Sugar and Spice All Things Nice

The last week in July in the UK signifies the beginning of every parent’s nightmare… the school holidays, 6 + weeks of hearing their children either bickering, fighting, screaming at the top of their voices or every household resonating the ever-present phrase “Mum, I’m BORED!!!”. Unfortunately this time of the year also brings on the advent of bad weather too, there’s nothing worse to a school child than being on your summer holiday and having to spend it indoors cos it’s raining so heavy Noah can be seen floating his Ark down your road. But mums (& dads) never fear, there is a solution to the rainy day problem. Have a family day/night with video game challenges and/or a cinema experience. Now everyone knows that going to the cinema is not a cheap thing to do these days, prices varying from £4-£12 depending upon where in the country you go. So, here’s the plan, get your kids to decide upon 2 of their favourite films (then that way you cater to everyone’s tastes), make a load of popcorn, crisps and lashings of fizzy pop (home-made or otherwise) and settle them down to a home grown cinema experience that they will love.

This week’s recipes, hopefully, will give you a little help with your home-grown cinematic experience. They are:- Sticky Popcorn Pots, Chilli-Butter Popcorn and Really Easy Lemonade.

My first recipe is Sticky Popcorn Pots courtesy of Good Food Magazine first published July 2007.

50g x Popping Corn
140g x Salted Butter
140g x Light Muscovado Sugar

Put the popping corn in a lidded bowl and microwave on High for 2 1⁄2 – 3mins. Tip into a big bowl and repeat four more times. Can be made and kept in an airtight container up to a day ahead. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a pan, then tip in the sugar. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir to coat. Cool, then serve in plastic cups.

My next recipe is Chilli-Butter Popcorn courtesy of Olive Magazine April 2005.

Serves 6, Prep 10mins, Ready in minutes

4 x Red Chillies, finely chopped
75g x Butter
Olive Oil
100g x Popping Corn

Gently heat the chilli with the butter for 2–3 minutes until it starts to sizzle. Take off the heat. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan. Add the corn, cover with a tight-fitting lid. Once you hear the corn start to pop, shake the pan gently (over the heat) until it stops. Stir in the chilli butter off the heat. Season well. Serve in paper cones.

My final recipe is Really Easy Lemonade courtesy of Good Food Magazine August 2007.

Prep 10mins and no Cooking

3 x Unwaxed Lemons, roughly chopped
140g x Caster Sugar
1Ltr x Cold Water

Tip the lemons, sugar and half the water into a food processor and blend until the lemon is finely chopped.

Pour the mixture into a sieve over a bowl, then press through as much juice as you can. Top up with the remaining water and serve with plain ice or frozen with slices of lemon and lime.

Tune into my show on 6 Towns Radio Sunday morning 8-10am “Under the Covers with TheRealTonyc” at http://6towns.co.uk/ It’s what your Sunday’s were made for.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to do so by 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 http://www.twitter.com/therealtonyc
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Tunas In The Key Of Life

Britain is currently experiencing a heatwave which some weather forecasters are predicting is due to last into August. We are seeing temperatures in some places of the UK in the late 20s and early 30s, similar to those you would expect to find on the Italian Riviera. A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity. While definitions vary, a heat wave is measured relative to the usual weather in the area and relative to normal temperatures for the season. Temperatures that people from a hotter climate consider normal can be termed a heat wave in a cooler area if they are outside the normal climate pattern for that area. The term is applied both to routine weather variations and to extraordinary spells of heat which may occur only once a century. Severe heat waves have caused catastrophic crop failures, thousands of deaths from hyperthermia, and widespread power outages due to increased use of air conditioning.

