Steak and Guinness Pie

This pie is pretty substantial and is a British classic. The recipe was taken from Jamie Oliver's cookbook, Happy Days with the Naked Chef. I made only a few modifications to this  easy classic. For the Jamie Oliver recipe click *here*  and search Steak and Guinness Pie or Steak, Guinness & Cheese Pie with a puff pastry lid. Although the latter recipe comes up on his website it may be more of an updated one so I will include the recipe from Happy Days with the Naked Chef. Which is a great cookbook by the way.  

Jamie Oliver's Good Old Steak and Guinness Pie

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680g/1and 1/2 lb stewing beef, diced

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 heaped tablespoons flour

olive oil

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

4 sticks of celery, washed and roughly chopped

2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped 

1 handful of mixed herbs (rosemary, thyme and bay), leaves picked

565ml/1 pint of Guinness 

2x 400g/14oz tins of tomatoes

1x500g/1lb 2oz pack of puff pastry 

1 beaten egg

Season your beef generously with salt and pepper, sprinkle with flour and toss around until coated. Heat 2 to 3 lugs of olive oil in a large casserole-type pan and fry your meat, in two batches if need be, until golden brown. Add the onion and fry for 1 more minute, then add the carrot, celery, parsnips and herbs. Fry for a further 4 minutes then pour in your Guinness. Add the tinned tomatoes and bring to the boil. Stir around, then simmer for around 2 hours or until the meat is really tender. The sauce should be nice and thick with an intensely tasty flavour. Season. At this point you could serve it as a stew with mash, or it will keep really well for a good 5 days in the fridge (while improving in flavour at the same time).

To make the pies, preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. Put your meat filling into an appropriately-sized baking dish or dishes. I like to make small individuals pies - any high-sided round oven proof bowls are fine. Roll out your pastry, dusting with flour as you go, until 0.5cm/1/4 inch thick. Cut out 6 circles about 1cm/1/2 inch bigger than the tops of your bowls. Brush the rims of your bowls with beaten egg, then place the pastry circles on top, squashing the excess pastry down the outside of the bowls to secure. Lightly score the top of the pastry in a criss-cross fashion and brush with more of the beaten egg. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for 45 minutes until golden and bubbling. 

Notes: I had ran out of olive oil so good thing I bought that Camelina oil, I used that instead. Dried herbs work in a pinch. I used tins of diced tomatoes. I omitted the celery and added chopped baby potatoes instead. Added a dash here and there of cumin. Buying meat from the butcher's, Acme Meat here in E-town, made a difference in just over 1 hour the beef I used was tender. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JD 

Camelina Oil & Roasted Chickpeas

The other day while at the butcher's I bought a bottle of Three Farmers - Camelina Oil. I was intrigued because I have never heard of Camelina oil or Three Farmers. It is a Canadian Company. The oil is high in Vitamin E and Omega-3. It has a smoke point of 475º and is Non-GMO. The flavour has subtle hints of asparagus with a bit of nuttiness. Which makes this perfect for salads and cooking. Each bottle has a traceable code on the back so that you may Trace Your Food on their website. I traced mine and found when the bottle I bought was seeded and harvested, growing conditions throughout the year, growing conditions upon harvesting and the farmer! This is a very interesting way to further connect the consumer with the product. Which reiterates the theme: Farm to Fork even more so. 

I made a salad dressing using the Camelina oil and it was absolutely tasty. One of my best salad dressings I have made so far. 

  

Who can resist anything maple, not  me. I bought their roasted chickpeas... in maple frosted. These are a great snack and wonderful to add to a salad. They are high in fibre, protein and magnesium. With a source of iron and Omega-3. They are also nut-free and gluten-free. They too come with a traceable code that provides more information on how the chickpeas are grown. 

For more information on Three Farmers and their products click *here*

- JD 

Zesty Barbeque Sauce

Barbeque sauce is easy however some like it sweet, some like it smoky while others like loads of garlic. This sauce borders on something with a bit more zing. The ingredients are simple and you probably already have them in your pantry. 

Zesty Barbeque Sauce

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1/2 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped onion    

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

1 clove garlic, crushed

Place all the ingredients into a medium sized saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to a boil; stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Notes: The recipe can easily doubled if need be. Try adding different ingredients like, lime zest, crushed chilies for something spicy, more garlic, or finely diced shallots.  

These chicken drumsticks were a big hit and it all had to do with the sauce. I brushed the zesty barbeque sauce over the drumsticks and baked them in the oven. This sauce would be great over burgers, pork ribs, ham, beef, and even tofu. 

