors d'oeuvres, and I had a big a challenge I couldn't wait to face!
The timing, as most of you probably know, was terrifying. But somehow, I managed. I managed all but taking photos!!
I know it's not so nice to read a blog post about food without the pictures but just use your imagination ;) It was such a lovely dinner I really would like to share it with you all.
I promise to post photos the next time I roast a chicken or make any of the dishes I mention below. And the fall/winter is opening up this hopefully won't be too long from now :)))

I made just the right amount of food for about 8 people

For HORS D'OEUVRES:

SPINACH DIP (a classic Canadian dip served at many parties)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1 can water chestnuts (finely chopped)
1 packet of knorr vegetable soup mix
1 pack of frozen chopped spinach (or 275g chopped fresh baby spinach)

Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least an hour.

Normally this dip would be served up in a hollowed out sourdough loaf, using sourdough pieces for dipping, but I thought that would be too heavy to serve before a roast dinner, so I made some PITA CHIPS

8 pita breads (each cut into 8 pieces)
3 tbps olive
Crystal sea salt (I use Malden) to taste

Toss pita bread pieces with olive oil and salt to coat evenly.

Place spread out as much as possible on a baking tray and bake at 350 F (gas mark 4) for 10-15 minutes. Allow chips to cool, they will go crispy as they cool.

The other hors d'oevres were some tasty BRIE AND CRANBERRY PASTRY PUFFS

1 sheet of puff pastry
150 g brie cheese
3 tbsp cranberry sauce
1 egg (whisked)

On a floured surface cut pastry sheet into 15 x 2.5 inch squares.
Cut brie, divided into 15 even pieces.
Place brie piece on each pastry square and a dollop (about 3/4 tsp) on each piece of brie.
Brush egg wash along the edges of each pastry square the bring 4 corners of each square to create a pyramid. Press edges together (the egg if to help bind the edges).
Place all on a non-stick baking sheet. Brush each with egg wash (this will help create a crisp shine).
Bake in the oven at 375 F (gas mark 5) for 10-15 Min, or until pastries are golden.
Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving (you want your guests to be able to use those taste buds for dinner later!)

The ROAST DINNER
Included - ROASTED LEMON AND GARLIC CHICKEN; SAGE AND ONION STUFFING; ROASTED POTATOES; STEAMED BRUSSEL SPROUTS; ROASTED BUTTERNUT AND RED PEPPER; GRAVY

(I prepared (pealing and chopping etc) all vegetables, garlic etc in the morning)

ROAST CHICKEN
2 free range chickens
2 lemons
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
1/2 cup garlic and sage butter (you can add as much garlic and sage as you like. It's all personal. But I used 2 small cloves - crushed, and about 1 tsp dried sage)

- Take the chicken out of the fridge about 30min before cooking.
- Set oven to 425 F (gas mark 7)
- Wash the birds inside and out, then pat dry and place on a roasting pan.
- Gently lift the skin around the breasts and stuff with garlic butter. Also use some garlic butter and spread all over top of the birds skin.
- Pierce each lemon several times with a fork then place a lemon in each bird along with some thyme sprigs. Now truss the chickens.
- Place chickens in the oven covered with foil.
[Usually an average size chicken (1.5 kl / 3 lb) would take about 1 hour to roast however as we have 2 birds I added an extra 15min or so. Plus as there was a whole lemon in each bird (which can take up allot of room in the cavity) it is a good idea to add another 3o min or so to the cooking time. So these 2 chickens cooked for almost 2 hours]

- After 45min remove the foil. Reduce oven to 375 F (gas mark 5).
- Baste the bird halfway through cooking.
- About 30min after the foil has been removed is a good time to check the progress of the chicken. A fully cooked bird's juices run clear when pierced in the thigh, and when the legs seem they will very easily come off when wiggled a bit.
- Continue cooking if necessary using your judgement/instinct of when to check the progress again (make sure not to open and close the oven too much or the heat in the oven will not stay level.
It shouldn't take more than 1.5 hrs for 1 bird or 2 hrs for 2 birds, but every one's oven are different.
- Once chicken(s) cooked remove from oven and let cool for about 30min before serving.