In England and Wales, the Met Office operates a Heat Health Watch system which places each Local Authority region into one of four levels. Heatwave conditions are defined by the maximum daytime temperature and minimum night time temperature rising above the threshold for a particular region. The length of time spent above that threshold determines the particular level. Level 1 is normal summer conditions. Level 2 is reached when there is a 60% or higher risk that the temperature will be above the threshold levels for two days and the intervening night. Level 3 is triggered when the temperature has been above the threshold for the preceding day and night, and there is a 90% or higher chance that it will stay above the threshold in the following day. Level 4 is triggered if conditions are more severe than those of the preceding three levels. Each of the first three levels is associated with a particular state of readiness and response by the social and health services, and Level 4 is associated with more widespread response.

P.S If you’re wondering where I got the title for my blog from, it’s a spin on a Stevie Wonder album title “Songs in the Key of Life”.

So, in celebration of the Mediterranean feel to the weather all my recipes this week include tuna, they are:- Tuna Steak with Garlic, Olive Oil and Chilli, Grilled Tuna with Lemon Anchovy Butter & Italian Pan-Seared Tuna.

My first recipe is Tuna Steak with Garlic, Olive Oil and Chilli recipe by Gino D’ Acampo taken from his “The Italian Diet” book.

Serves 4 people

4 x 250g Tuna Steak (about 2cm thick)
½tsp x Dried Chilli Flakes
4tbsp x Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2tbsp x Water
1.½ tbsp x Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 x Garlic Clove, peeled and finely chopped
1tbsp x Fresh Oregano Leaves, chopped
2tbsp x Chopped Flat Leaf Parsley
2tbsp x Capers in Brine, drained and finely chopped
Salt to taste

Preheat a griddle pan until smoking hot then reduce the heat to medium-high.
In a medium size bowl, whisk the oil with the water until thick and creamy. Whisk in the lemon juice with a few pinches of salt. Stir in the garlic, oregano, capers, chillies and parsley.

Lightly brush the tuna steaks with the spicy dressing and cook on the preheated griddle pan for 2 minutes on each side. To serve, make a diagonal cut in the middle of the tuna steak so you get 2 pieces per portion. Place the pieces, overlapped, in the middle of a serving plate and drizzle over the spicy dressing. Serve your tuna steaks with courgette ribbons and cannellini beans.

My next recipe is Grilled Tuna with Lemon Anchovy Butter courtesy of www.relish.com

Serves 4

4tbsp x Butter, at room temperature
1/2tsp x Anchovy Paste
1tsp x Lemon Juice
1tbsp x Chopped Fresh Parsley
Salt
Fresh-Ground Black Pepper
4 x Tuna steaks, about 2.5cms thick
1tbsp x Cooking oil

Light the grill or heat the broiler. In a small bowl, combine the butter, anchovy paste, lemon juice, parsley, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Coat the tuna with the oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook the tuna for 4 minutes. Turn and cook until done to your taste, 3 to 4 minutes longer for medium rare. Top the hot fish with the flavoured butter.

Fish Alternatives: The lemon anchovy butter would also be very good with grilled halibut, swordfish or salmon steaks. Or alternatively: Grilled Tuna with Sun-Dried-Tomato Basil Butter: Mix 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 3 chopped oil-packed or reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes and a pinch each of salt and pepper into 4 tablespoons room-temperature butter. Use this mixture in place of the lemon anchovy butter.

And my final recipe for this week is Italian Pan-Seared Tuna Recipe by Jamie Oliver taken from Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food book.

Serves 2

2-3 x Garlic Cloves
300g x Ripe Red and Yellow Cherry Tomatoes
A Handful of Black Olives, stones in
A Small Bunch of Fresh Basil
1 x Lemon
2 x Tuna Steaks (about 150g each, 1cm thick), sourced with sustainability in mind
Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1tsp x Dried Oregano
Olive Oil
4 x Anchovies