The warm temperatures are hanging around... not for long I presume. Still, with weather like this it is easy to get into a barbeque mood. Hope everyone had a good weekend. - JD   

Leftovers #16 ~ Crusty Chili Con Carne

A good hearty Chili is great on it's own or with a slice of cornbread however when there is leftover Chili one does try to add something a bit different. This crusty chili con carne is a fantastic way to use up leftovers. A nice added twist to a comfort food favourite.

First, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Then place the leftover chili in an oven-proof baking dish. Once the oven is ready place chili in the oven and bake for a few minutes just to take the chill off and heat through. When nicely heated remove from oven. 

Take one package of ready made puff pastry dough. You may make your own or use ready made like I did to save time. Roll out the dough, as directed on the package and place over the top of the chili. If the puff pastry comes in 2 squares you may have to use both. This will depend on the size of the baking dish. When you have rolled out all the puff pastry and placed it over top of the chili, making sure to seal in the chili underneath, then cut short slits in the top with a sharp knife. Brush the top with an egg wash and bake according to the puff pastry directions. (The directions on the box I bought said to bake in a pre-heated 400ºF oven for about 15 minutes or until pastry has puffed up and is golden brown.) Once puffed up and browned remove from oven. Let stand a few minutes and serve. 

  

Hope everyone is having a good week. I have been extremely busy this week.  - JD 

Oatmeal Chocolate Date Cranberry Squares

It is the weekend and I decided to make these sweet but rather filling dessert squares. The texture is dense and the sweetness is rich dark chocolate. This recipes has loads of ingredients however nothing to which you may not already have on hand in your pantry. Some ingredients may be easily substituted for others. Also these can be made into cookies if you prefer.  

Oatmeal Chocolate Date Cranberry Squares

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2/3 cup granulated (castor) sugar

2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/2 cup apple sauce

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup 50% cocoa dark chocolate chips or dark semi sweet chocolate chips 

1 cup dried dates, chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

3 cups quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats

1 cup all purpose flour

Notes: You may also add 1 cup of nuts if you prefer. If using self-rising flour omit the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

Heat the oven to 375ºF.

Blend all the ingredients except the oats, flour, chocolate chips, dates, and cranberries in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed. Or you may just blend with a wooden spoon. Once blended stir in the chocolate chips, dates, and cranberries with a wooden spoon. Then stir and blend in the oats and flour. 

Either press dough into an ungreased square baking pan lined with parchment paper on the bottom and bake for about 25 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool on a wire rack then cut into squares OR drop by tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie baking tray. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove immediately from baking tray and let the cookies cool on wire racks.  

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. - JD 

The Astrological Cookbook

Here we are half way through the first month of 2015 and people are making healthy choices and decisions that will last throughout the whole year. Which implies that the food we eat may give us balance towards our inner well being, our minds and sometimes our spirit. Therefore making the old adage "You are what you eat", verifiably true.  

The Astrological Cookbook offers a culinary guide to celestial harmony for every sign of the zodiac. Many special recipes and specific spices associated with each sign reiterate the harmonious balance between food and body. According to the author many of those recipes have been passed down through the years and some created using age-old astrological principles. We know food nourishes our physical bodies however this cookbook suggests that our desire or need to be in harmony with the universe and with those around us, including ourselves, are through our culinary choices. 

To pick one recipe from this cookbook is hard considering that they are put together for each individual sign. That being said there are some universal recipes like Ham Casserole, Pork Tenderloin, Stuffed Red Peppers, Cauliflower au Gratin, Lima Bean Soup, Meat Loaf, Lamb Pot Roast, Stuffed Eggplants, Potato Soup and Risotto ai Funghi. That could please any astrological sign, consequently at the cookbooks defeat.  

I wanted to share the Summer Squash Casserole recipe and even though we are in our winter months here in E-town I am sure you can swap the summer squash for winter squash instead. Regardless the idea of summer squash gives us something to look forward to. 

Summer Squash Casserole

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2 summer squash

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

4 tablespoons cream

2 tablespoon minced ham

dry roaster sunflower seeds or cashews

Peel the summer squash. Cut into small pieces and cook for 20 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain, mash and add the butter, cream and minced ham. Remove to utility dish. Sprinkle top with the dry roasted sunflower seeds or cashews. Bake at 350ºF until the top is brown. Serves 4. 

Since we are still in Capricorn I will include the recipe for Beet Soup.

Beet Soup
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1 can beets
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken bouillon
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
celery salt
whipped cream
finely minced parsley

Mince beets fine, reserving juice. Add water to the juice. Simmer the beets and liquid 10 minutes. Strain. Add the chicken bouillon, milk and salt. Dust with celery salt. Add whipped cream to the top of each serving. Sprinkle with minced parsley. Serves 4.

