The Lion, The Witch and The Waxwork Maker

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to two world renowned people, who’s birthdays are remembered this coming week C.S. Lewis and Madame Tussaud.This week’s recipes are Irish stew, Dijon Chickenand Apricot French toast.

C.S. Lewis Clive Staples Lewis (29 November 1898 – 22 November 1963), commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as “Jack”, was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland. He is known for his fictional work, especially The Screwtape Letters, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Space Trilogy.

Lewis was a close friend of J. R. R. Tolkien, and both authors were leading figures in the English faculty at Oxford University and in the informal Oxford literary group known as the “Inklings”. According to his memoir Surprised by Joy, Lewis had been baptised in the Church of Ireland (part of the Anglican Communion) at birth, but fell away from his faith during his adolescence. Owing to the influence of Tolkien and other friends, at the age of 32 Lewis returned to the Anglican Communion, becoming “a very ordinary layman of the Church of England”. His faith had a profound effect on his work, and his wartime radio broadcasts on the subject of Christianity brought him wide acclaim.

In 1956 he married the American writer Joy Gresham, 17 years his junior, who died four years later of cancer at the age of 45. Lewis died three years after his wife, as the result of renal failure. His death came one week before his 65th birthday. Media coverage of his death was minimal, as he died on 22 November 1963 – the same day that U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and the same day another famous author, Aldous Huxley, died. Lewis’s works have been translated into more than 30 languages and have sold millions of copies. The books that make up The Chronicles of Narnia have sold the most and have been popularised on stage, TV, radio and cinema.

Madame Tussaud was a French modeller, who made wax death masks of prominent victims of the French Revolution and toured Britain with her wax models; in 1835 she opened a permanent waxworks exhibition in London.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

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My first recipe is Irish stew. Recipe by Barney Desmazery, courtesy of www.bbcgoodfood.com, first published in Good Food magazine, March 2009.

Serves 6 Prep 30 mins Cook 2 hrs

1 tbsp x Sunflower oil
200g x Smoked Streaky Bacon, preferably in one piece, skinned and cut into chunks
900g x Stewing Lamb, cut into large chunks
5 x Medium Onions, sliced
5 x Carrots, sliced into chunks
3 x Bay Leaves
A Small Bunch of Thyme
100g x Pearl Barley
850ml x Lamb Stock
6 x Medium Potatoes, cut into chunks
A Small Knob of Butter
3 x Spring Onions, finely sliced

Heat oven to 160C gas mark 3. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole. Sizzle the bacon for 4 mins until crisp. Turn up the heat, then cook the lamb for 6 mins until brown. Remove the meats with a slotted spoon. Add the onions, carrots and herbs to the pan, then cook for about 5 mins until softened. Return the meat to the pan, stir in the pearl barley, pour over the stock, then bring to a simmer.

Sit the chunks of potato on top of the stew, cover, then braise in the oven, undisturbed, for about 1½ hrs until the potatoes are soft and the meat is tender. The stew can now be chilled and kept in the fridge for 2 days, then reheated in a low oven or on top of the stove. Remove from the oven, dot the potatoes with butter, scatter with the spring onions and serve scooped straight from the dish.

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My next recipe is Dijon Chicken. Courtesy of www.seriouseats.com

Serves 4 Prep 10mins approx. Cook time 1.1/2hrs

3tbsp x Light Olive Oil, plus 1 tbsp
10 x Chicken Drumsticks
2 x Garlic Cloves, chopped
4 x Shallots, diced
175ml x White Wine
350ml x Organic Chicken Stock
6 x Stems of Thyme, plus extra for garnish
160g x Dijon mustard
120ml x Cream

In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan, heat 3 tablespoons light olive oil on medium-high heat. Season the chicken drumsticks with salt and pepper, and pat dry with paper towel. Sear in the hot oil until golden-brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. Pour out the hot chicken oil, and lower the heat to low. Add 1 tablespoon fresh light olive oil to the pan. Add in the shallot, and then the garlic 1 minute later, and sauté until just translucent and fragrant—two minutes total from the time the shallots went into the pan.