- Transfer onto your nicest serving platter and create a show of carving the bird for your guests, asking each person what part they would like :)
I didn't do that this time unfortunately. I think I let the kitchen stress get to me too much and it slipped my mind. whoops! My man carved up some of the bird and placed pieces on the serving platter.

GRAVY
Juices from the roasted chicken (leave in the roasting pan)
1.5 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
bisto (use as much to your preference of gravy thickness. I think I used about 2 tbsp)

- Place the bird's roasting pan with the juices on low-medium heat of 2 stove burners.
Do not allow the gravy to bubble throughout.
- Sprinkle some bisto in the juices, whisk around until a paste is forming.
- Pour in some stock and the wine and whisk together. Then whisk in bit more bisto and then the remaining stock. Lower the heat.
- Continue stirring the gravy while it thickens. Add more bisto as necessary for your preferred thickness.

STUFFING
8 slices brown bread (or white, whatever you prefer)
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 celery stalks, sliced
1.5 large onion, shopped
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 tsp dried sage
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp coarse black pepper

- Set oven to 375 F (gas mark 5)
- Cut bread into little cubes and toss in a large bowl coating with 2 tbsp of olive oil and sprinkled with the salt.
- Toast bread pieces in the oven on a baking tray for about 10 minutes. Take out and let cool.
- In the mean time fry onion, celery and mushrooms in a pan with the remaining olive oil and butter and sage. Cook until onions are translucent and celery has just gone soft.
- Mix bread, onion mix, pepper and stock in a bowl. Stir until all of the stuffing has an evenly moist consistency.
- Bake in the oven for about 30min, or until the top is crisp.

ROAST POTATOES
6 large potatoes
6 tbsp olive oil
plenty of sea salt

- Set oven to 400 F (gas mark 6).
Peal and cut potatoes into large chunks. Rinse potatoes in cold water to remove excess starch.
Boil the potatoes for about 10min, then toss around in a strainer to fluff them up (this will help them become crisp on the outside but soft on the inside.
In a roasting pan heat the oil in the oven. Then toss the potatoes gently in the hot oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast (turning once or twice) for about 1 hour.

ROAST BUTTERNUT AND RED PEPPER
These 2 flavours make a brilliant combination!

1 very large butternut squash
3 red peppers
3 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt to taste

Set oven to 400 F (gas mark 6)
Peel butternut and remove guts and seeds (Tip: to make peeling easier place butternut in the microwave for a few minutes). Cut butternut into large chunks.
Remove insides (seeds etc) of the red peppers and cut pepper into chunks.
In a roasting pan heat the oil in the oven. Then toss the butternut and red pepper gently in the hot oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Roast (turning once or twice) for about 45 min.

BRUSSEL SPROUTS

I prefer to steam my vegetables rather than boil.

Steaming them takes about 10min

I didn't add anything extra to them like salt as they will be covered with gravy anyways. Yum!

So now, as you can see from all the food above, and most of it being cooked in the oven, it was a HUGE challenge to sort out the timings and still try to have everything that was served as fresh as possible.

I did cook my chickens a couple hours early and kept warm under foil. Then warmed it up a bit towards the end before laying out the buffet :)

Don't think we would leave out the DESSERT!! That would be sacrilige! My friends brought with them a homemade PUMPKIN PIE. They also kindly made a sausage plait from scratch (obviously this was not for dessert) which was delicious and very impressive! We had quite a feast!! Yummmy!!

Since they have an allotment (which I'm hoping they start a blog for soon. Will keep you posted)they took the liberty to make a completely from scratch pumpkin pie. Kudos! I've only ever made it from canned pumpkin.

We served the pumpkin pie with fresh whipped cream.

It's a sin to have Thanksgiving dessert to be anything but pumpkin pie!! mmmm, I have some left in the fridge and now I'm having a super duper craving....gotta run!

I really am kicking myself for not taking photos!! We were all so distracted by all the good food and wine I guess :)

Hope this post will be helpful for you next time you make your roast dinner.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!