All posts tagged: Quick recipes

Pork steak with apple and celery salad recipe

Pork steak with apple and celery salad recipe

Published by skeptic

I’ve used a pork loin steak here, which is the equivalent of a sirloin steak. You could make this with a pork tenderloin fillet or even a chop or cutlet, or an escalope cut from the leg if your butcher is feeling creative. Timings Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients 4 pork loin steaks, each weighing about 150-180g 1 tbsp fennel seeds, finely chopped a little vegetable or corn oil, for brushing 2 dessert apples 2 sticks of celery, peeled if very stringy, cut into 3-4cm sticks 4 handfuls of bitter leaves, such as any kind of radicchio For the dressing 3 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil 1 tbsp cider vinegar Method Season the pork steaks with salt and pepper and scatter with the fennel seeds.  Heat a ridged griddle or heavy-based frying pan, brush with a little oil and cook the steaks (in a couple of pans if necessary) for 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness, keeping them a little pink inside. Meanwhile, halve and core …

Smoked mackerel on toast with horseradish butter recipe

Smoked mackerel on toast with horseradish butter recipe

Published by skeptic

Smoked mackerel is a great convenience food that can be slightly warmed then flaked into a salad, or served as cold fillets with a dollop of horseradish and some peppery leaves, among so many other ideas. It’s certainly one of the most popular smoked fish and is generally a great price. Timings Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Serves 4 as a starter Ingredients 4 small slices of sourdough 50g freshly grated horseradish or strong horseradish sauce 50g butter, very soft 2 large or 4 small smoked mackerel fillets, skinned a few small salad leaves or herbs, to garnish a little olive or rapeseed oil, for drizzling Method Toast the bread on both sides. Meanwhile, mix the horseradish and butter together, then spread this generously on the toast.  Break the mackerel into pieces, just as it flakes naturally, and arrange on the toast.  Scatter the leaves or herbs on top, drizzle with oil and season. Source link

Burrata with honeycomb and black cherries recipe

Burrata with honeycomb and black cherries recipe

Published by skeptic

Burrata is a delicious, creamier version of mozzarella that lends itself surprisingly well to desserts. If you can’t find burrata, use mozzarella or even ricotta sweetened with a little honey. There are some good artisan honeycomb bars out there, either plain or coated in chocolate; or go for chunks of a classic Crunchie if you prefer. Timings Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients 1 x 400g tin black cherries 1 tsp cornflour, dissolved in a little water 2 x 250g balls of burrata, drained 1 bar of chocolate-coated honeycomb (or plain if you prefer) Method Drain the cherries in a sieve over a small saucepan to catch the liquid. Bring the syrup up to a boil, then drop to a simmer and stir in enough cornflour mix to thicken. Simmer for a minute, then remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool a little. Stir the cherries into the syrup. Gently tear the balls of burrata in half and place one half on each plate, torn-side up.  Spoon over …

Crunchy chocolate and peanut butter bark recipe

Crunchy chocolate and peanut butter bark recipe

Published by skeptic

Three simple ingredients are all it takes to make this shamelessly sweet and salty treat. Before the bark hardens, sprinkle with the peanuts and place in the fridge to set. Timings Prep time: 5 minutes, plus setting time Cook time: 5 minutes Serves 12 as a snack Ingredients 200g good-quality milk-chocolate buttons, or a bar, chopped 35g smooth peanut butter 20g roasted salted peanuts, roughly chopped Method Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe plastic bowl and heat in the microwave on high in 30-second increments, stirring in between.  Once you have 50 per cent solids and 50 per cent liquids, stir vigorously until the solids have completely melted. Spread half of the chocolate over a sheet of baking paper to a thickness of approximately 5-7mm. Leave to set at room temperature. As soon as it sets, spread a thin layer of peanut butter over the chocolate. If required, reheat the remaining chocolate with a hair dryer, then spread it over the top of the peanut butter with a palette knife. Before it sets, sprinkle with the …

Prawn Thermidor tortillas recipe

Prawn Thermidor tortillas recipe

Published by skeptic

I first tried this dish, made with lobster, while in Havana, stopping off on a long drive down the coast to a fishing lodge. I’ve made it since with both prawns and lobster and friends still request it on fishing trips; swap the prawns for lobster meat if you’re feeling extravagant. There’s no booze involved, unlike true lobster thermidor, but it echoes the dish with a creamy, cheesy sauce spiked with mustard.  Timings  Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 15 minutes Serves  4 Ingredients 400ml double cream 3 tsp English mustard 300g raw seawater prawns (peeled weight), each chopped into 3 pieces 120g cheddar cheese, grated 2 tbsp chopped chives 8 x 15cm soft flour tortillas Olive oil for frying Lime wedges for squeezing Method Put the cream in a pan with the mustard and some seasoning and simmer gently until it has reduced by about two thirds. Stir in the prawns, grated cheese and chives and continue simmering until the sauce is thick enough to just coat the prawns. Meanwhile, heat a little oil …

Leftover soup muffins recipe

Leftover soup muffins recipe

Published by skeptic

This is based on a recipe I saw in a French issue of Elle magazine, and it really does work. The soup serves as the liquid for the batter but also delivers lots of extra flavour. And it’s a great way to use up bits of cheese. Use any soup – or even stock – but if it’s chunky, blitz to a purée first in a blender or food processor.  The amount of soup you need to add depends on how thick yours is. Stir in just enough to make a thick batter that falls easily off the end of a spoon. If you have more than specified in the recipe, just scale up the rest of the ingredients. Or freeze the extra soup for another time. Timings Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 25 minutes Makes 4 large muffins Ingredients 120g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp garlic powder (optional) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large egg, lightly beaten about 120ml leftover soup (more or less, as needed) 50g strong cheese (cheddar, Comté, …

Smoky vegetable dip recipe

Smoky vegetable dip recipe

Published by skeptic

This is a bit like baba ghanoush, the Middle Eastern aubergine dip, in that it’s garlicky, smoky and moreish.  I love broccoli in the mix but it’s delicious with any veg – especially specimens that have, erm, ‘caramelised’ a bit too much in the oven. Timings Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes, if needed Makes A small pot, but scale up the recipe if you have more leftover veg Ingredients 125g cooked vegetables (not mashed) 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve 1½ tbsp tahini 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus extra to taste 1 fat garlic clove 1 heaped tsp ground cumin ½ tsp smoked paprika, plus extra to taste coriander or parsley, chopped, to serve Method If your vegetables aren’t already charred or crisp at the edges (after roasting, for example), griddle them in a hot pan to get some scorch marks. Put the vegetables and all the remaining ingredients except the fresh herbs in a food processor and season. Pulse to a smooth-ish consistency, depending on …