Beef Stew & Cheesy Dumpling - World Food Day Event!

This is my British traditional dish that I am sharing to the conga line of international dishes to feed the world!!

As you are fully aware by now as you follow my blog, my passion and love is baking, but I do cook traditional English food from scratch for my family each day. My reasons for posting this family traditional dish are that my ‘dear’ blogging friends Val from More Than Burnt Toast and Ivy from Kopiaste are hosting a most important event for “World Food Day Event”. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has celebrated World Food Day each year on October 16 since 1945. As Val states on her blog, “she and Ivy are bringing the world a little closer together with both of them blogging on opposite sides of the world. Ivy in Athens, Greece and Val from British Columbia, Canada. The objectives of this event are to heighten our awareness of the problem of hunger in the world today and to bring our attentions of what WE can do to about it personally!

I have been extremely fortunate in my life thus far and have never felt the pangs of hunger that many unfortunate individuals have and still are experiencing to this day!! This is why I feel extremely passionate about showing my support to this blogging event.

I kindly ask if you are a blogger to please show your support in this event too by clicking on one of the above links to either Val’s or Ivy’s where you’ll find information on how to join in this event as I have.

Beef Stew & Cheesy Dumpling

In autumn and winter in England, my family crave for comfort food such as; good hearty wholesome meat stews with root vegetables to help ward off the bitter cold. I like to add dumplings to my stews and ring the changes of flavours for them on occasions, by adding cheese and mustard or herbs or even grated horseradish and herbs. This stew is in keeping with a recipe I learnt as a child stood at the side of my mum whilst she was cooking. I have made a few little changes to mums recipe such as adding fresh beef stock, Guinness, garlic, tomato puree and changed the mushrooms to chestnut instead of button mushrooms and adding different flavours to the dumplings. There are no set rules of what is added to a stew and that’s the beauty of this dish. Perhaps different spices and herbs, vegetables or meat can be interchange in a stew. Stew is a wonderful dish that doesn’t need much looking after once in the oven but the taste it imparts is well worth the initial preparation.

Beef Stew & Cheesy Dumpling

Serves 6

Ingredients
550g (1lb 5oz) stewing steak, cut into cubes
3 tbsp plain flour, seasoned with salt & pepper
2 tbsp beef dripping or olive oil
50g (2 oz) butter
2 onions, peeled and sliced keeping the slices quite large
3 carrots, peeled & sliced into chunks
2 celery stalks, cleaned, trimmed and chopped
¼ small swede, peeled and cubed
1 medium parsnip, peeled and cubed
250g (9 oz) chestnut mushrooms, cleaned & halved if large
A good handful of frozen peas
Tin of tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tsp mixed herbs
½ tsp onion salt
Good splash of Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp tomato puree
275ml (1/2 pint) beef stock
330ml bottle of Guinness beer
Salt & ground black pepper for seasoning

For The Dumplings
100g (4 oz) self-raising flour
50g (2 oz) suet, beef or vegetable
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp mustard powder
15g (3 oz) mature grated cheddar cheese
1 handful of chopped fresh parsley
1 egg beaten
A little cold water

You will need a large casserole dish with lid, which will go on the hob and oven.

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°f/Gas mark 4.

Heat the dripping or oil in a large casserole dish on the hob and roll the meat in the seasoned flour until all is coated and batch brown the meat, remove the meat onto plate and put aside. Lower the heat a little and place the butter into the casserole dish and place all the root vegetables, celery, mushrooms and brown off a little for 10 - 15 minutes, adding the chopped garlic for the last two minutes stirring with a large wooden spoon,(they don’t need to be fully cooked through at this stage). Return the meat to the casserole dish and add the frozen peas. Add the chopped tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, onion salt, tomato puree, beef stock, Guinness beer, mixed herbs, bay leaves and seasoning to taste, giving a good stir to amalgamate everything together. Place the lid on the casserole dish and place into the preheated oven to cook for 2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are tender and the gravy has thickened. Stir the beef stew at intervals throughout cooking.