Pour in the white wine, and raise the heat to medium-high. Reduce the wine—it will bubble the chicken bits up from the bottom of the pan, and reduce by about half. Then add the chicken stock and 6 stems of thyme. Then, nestle the chicken back into the pan in a single layer. Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, and cover the pot, simmering for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, remove the cover from the pot, and allow the chicken to simmer a further 5 to 10 minutes uncovered. Take the pan off the heat. Again, remove the chicken from the pan. Whisk in the cream and the mustard until the sauce is homogeneous. Then strain. Toss the chicken with the Dijon sauce, top with fresh thyme, and serve right away with crusty bread and a salad.

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My final recipe is Apricot French toast. Courtesy of www.bbcgoodfood.com, first published in Good Food magazine, May 2010.

Serves 4 Prep 10 mins Cook 15 mins

50g x Butter
6 x Apricots, halved and stoned
200g x Caramel Sauce (we used Bonne Maman confiture de caramel), but any good Caramel Sauce will do
350g x Ready-Made Vanilla Custard
8 x Small, Thick Slices of Brioche or White Bread, or 4 large slices, cut diagonally

Melt 1 tbsp butter in a medium-size frying pan. Put in the apricots, cut-side down, and gently fry for 2-3 mins. Flip over and cook for 1 min more until lightly golden. Add the caramel to the pan and melt until saucy – if it’s still too thick to coat the fruit, add a splash of water. Keep warm.

Mix the custard with 4 tbsp of water to loosen, then dip in the bread slices, turning to coat thoroughly. Melt half the remaining butter in a large non-stick frying pan. Lightly shake off any excess custard mixture from half the bread slices and fry in the butter for 2 mins each side until golden. Repeat with remaining butter and bread, then serve hot with the caramel apricots.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hope you enjoy!!….. ChefGarfy =D

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The Eternal Flame Still Burns Bright

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to Thanksgiving and in remembrance of one of America’s most memorable Presidents John F Kennedy.This week’s recipes are all for Thanksgiving, they are Vermont corn, Chilli and Bacon Bread, Roast turkey with Streusled Sweet Potatoes and Old-fashioned Deluxe Pumpkin Pie with Dried Cranberry Sauce.

Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving in Canada falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the United States. Because of the longstanding traditions of the holiday, the celebration often extends to the weekend that falls closest to the day it is celebrated.

John F Kennedy John Fitzgerald “Jack” Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.

After military service as commander of the Motor Torpedo Boats PT-109 and PT-59 during World War II in the South Pacific, Kennedy represented Massachusetts’s 11th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1947 to 1953 as a Democrat. Thereafter, he served in the U.S. Senate from 1953 until 1960. Kennedy defeated then Vice President and Republican candidate Richard Nixon in the 1960 U.S. Presidential election. He was the youngest elected to the office, at the age of 43, the second-youngest President (after Theodore Roosevelt), and the first president to have been born in the 20th century. Kennedy is the only Catholic president, and is the only president
to have won a Pulitzer Prize. Events during his presidency included the Bay of Pigs Invasion, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the building of the Berlin Wall, the Space Race, the African American Civil Rights Movement and early stages of the Vietnam War.

Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with the crime, but was shot and killed two days later by Jack Ruby before a trial could take place. The FBI, the Warren Commission, and the House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) concluded that Oswald was the lone assassin, with the HSCA allowing for the possibility of conspiracy based on disputed acoustic evidence. Today, Kennedy continues to rank highly in public opinion ratings of former U.S. Presidents.