Enjoy! - JD 

Stewed! Nourish Your Soul

January is here and that means that the winter months are in full swing. Christmas is over and we all have had our fill of leftovers. Temperatures are dropping and the need for something comforting and hearty is more relevant. Stewed! Nourish Your Soul is a great cookbook to start the year off with. One pot dishes from around the world this cookbook simmers the globe. With stews, paellas, jambalayas, tagines, bouillabaisse and curries. However one pot dishes or cooking rather is not strictly for those living in cold winter climates. Hot climates often offer local cuisine like curries, paella and tagine. 

The chapters are broken down into the America's, the British Isles, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa. The recipes regardless of continent are global and detailed. This cookbook is only 154 pages however it offers 80 culinary delights like The Boston Baked Beans, Persian Chicken Stew with sour cherries and walnuts, Sweet Potato Dahl, Aromatic Thai Chicken Stew, Hungarian Goulash, Lancashire Hotpot, Brazilian Black Bean Stew, Chickpea and Sweet Potato Tagine, Harira, Tonjiru, Swiss Cheese Fondue... I could go on with all the fantastic world recipe charm. The photographs are matte and very inviting. These are fairly straight forward recipes that are simple and economical. Which makes this a wonderful addition to my cookbook collection.   

I would like to share a favourite dish of mine from the cookbook, Succotash. I remember in grade school learning about Canadian and American Natives. Part of our class project was to build a scaled model longhouse and make Succotash and cornbread to eat. 

Succotash

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Serves 4 

50g butter

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 red pepper, quartered, deseeded and cut into 5mm slices

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

300g peeled butternut squash, diced into 1 1/2cm pieces (try to find top-quality, extra-sweet squash)

200ml vegetable stock

kernel from 3 corn cobs

200g fresh young broad beans (if you can't find fresh, then frozen peas work quite ell, albeit rather smaller), cooked

3 spring onions, finely sliced

3-4 tablespoons soured cream

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a wide pan that has a lid. Add the onion and red pepper and cook gently for 10 minutes until the onion has softened. Then add the garlic and butternut squash. Cook for a couple of minutes.

Add the stock and cover the pan with a lid. Cook gently for about 3 minutes. Now add the corn kernels and cover again, continuing to cook for about 5 minutes until the corn is tender and the squash has cooked through. Stir through the broad beans (or peas) and two-thirds of the spring onions to warm through. Finish by stirring in the soured cream, adding salt and black pepper to taste and sprinkling with the remaining spring onions.

Perfect with crusty bread. 

Notes: I am sure you can use frozen beans, corn, and peas if need be. 

Stay warm! and enjoy your weekend.  - JD 

Fortnum's Spiced Tea

We always order the Fortnum's Christmas tea and this year it was exceptionally good! Black tea enchanted with star anise, whole cloves, safflower petals and mulled wine flavourings. The smell is absolutely intoxicating and the taste is ever so festive. I repetitively open the canister just to enjoy the wonderful heady smell that wafts out from it.   

If there was ever a need for a photograph to have smell-o-vision this would be it. The radiant orange safflower petals gently resting... the sturdy cloves nestled about and the  aromatic star anise hang loosely all amongst the black tea. Warming and refreshing with every cup this tea will help us through the winter months. 

Hope everyone is having a good start to the New Year. - JD 

Cheesy Leeks

Adding cheese to any dish makes it an instant hit. And this simple cheesy leek dish is tasty. Making it an excellent addtion to any comfort food list. 

Cheesy Leeks
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4 leeks
25g (1 oz) butter
25g (1 oz) plain all purpose flour
300ml (1/2 pint) milk
125g (5 oz) grated old/mature Cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon grainy mustard
salt and pepper to taste 

First, you want to pre-heat the oven's grill to high. Cut the leeks in half and cooking in boiling water for about 3-4 minutes. 

Drain the leeks and put in a oven-proof baking dish. 

In a small/medium saucepan melt the butter over lotto medium heat then add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk, stirring until it has thickened.

Stir in 100g (4 oz) of the grated Cheddar cheese and one tablespoon of mustard. Season with salt and pepper if you like. Then pour over the leeks and top with the remaining cheese. 

Place in the oven and grill under high for about 5 minutes. Until everything is bubbling nicely. 

Notes: You can try adding swiss or blue cheese. The cheese sauce is a great basic sauce that can serve many cheesy purposes, like macaroni and cheese, cheesy broccoli and cauliflower.

The cheesy leeks were the side dish for our New Years Day dinner of sweet glazed ham with oven roasted potatoes, carrots, and celery. 

Hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve. We did and celebrated rightfully so...

Happy New Year everyone! - JD