Pork with Pears, Red Onion and Blue Cheese

 Pork and Pears..... sounds great let alone tastes great together. This is a good variation on your average pork and apple combo ( though I have to admit I did sneak an apple in there too).

I used pork minute steaks for this recipe as they are nice and thin and quick to cook.

This is the perfect Sunday Lunch recipe, and the best part about it is its extremely quick to make!

Theres no putting the joint in to roast for a couple hours, it literally takes 20minutes or less from prep to table.

Recipe:

serves 4

• 4 Pork Minute Steaks
• 2 Pears
• 1 Apple (optional)
• 2 Red Onions
• 50g Blue Cheese

1. Heat a roasting tin with a tablespoon of oil on the hob (use 2 rings),

2. Add the onions, pears and seasoning (salt pepper and rosemary). Fry for 5 mins or until just starting to caramelise.

3. Heat the grill and season the Pork. Add it to the roasting dish and fry for 2-3minutes either side.

4. Add the cheese on top and transfer to the grill, until its melted. 

Its best served with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper new potatoes.  

Just boil the quartered new potatoes until soft and transfer to the frying pan to brown with the seasoning and oil.

Apple and Custard Mini Cakes

These mini marvels with a surprise centre are delicious and different; not your average fairy cake with some icing and sprinkles. 


Bake them with kids or as I did, for someones work treats and they'll be employee of the week! 


If you haven't got any apples or canned apple. Why not try custard and jam, marmalade or lemon curd?




Ingredients:

• 100g caster sugar
• 100g very soft butter
• 100g self-raising flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 60mls think prepared Custard
• 125mls canned apple ( or cooked and sweetened apple)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1. Pre heat the oven to 180C

2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

3. Stir in the eggs one at a time and add the vanilla.

4. Fold in the flour and cinnamon. 

5. Put one teaspoon of the mixture in fairy tin cakes or different mini cake mould (I used stars) 

6. Add half a teaspoon of the custard, then half a teaspoon of the apple to the centre of the cake mixture.

7. Cover the filling with cake mixture, make sure to only fill the cases half full. 

8. Put in the oven and bake for 10-15mintues.  Glaze with the apple or jam.

N.B. for an extra treat try a cream cheese icing on top.

Lachha Paratha (layered flatbread)

This bread, I only came across on holiday in the Maldives. It was made fresh by one of the chefs.... a character who could greet every person in their native language, now thats an achievement, along with his cooking skills of course. 

I'm very grateful to have been introduced to this dish as its so easy and versatile, you can cook up a great curry to serve it with, have it with yoghurt and vegetables or even eat it as a sweet treat.  

Unfortunately, as I was so desperate to attempt this new found marvel.... I didn't use the right flour. Instead, I used wholemeal bread flour in place of wholewheat. So mine were a bit heavier then they should have been, but the same concept is there.  

Ingredients:                                       (makes 4 parathas about 5-6 inch diameter each)

• 250 g whole wheat flour or Atta (fine milled whole wheat flour available in Indian stores) 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 3 tbsp ghee or melted butter (may use oil as a substitute)
• 125ml luke warm water or milk,  just enough to make a smooth soft non sticky dough
• oil/ghee/butter to brush on the paratha while rolling and frying

Method:

1) Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl. Rub the melted butter(ghee or oil) until the flour forms crumbs

2) Add warm water gradually, a little at a time. Knead until smooth. Cover well and leave aside for about 30 minutes to an hour.

3) Knead  it again for a couple of minutes; divide the dough into 4 portions. Shape into a ball, then flatten them. Roll out each flattened ball into a circle (8 inch diameter)/ as thin as you can get them. 

4) Brush some melted butter/ghee on the top of the dough and dust some flour on top. 

5) Forming the dough:

- Start from one end; hold the left and right side of the end with fingers and then start pleating, like doing a paper fan. 

- Do small folds, (6-8) the more you do the more layers you will have.  

- Once you have reached the other end,  it will look like a  rope. Press both the ends with your finger tips.

- Pick up the rope up and  twist it, (move each hand in an opposite direction, to look like a twisted bread stick).

- Rolling it up into a spiral shape. Take the end tip and press it down on the top or the sides, so it does not open while rolling. Flatten it with your palm. 

- Then roll it carefully without pressing too hard into (5″-6″diameter) circles.

- Heat a frying pan or griddle and cook (on medium heat) on both sides. When you see tiny brown spots appear, brush on about half to one teaspoon of ghee/butter/oil and flip it over.  

- Then add 1/2 tsp of ghee/oil on the top, flip it over and cook this side in the same way as you did the other side.

Once cooked take them out and crush the edges together to make the layers more visible and soften up the bread.

They are best served hot from the pan.

Knead

Roll out - butter and flour

Pleat 

Twist and roll up 

Rolled up ball

Ball rolled out - ready to cook

 Why not try it served hot with sugar and yoghurt ....... and add your own English touch with a cup of tea!

Egg Fried Rice

Wondering what to cook for dinner?


Need something fast but tasty?


Why not try egg fried rice.... no not the takeaway variety, the home-made quick, simple and healthy kind. 


Its using all your best store cupboard and basic ingredients so no need to venture out to the shops.


You can put whatever veg you like in it. 
I chose mushrooms, mangetout, peas and sweetcorn.




Ingredients: 

                             Serves 4

240g- White rice (i.e. basmati)

1- Onion

2- Garlic cloves

2- Small chillies

5- Mushrooms

10- Mangetout

1 cup- Frozen peas 

1 cup- Frozen sweetcorn

5- Eggs 

Smokey Fish Pie

Everyone loves a good comforting fish pie.... and I don't know about you, but I personally can't stand any pre-made white sauce meal of any kind. They just seem very artificial and you can never tell whats in them. I can assure you its not your simple home-made butter flour and milk sauce though. 
When its so easy to make your own.... why go out and buy one??
Give this recipe a go and see how simple it is. Any comments or even pictures would be very welcome.


There are lots of varieties you can do and many types of fish you can use. From salmon, cod and haddock to shellfish like prawns, muscles,clams and many more. Just about any type will work well.
I choose a smoked haddock of the frozen variety - yes thats right, frozen or fresh whichever you happen to have. 


Tip - the smoked paprika gave it a nice intense flavour, but use sparingly. 


Try the recipe below- and for a vegetarian option with the same sauce omit the fish and add hard boiled eggs look at Veggie Fish-less Pie. 

Spicy Red Lentil Soup with Herby Cheese Scones

Easy peasy soup squeezy ....

As I am finding out lately, soup could not be easier to make. All you do is sweat down some vegetables and add your stock... then voila, a lovely home-made lunch or dinner. 

Red lentils and carrots go brilliantly together and I added a nice kick with some dried chillies (fresh would be just as good if not better) and cumin seeds. 

These home-baked, herby cheese scones are a great accompaniment and a nice change from your normal soup and bread marriage. 

Tip: adding mustard to the milk or mustard powder to the flour adds a little extra to these soft tasty scones. 

Look in the recipe section for Spicy, Red Lentil and Carrot Soup and Herby Cheese Scones.