The full version of this article can be found at www.garfysplaceinfo.blog.co.uk

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My first recipe is Vermont corn, chilli and bacon bread. Recipe by Anthony Worrell-Thompson, Courtesy ofwww.uktv.co.uk

Serves:4-6 Prep time: 15 min Cook time: 35min

350g x Rashers of Smoked Streaky Bacon, diced
1 tbsp x Corn Oil
2 x Spring Onions, finely chopped
115g x Fresh Kernels of Sweetcorn, or Frozen Corn Kernels, thawed
1/2 tsp x Dried Red Chilli Flakes
350g x Cornmeal, or Polenta
350g x Plain Flour
1 tbsp x Caster Sugar
1 tsp x Baking Powder
1/2 tsp x Bicarbonate of Soda
1/2 tsp x Salt
150ml x Milk
375ml x Buttermilk
2 x Eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp x Maple Syrup
1/2 tsp x Freshly Ground Black Pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6 and lightly butter a 23cm square cake tin. Add in the spring onion and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often. Mix in the corn kernels and chilli, stirring to combine. Remove from direct heat and allow to cool slightly. In a bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Add in the bacon mixture, the milk, buttermilk, eggs, maple syrup, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and brush the top with the remaining melted butter. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

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My next recipe is Roast turkey with Streusled Sweet Potatoes. Recipe by Ed Baines,courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk

Serves:2 Prep time: 20 min Cook time: 1 hr 30 min

1 x 400g Leg of Turkey
A Handful of Sage Leaves, chopped
50g x Butter, softened
2 x Garlic Cloves
4 tbsp x Olive Oil
Sprigs of Thyme

For the Strusled Sweet Potato
450g x Sweet Potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
225g x Caster Sugar
100ml x Milk
75g x Butter
2 x Eggs
1 tsp x Vanilla Extract

For the topping
115g x Desiccated Coconut
115g x Shelled Pecans, chopped
200g x Brown Sugar
40g x Plain Flour
75g x Melted Butter

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. To roast the leg of turkey, place the leg in a roasting tin and rub with the sage and butter. Add the thyme and garlic to the tin and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for 1½ hours, or until tender when pierced with a knife.

Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling, salted water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and mash.
Add the sugar, milk, butter, eggs and vanilla to the mashed sweet potatoes. Mix well and tip into a shallow baking tin.

For the topping; mix together the coconut, pecans, brown sugar, flour and melted butter. Sprinkle this mixture over the sweet potato mixture, and bake, alongside the turkey for about 30 minutes before serving.

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My final recipe is Old-fashioned Deluxe Pumpkin Pie with Dried Cranberry Sauce. Recipe by Ashbell McElveen, courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk

Serves:4-6 Prep time: 25 min Cook time: 40 min

340g x Cooked Pumpkin Flesh, pureed using a blender, processor, or ricer
340ml x Evaporated Milk
5 tbsp x Dark Brown Sugar
2 tbsp x White Sugar
1/2 tsp x Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp x Salt
1/2 tsp x Ground Nutmeg
175g x Maple Syrup
3 x Eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp x Melted Butter
1 x 20cm Ready-Made Pastry Tart Case

For the Dried Cranberry Sauce
125g x Dried Cranberries
115g x Caster Sugar
1 x Vanilla Pod
50ml x Brandy
170ml x Cranberry Juice

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/Gas 5. In a mixing bowl mix together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, brown sugar, white sugar, cloves, salt, nutmeg, maple syrup, eggs and melted butter making a smooth mixture. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the blind-baked flan case. Bake the pumpkin pie for 40 minutes until the crust is golden-brown and the filling has set. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the dried cranberry sauce. Soak the dried cranberries in the brandy and cranberry juice for 30 minutes. Transfer the cranberries and the macerating liquid to a saucepan. Add the caster sugar and vanilla pod. Bring to the boil over a high heat, reduce the heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes until reduced and thickened. Set aside then reheat as required. Serve the pumpkin slices with warm dried cranberry sauce on the side.

Mankind must put an end to war or war will put an end to mankind.– John F Kennedy

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hope you enjoy!!….. ChefGarfy =D

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In Remembrance

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is dedicated to those who those who have fallen in conflicts the world over so that we can enjoy life Remembrance Day and An Ode to Remembrance.This week’s recipes are all original recipes from the 1940’s and were firm wartime favourites, they are Scotch Sausage Carrot Fudge and 5 Dishes from 1 recipe.

Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day, Armistice Day or Veterans Day) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries to remember the members of their armed forces who have died on duty since World War I. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognised as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth countries. Remembrance Day is observed on 11 November to recall the official end of World War I on that date in 1918, as the major hostilities of World War I were formally ended “at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month” of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. (Note that “at the 11th hour” refers to the passing of the 11th hour, or 11:00 a.m.)