Whilst the beef stew is cooking in the oven prepare the cheesy dumplings. Place all the dry ingredients into a bowl and add the egg and enough water to make a sticky dough. Try not to over mix. Take small amounts of the dough mixture the size of walnuts and roll into rounds in the palm of your hands. Place into the beef stew at the end of cooking time, cover with lid and place back into the oven and for 15 minutes or until the cheesy dumplings are fluffy and cooked through. Serve with creamy mash.

Rosie’s Notes, my mum would have added peeled quartered raw potatoes to her casserole dish with all the other root vegetables before placing into the oven. This made for a one pot meal; the potatoes would also help thicken the gravy as it cooked.

TLC Challenge - Roast Chicken with Cheese. Roasted Tomatoes & Salsa

The Cooks Journal Forum has a monthly TCJ Challenge and last month’s winner Carolyn picked three ingredients for this months challenge. Every challenger has to incorporate each chosen ingredient into his or her recipe. This month the three ingredients are; chicken, cheese and tomatoes.

Now for the best bit folks!! You don’t need a blog or web site to join in with this challenge; all that is needed is for YOU to join the forum, simple isn’t it! Getting better even still, Carolyn is even providing an award for the winner of this month’s challenge of a cute tea towel and tredny cleaning cloths!! Come on folks what are you waiting for? Join up to “The Cooks Journal forum” and join in on the Challenge, and YOU just maybe the lucky winner this month!! See you there on The Cooks Journal Forum………..

The chicken to this dish is very moist, tender and flavoursome, which makes a wonderful creamy juicy sauce from the cream cheese as it cooks – slurp -drool. (Of course you could use chicken thighs and or chicken legs instead of chicken breast meat for more flavour). Now for the tomatoes, they have a sweet roasted flavour from the garlic and sugar. Coming onto the side dish of salsa, this gives a lovely light fresh bite of textures and flavours to serve with the rich creamy chicken. You could simply serve this dish with your chosen veggies etc, which I am sure will complement the chicken dish to your own selected requirements.


Roast Chicken with Cheese. Roasted Tomatoes & Salsa

Serves 3

Ingredients
For The Chicken & Tomatoes
3 large chicken breasts –with skin on
200g (8 oz) tub of cream cheese with garlic & herbs – I used Philadelphia light
3 medium tomatoes – cut in half
1 clove garlic – crushed & chopped finely
A little olive oil
A little caster sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp dried thyme - for sprinkling
For The Salsa
1 small red onion – thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado – peeled and cut into smallish cubes
2 tomatoes – skinned, deseeded and cut into small strips
A little extra virgin olive oil
½ juice from a large lime
Freshly ground pepper & a little sea salt

Double line a roasting tin with foil (tip it saves scrubbing the tin when washing up).

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

For the chicken when washed and patted dry, carefully loosen the skin with your fingers on each breast to make a pocket. Place half of the cream cheese on a plate and place the rest back in the fridge, which is not needed. With a teaspoon fill each chicken pocket between the skin and breast meat with the garlic & herb cream cheese. Place into the prepared roasting tin. Place the tomato halves into the roasting tin in available spaces. Drizzle a little olive oil over the chicken and tomatoes then sprinkle over with freshly ground black pepper and the dried thyme. Just over the tomatoes sprinkle a little caster sugar on each half. Place into the preheated oven and roast for about 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile whist the chicken is cooking put together the salsa. In a bowl add the thinly sliced red onion, strips of tomato, cubes of avocado. Sprinkle over the lime juice and a little extra virgin olive oil. Toss all the ingredients together making sure they all coated in the lime and olive oil dressing. Add freshly grated pepper and sea salt to taste. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge until the chicken is ready to serve.

Serve the chicken with tomatoes and salsa spooning over the chicken the creamy juices from the pan.

You could also serve this with roasted potatoes crushed with a fork with added thinly sliced spring onions, Parmesan and Gruyere cheese melted into the roast potatoes towards the end of cooking time.

Sausage Platt

This sausage platt is one of my families favourite comfort foods and so very versatile in how it can be served. It can be eaten hot or cold, served with a crisp salad or creamy mash and veggies. Of course my platt can be made with shop brought puff pastry, which will be equally as delicious without compromising any flavours or textures!