Put a large frying pan over a high heat. Peel and finely slice your garlic. To remove the stones from your olives, press down firmly on them using the palm of your hand so they break open, and discard the stones. Halve your tomatoes and cut any larger ones into quarters. Pick the basil leaves off the stalks and put the smaller ones to one side for serving. Halve your lemon. Season your tuna steak with salt and pepper and sprinkle over the oregano. Put a lug of olive oil in the hot pan, followed by the tuna steaks. Cook for 1 minute on each side, then remove to a warm plate. Put the pan back on the heat with a little more olive oil. Add the garlic and olives and cook for 1 minute, then add the anchovies and tomatoes. Squeeze in the juice from one half of your lemon. Cook for 1 minute, stirring every so often. Just before you take the pan off the heat, throw in most of your whole basil leaves, tearing up any larger ones. Squeeze in the juice from the remaining lemon half, toss everything together and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the sauce between your plates. Slice up your tuna steaks into 2cm thick pieces and lay over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining basil leaves and serve with some lovely crusty bread and fresh salad.

Tune into my show on 6 Towns Radio Sunday morning 8-10am “Under the Covers with TheRealTonyc” athttp://6towns.co.uk/ It’s what your Sunday’s were made for.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to do so by 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
www.chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
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Berrylicious Summer Feasts

I have never full appreciated fruit in any shape or form, don’t get me wrong I eat apples, oranges and bananas but never really appreciated berry fruits such as raspberries, blueberries and the like… until now. I was recently lucky enough to win a competition where the prize was 4 punnets of fruits (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and cherries), courtesy of Brown & Green in Trentham, Stoke-on-Trent www.brown-and-green.co.uk/trentham (thanks guys they are delicious). But strangely enough, strawberries are not classed as a berry. In botanical language, a berry is a simple fruit having seeds and pulp produced from a single ovary, examples of this are: –

Avocado, Banana, Blueberry, Coffee Berries, Cranberry, Currants (red, black, and white),
Elderberry, Gooseberry, Grape, Persimmon, Pumpkin, Tomato and Watermelon.
I know our summer has been slow to start, but with the wet spring farmers have forecast a bumper crop for British fruit growers. All I can say is, BRING IT ON!!!

So to celebrate this summer’s berryliciousness my recipes this week all to do with berries, they are :- Raspberry Tiramisu, Spicy Blackberry Chutney and Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake.

My first recipe is Raspberry Tiramisu courtesy of Good Food magazine, first published May 2011.

Serves 6, Prep 25mins, Cook 10mins plus chill

6 x Egg Yolks
175g x Caster Sugar
300ml x Double Cream
500g x Mascarpone
1tbsp x Vanilla Extract
150ml x Marsala or Sweet Wine
24 x Sponge Fingers
350g x Raspberries
Icing Sugar, to dust

Place a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water with the egg yolks and the sugar in, whisk until pale, creamy and doubled in volume. Remove from the heat and whisk for another 1 min until cool. In another bowl beat the cream, mascarpone and vanilla until combined, thick and creamy. Fold or very gently whisk this mixture into the creamy yolks.
Dip half the sponge fingers into the marsala and arrange over the bottom of a serving dish. Pour over half of the creamy mixture, then top with most of the raspberries. Repeat the layers, then finish by dotting over the remaining raspberries. Cover and chill for at least 2 hrs. Dust the tiramisu with icing sugar just before serving in big bowls.

My next recipe is Spicy Blackberry Chutney courtesy of Good Food magazine, first published October 2005.

Makes about 400ml, Prep 5mins, Cook 10mins

500g x Blackberries
140g x Caster Sugar
140g x Red Onions, sliced
3tbsp x Chopped Fresh Root Ginger
2tbsp x Dijon Mustard
150ml x White Wine Vinegar

Combine all the ingredients, except the vinegar, in a large saucepan. Stir mixture over medium heat until the blackberries burst. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the vinegar and allow the mixture to simmer uncovered for 10 mins. Cool, transfer to a sterilised jar and seal immediately.

My final recipe is Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake courtesy of Good Food magazine, first published July 2013.