The day was specifically dedicated by King George V, on 7 November 1919, to the observance of members of the armed forces who were killed during World War I. This was possibly done upon the suggestion of Edward George Honey to Wellesley Tudor Pole, who established two ceremonial periods of remembrance based on events in 1917.

The red remembrance poppy has become a familiar emblem of Remembrance Day due to the poem In Flanders Fields. These poppies bloomed across some of the worst battlefields of Flanders in World War I, their brilliant red colour an appropriate symbol for the blood spilt in the war.

An Ode to Remembrance is an ode taken from Laurence Binyon’s poem “For the Fallen”, which was first published in The Times in September 1914. The poet wrote For the Fallen, which has seven stanzas, while sitting on the cliffs between Pentire Point and The Rumps in north Cornwall, UK. A stone plaque was erected at the spot in 2001 to commemorate the fact. The plaque bears the inscription “For the Fallen. Composed on these cliffs 1914.” The poem honoured the World War I British war dead of that time and in particular the British Expeditionary Force, which had by then already had high casualty rates on the developing Western Front. The poem was published when the Battle of the Marne was foremost in people’s minds.

The line Lest we forget is often added to the end of the ode, which is repeated in response by those listening, especially in Australia. In the United Kingdom and New Zealand, the final line of the ode, “We will remember them”, is repeated in response. In Canada, the last stanza of the above extract has become known as the Act of Remembrance, and the final line is also repeated.

The “Ode of Remembrance” is regularly recited at memorial services held on days commemorating World War I, such as ANZAC Day, Remembrance Day, and Remembrance Sunday. In Australia’s Returned and Services Leagues, it is read out nightly at 6 p.m., followed by a minute’s silence. In New Zealand it is part of the Dawn service at 6 a.m. Recitations of the “Ode of Remembrance” are often followed by a playing of the Last Post. In Canadian remembrance services, a French translation is often used along with or instead of the English ode.

The full version of this article can be found at www.chefgarfyinfo.blog.co.uk

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My first recipe is Scotch Sausage courtesy of www. woottonbridgeiow.org.uk

230g x Cooked Sausages
450g x Cooked Mashed Potatoes
28g x Butter
A little milk
Seasoning
Yolk of egg
Breadcrumbs
Fat for frying

Mash the potatoes with the butter and the seasonings, adding sufficient milk to make a fairly stiff mixture. Divide each sausage in two, cover with mashed potatoes, egg and crumbs, and fry in hot fat.

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My next recipe is Carrot Fudge courtesy of www.show.me.uk. First printed Recipe in Colleen Moulding’s “Frugal Recipes from Wartime Britain”.

4tbsp x Finely Grated Carrot
1 x Gelatine Leaf
Orange Essence or Squash
A Saucepan
A Flat Dish

Put the carrots in a pan and cook them gently in just enough water to keep them covered, for ten minutes. Add a little orange essence, or orange squash to flavour the carrot. Melt a leaf of gelatine and add it to the mixture. Cook the mixture again for a few minutes, stirring all the time. Spoon it into a flat dish and leave it to set in a cool place for several hours. When the “fudge” feels firm, cut it into chunks and get eating!

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My final recipe is 5 Dishes from 1 recipe courtesy of www.thecoops.me.uk

1 level tbsp x Dried Egg
115g x Flour
Pinch of Salt
284ml x Milk & Water combined

Mix the dry ingredients. Add enough of the liquid to make a stiff mixture. Beat well and then add the rest of the liquid and beat again.

Yorkshire Puddings
Get a knob of fat smoking hot in a baking tin, pour in the batter, cook in a brisk oven for 30 minutes.

Toad in the Hole
Use the Yorkshire pudding batter with Sausage or meat leftovers and bake for 30minutes.

Batter Puddings
Same as Yorkshires, but omit the salt and add sugar and fruit. Serve in a baking dish.

Sweet Pancakes
Get a knob of fat smoking hot in a frying pan. Cook each pancake separately and roll up with lemon and sugar, to serve.