Cuts into 14 bars, Prep 35mins, Cook 40mins plus cooling and chilling

300g x Digestive Biscuits
140g x Butter, melted
275g x Golden Caster Sugar
100g x Blueberries
1tsp x Cornflour
900g x Full-Fat Cream Cheese
4tbsp x Plain Flour
2tsp x Vanilla Extract
3 x Large Eggs
200ml x Soured Cream

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a 20 x 30cm rectangular tin with baking parchment. Put the biscuits in a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb. Add the butter and blitz again to combine. Tip into the tin, press down firmly with the back of a spoon to cover the base, then bake for 10 mins. Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, tip 25g of the sugar and the blueberries into a small pan. Mix the cornflour with 1tbsp cold water and add this to the pan. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and bubble for 1-2 mins until saucy. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl, whisk the cream cheese with an electric hand-held whisk until smooth. Add the remaining sugar and whisk again. Add the flour, vanilla, eggs and soured cream, and whisk until smooth and well combined.

Pour half the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base, then spoon half the blueberry sauce on top in small blobs. Cover with the remaining cheesecake mix and smooth the surface with a spatula. Drizzle the remaining blueberry sauce over the top, then use the end of the spoon to ripple it into the cheesecake. Bake for 10 mins, then lower the heat to 110C/90C fan/ gas ¼ and bake for a further 30 mins. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hr, then leave for 1 hr more with the door ajar. Finally, leave at room temperature until completely cool, then chill for at least 3 hrs or, even better, overnight. Slice into 14 bars. Will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Tune into my show on 6 Towns Radio Sunday morning 8-10am “Under the Covers with TheRealTonyc” at http://6towns.co.uk/ It’s what your Sunday’s were made for.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to do so by 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
www.chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
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Pie In The Sky

First of all, I must apologise for the lack of blog posts over past weeks, this has been due to a combination of a change in circumstances and technology problems. Hopefully one side of it is sorted and so normal service will be resumed.

One of the big questions that cross peoples when it comes to pie is “when does a cottage pie become a shepherd’s pie”? Well, in simple terms it’s the difference in the meat ingredients, one being made of lamb and the either other being made of other meat, but which is which. To explain this better you have to go back to the origins of the pies themselves. Ideally a cottage/shepherd’s pie is a meat pie with a crust of mash potato.

The term cottage pie is known to have been in use in 1791, when the potato was being introduced as an edible crop affordable for the poor (“cottage” meaning a modest dwelling for rural workers).

In early cookery books, the dish was a means of using leftover roasted meat of any kind, and the pie dish was lined with mashed potato as well as having a mashed potato crust on top.
The term “shepherd’s pie” did not appear until 1877, and since then it has been used synonymously with “cottage pie”, regardless of whether the principal ingredient was Beef or Mutton. More recently, the term “shepherd’s pie” has been used when the meat is Lamb , the theory being that shepherds are concerned with sheep and not cattle.

This week’s recipes are No-Fuss Shepherd’s Pie, Cottage Pie and Spiced Parsnip Shepherd’s Pies.

My first recipe is No-fuss Shepherd’s Pie Courtesy of GoodFood Magazine, first published March 2009.

Serves 4, Prep 15mins, Cook 1hr.

1tbsp x Sunflower Oil
1 x Large Onion, chopped
2-3 x Medium Carrots, chopped
500g x Lamb Mince
2tbsp x Tomato Purée
A Large Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
500ml x Organic Beef Stock
900g x Potatoes, cut into chunks
85g x Butter
3tbsp x Milk

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan, then soften the onion and carrots for a few mins. When soft, turn up the heat, crumble in the lamb and brown, tipping off any excess fat. Add the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce, then fry for a few mins. Pour over the stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook for 40 mins, uncovering halfway.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C/ fan 160C/ gas 4, then make the mash. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 10-15 mins until tender. Drain, then mash with the butter and milk.

Put the mince into an ovenproof dish, top with the mash and ruffle with a fork. The pie can now be chilled and frozen for up to a month. Bake for 20-25 mins until the top is starting to colour and the mince is bubbling through at the edges. (To bake from frozen, cook at 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 for 1 hr-1 hr 20 mins until piping hot in the centre. Flash under the grill to brown, if you like.) Leave to stand for 5 mins before serving.

My next recipe is Cottage Pie Courtesy of GoodFood Magazine, first published October 2010.

Serves 10, Prep 35mins, Cook 1hr 50mins

3tbsp x Olive Oil
1.25kg x Beef Mince
2 x Onions, finely chopped
3 x Carrots, chopped
3 x Celery Sticks, chopped
2 x Garlic Cloves, finely chopped
3tbsp x Plain Flour
1tbsp x Tomato Purée
A Large Glass of Red Wine (optional)
850ml x Beef Stock
4tbsp x Worcestershire Sauce
A Few Thyme Sprigs
2 x Bay Leaves

For the mash
1.8kg x Potatoes, chopped
225ml x Milk
25g x Butter
200g x Strong Cheddar, grated
Freshly Grated Nutmeg

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan and fry the mince until browned – you may need to do this in batches. Set aside as it browns. Put the rest of the oil into the pan, add the vegetables and cook on a gentle heat until soft, about 20 mins. Add the garlic, flour and tomato purée, increase the heat and cook for a few mins, then return the beef to the pan. Pour over the wine, if using, and boil to reduce it slightly before adding the stock, Worcestershire sauce and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45 mins. By this time the gravy should be thick and coating the meat. Check after about 30 mins – if a lot of liquid remains, increase the heat slightly to reduce the gravy a little. Season well, then discard the bay leaves and thyme stalks.

Meanwhile, make the mash. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes in salted cold water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender. Drain well, then allow to steam-dry for a few mins. Mash well with the milk, butter, and three-quarters of the cheese, then season with the nutmeg and some salt and pepper.

Spoon meat into 2 ovenproof dishes. Pipe or spoon on the mash to cover. Sprinkle on the remaining cheese. If eating straight away, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and cook for 25-30 mins, or until the topping is golden. Or follow the steps (below) to freeze.

Make sure the pie is completely cold, then cover it well with cling film and freeze. Always freeze the pie on the day that you make it. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then cook as per the recipe. Alternatively, to cook from frozen, heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, cover with foil and cook for 1½ hrs. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7, uncover and cook for 20 mins more, until golden and bubbling.

And my final recipe for this week is Spiced Parsnip Shepherd’s Pies Courtesy of GoodFood Magazine, first published March 2007

Serves 6, Prep 30mins, Cook 1hr.

For the Meat Sauce
2tbsp x Sunflower Oil
1 x Large Onion, chopped
2 x Garlic Cloves, crushed
A Small Knob of Ginger, peeled and granted
2tbsp x Medium Curry Powder
500g x Minced Beef or Lamb
1 x 400g Can of Chopped Tomatoes
100g x Frozen Peas

For the Topping
600g x Parsnips, peeled and chopped into large chunks
1 x Large Potato, peeled and chopped into large chunks
1 x Green Chilli, deseeded and chopped
A Large Bunch of Coriander, chopped
2tsp x Turmeric
Juice of 1 Lemon
50g x Butter

For the sauce, heat the oil in a pan and add the onion. Cook until soft, add the garlic, ginger and curry powder, then cook until aromatic. Turn up the heat, add the mince, fry until browned, then add the tomatoes and simmer for 20 mins until thickened. A few mins before the end, add the peas.

Meanwhile, tip the parsnips and potatoes into a pan of cold water, bring to the boil, then cook for 10 mins. Drain, season and mash with the rest of the ingredients. Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 8. Assemble the pies in individual dishes (or one large one) by placing some meat sauce on the bottom and topping with mash. Ruffle up the tops with a fork, then bake for 20 mins until golden and bubbling.

Tune into my show on 6 Towns Radio Sunday morning 8-10am “Under the Covers with TheRealTonyc” at http://6towns.co.uk/ It’s what your Sunday’s were made for.

If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to do so by 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
www.chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
www.6towns.co.uk