Savoury Pancakes
As Above, add onions, leeks or grated cheese… but omitting the sugar and lemon.

They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hope you enjoy!!….. ChefGarfy =D

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Recipes to Stoke your Bonfire Night

Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is entitled Recipes to Stoke Your Bonfire Night… and is dedicated to The Gunpowder Plot and the birthday of Bram Stoker. The featured recipes are all bonfire favourites, they areCinder Toffee Roast Chestnuts with Vanilla and Star Anise Parkin and Chilli Con Carne.

The Gunpowder Plot The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.
The plan was to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of England’s Parliament on 5 November 1605, as the prelude to a popular revolt in the Midlands during which James’s nine-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth, was to be installed as the Catholic head of state. Catesby may have embarked on the scheme after hopes of securing greater religious tolerance under King James had faded, leaving many English Catholics disappointed. His fellow plotters were John Wright, Thomas Wintour, Thomas Percy, Guy Fawkes, Robert Keyes, Thomas Bates, Robert Wintour, Christopher Wright, John Grant, Sir Ambrose Rookwood, Sir Everard Digby and Francis Tresham. Fawkes, who had 10 years of military experience fighting in the Spanish Netherlands in suppression of the Dutch Revolt, was given charge of the explosives.
The plot was revealed to the authorities in an anonymous letter sent to William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle, on 26 October 1605. During a search of the House of Lords at about midnight on 4 November 1605, Fawkes was discovered guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder—enough to reduce the House of Lords to rubble—and arrested. Most of the conspirators fled from London as they learnt of the plot’s discovery, trying to enlist support along the way. Several made a stand against the pursuing Sheriff of Worcester and his men at Holbeche House; in the ensuing battle Catesby was one of those shot and killed. At their trial on 27 January 1606, eight of the survivors, including Fawkes, were convicted and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered.

Details of the assassination attempt were allegedly known by the principal Jesuit of England, Father Henry Garnet. Although Garnet was convicted and sentenced to death, doubt has since been cast on how much he really knew of the plot. As its existence was revealed to him through confession, Garnet was prevented from informing the authorities by the absolute confidentiality of the confessional. Although anti-Catholic legislation was introduced soon after the plot’s discovery, many important and loyal Catholics retained high office during King James I’s reign. The thwarting of the Gunpowder Plot was commemorated for many years afterwards by special sermons and other public events such as the ringing of church bells, which have evolved into the Bonfire Night of today.

Within a few decades Gunpowder Treason Day, as it was known, became the predominant English state commemoration, but as it carried strong religious overtones it also became a focus for anti-Catholic sentiment. Puritans delivered sermons regarding the perceived dangers of popery, while during increasingly raucous celebrations common folk burnt effigies of popular hate-figures, such as the pope. Towards the end of the 18th century reports appear of children begging for money with effigies of Guy Fawkes and 5 November gradually became known as Guy Fawkes Day. Towns such as Lewes and Guildford were in the 19th century scenes of increasingly violent class-based confrontations, fostering traditions those towns celebrate still, albeit peaceably. In the 1850s changing attitudes eventually resulted in the toning down of much of the day’s anti-Catholic rhetoric, and in 1859 the original 1606 legislation was repealed. Eventually, the violence was dealt with, and by the 20th century Guy Fawkes Day had become an enjoyable social commemoration, although lacking much of its original focus. The present-day Guy Fawkes Night is usually celebrated at large organised events, centred around a bonfire and extravagant firework displays.

Settlers exported Guy Fawkes Night to overseas colonies, including some in North America, where it was known as Pope Day. Those festivities died out with the onset of the American Revolution, although celebrations continue in some Commonwealth nations. Claims that Guy Fawkes Night was a Protestant replacement for older customs like Samhain are disputed, although another old celebration, Halloween, has lately increased in popularity, and according to some writers, may threaten the continued observance of 5 November.

Bram Stoker (November 8, 1847 – April 20, 1912) was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula. During his lifetime, he was better known as personal assistant of actor Henry Irving and business manager of the Lyceum Theatre in London, which Irving owned.

The full version of this article can be found at www.chefgarfyinfo.blog.co.uk

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My first recipe is Cinder Toffee Recipe by Christine Grimshaw, courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk
Prep time 20mins, plus setting Cook time 25mins

100g x Golden Syrup
200g x Caster Sugar
40g x Butter
1/2tsp x Vinegar
1tsp x Bicarbonate of Soda
2tbsp x Water

Line a 15cm square tin with greaseproof or parchment paper. Put the syrup, sugar, butter and water into a large heavy-bottomed pan set over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, before turning up the heat and bringing to the boil.
Cook, without stirring until a teaspoon of the hot toffee mixture becomes a hard ball when dropped into a jug of cold water. If you have a sugar thermometer, it should register 138C. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda to the pan – take care as the toffee mixture will bubble up and rise in the pan. Pour immediately into the lined tin and leave on one side.
After about 15- 20 minutes, when the mixture has begun to set, score the toffee in square shapes, using a sharp knife. Break along the lines when it has completely set. The toffee will keep in an airtight tin for up to two weeks.

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My next recipe is Roast Chestnuts with Vanilla and Star Anise Recipe by Matt Tebbutt, courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk
Serves 4, Prep time 5mins Cook time: 30min

500g x Chestnuts
2tbsp x Vanilla Sugar, (see cook’s note)
A Pinch of Crushed Star Anise

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6. Spread the nuts out on a large roasting tray and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before peeling. Spread the peeled chestnuts back on the tray and sprinkle with the sugar and star anise. Return to the oven for 10 minutes to let the sugar crystallise. Serve while still hot.

Cook’s Note:- To make vanilla sugar add a vanilla pod to 225g caster sugar and leave for 1-2 days for the flavours to develop. You can keep topping up the jar with sugar as you use it.

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My next recipe is Parkin Recipe by James Martin, courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk

Serves 8-10, Prep time 20mins Cook time 1hr 5mins

oil, for greasing
225g x Self-Raising Flour
1tsp x Ground Ginger
1tsp x Bicarbonate of Soda
1 x egg, lightly beaten
115g x Caster Sugar
60g x Butter
115g x Golden Syrup
225ml x Milk

Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas 2. Grease a 25 x 18cm cake tin and line with greased greaseproof paper. Sift the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir in the egg and then the caster sugar, mixing well. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and the golden syrup, stirring to mix. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk. Gradually stir the milk mixture into the flour and egg mixture. Stir until smooth, then pour into the prepared tin. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the mixture starts to shrink away from the sides of the tin. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares and serve, preferably after about 3 to 4 days when the parkin will have become nice and sticky.

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My final recipe is Chilli Con Carne Recipe by Rachel Allen, courtesy of www.uktv.co.uk

Serves 6 Prep time 20mins Cook time 1hr 30mins

2 x Large Onions
700g x Lean Stewing Beef, fat removed and cut into 1-2cm cubes
5 x Cloves Garlic, crushed
800g x Canned Chopped Tomatoes
2 x Green Peppers, sliced
3 x Green or Red Chillies, chopped, (seeds left in if you like your chillies fiery) 
2tsp x Ground Cumin
1 x Can of Red Kidney Beans, 400g
1 tsp brown sugar

To serve
125ml x Soured Cream
2tbsp x Coriander Leaves, chopped
4tbsp x Cheddar Cheese, grated

Heat the olive oil in a casserole, or saucepan and fry the meat until it changes colour – about 5-7 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and stir for a minute or so before tipping in the tinned tomatoes, chopped chillies, peppers, and a good pinch of salt.

Cover the pan and simmer for about an hour, until the meat is tender and the liquid reduced to a thick sauce. If it gets too dry during cooking, pour in a little more water. Add the cumin, kidney beans (and a little of the bean liquid, if you like)and the brown sugar. Simmer for a further 10 mins before serving with rice, a spoonful of sour cream, grated cheddar cheese and and coriander leaves as a garnish. For added spicy kick, serve this dish with hot chilli sauce.

Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.

Hope you enjoy!!….. ChefGarfy =D

Follow me on Twitter www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
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