Living in Lincolnshire and being able to source out the “Real McCoy” of Lincolnshire sausages, my family are familiar with the flavour of herbs and spices in our sausage meat. I have tried to recreate in my recipe those flavours that we enjoy and have become accustomed too. The small quantity of lemon zest in this recipe lifts all the flavours to enhance the herbs and spices, so please don’t be afraid to add this.

Sausage Platt
Flaky pastry
175g (6 oz) Plain flour
A pinch of salt
5og (2 oz) softened butter
50g (2 oz) softened vegetable shortening or lard
4 tbsp iced cold water
For The Filling
1 small onion, chopped very finely
450g (1 lb) good quality sausage meat
50g (2 oz) fresh breadcrumbs
½ tsp zest from a lemon
½ tsp dried thyme
½ tsp dried sage
1 tsp parsley
Salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
A grating of fresh nutmeg (be careful not to over power with too much)
1 beaten egg

Extras
A little butter /oil for frying
A little egg wash for the top of the pastry

You will need a large baking tray very lightly greased with butter. A shaped cutter of choice (optional)

To make the pastry, sieve the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Divide the fats into four portions. Add the first portion to the flour and salt rubbing in with your fingertips until all incorporated. Next add the water and form into a ball. Sprinkle the work surface with a little flour and roll the pastry out into an oblong strip about 13cm (5 ins) wide. On the top half of the pastry facing you, dot the second portion of fat three-quarters of the way down then fold three-quarters over and then the quarter over seal the edges with your rolling pin and place in the fridge for 10 minutes to rest. Remove from the fridge and half turn the pastry and roll it out again to an oblong like before and repeat adding the third portion folding and chilling as before, lastly repeat again with half turn using the fourth and final portion of fat, rolling and chilling. Leave in the fridge until required.

For The Filling, in a frying pan place a little butter or oil and fry the onion gently until soft but not coloured. Leave aside to go completely cold. Place all the other ingredients into a bowl (except the egg wash) and work through with clean hands until incorporated.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°F/Gas mark 6.

Roll out the pastry into an oblong and each side make slits leaving the top edge and bottom edge and middle free of any slits. Place the meat mixture down the centre and fold each top and bottom flap over then cross the strips of pastry over sticking down with a little egg wash. Roll out any scraps of pastry and cut with the shaped cutters and stick down on the top with egg wash. Finally egg wash all over the pastry top and sides. Lift onto a baking tray carefully with a fish slice and bake in the preheated oven for about 35 – 45 minutes or until the meat juices are running clear and the pastry is golden brown. Drain off any excess fat into a bowl to cool to either throw away or use for roast potatoes.

Serve hot or cold with a crispy salad or creamy mash and veggies.

Chicken Korma - recipe from Jeena's Kitchen

It’s a cold day here in the North East of England and we woke up to a few scatters of snow. Its like a fairy has waved her magic wand and dusted us with glitter. I poked my head out of the door quickly with my camera just to show you. It hasn’t settled much but there’s a sharp nip in the air and my family are in need of something warming for our meal today.

Chicken Korma

I am an avid admirer and reader of Jeena’s Kitchen blog. If you haven’t stumbled across her blog yet, I suggest you take a look at her amazing recipes. I’ve had this one recipe in particular marked out to cook at some stage, today is just perfect to warm the cockles of our hearts *smile*.

Close up shot of the chicken korma

Jeena’s step-by-step instructions and pictures make this recipe a sure winner to recreate. Unfortunately, I confess to not having a slab of coconut to shave slices off but I’m sure I will be forgiven for that lol. I just hope I have done your fabulous dish justice Jeena! I served my chicken korma with plain boiled rice – delicious!! I would recommend this recipe to anyone who wishes to make homemade Chicken korma [link here]

Rosie’s Honey & Mustard Glazed Ham

This is a wonderful tasting ham joint, which can be served hot or cold. The flavours from the veggies, bay leaf and peppercorns make it extra special before roasting the joint off in honey and mustard. Lining the baking tray completely with double foil is worth the little effort it takes, as the glaze would bake on hard to the bottom. This way the foil is thrown away and no-need for scrubbing off brunt on glaze – magic I say!

Rosie’s Honey & Mustard Glazed Ham

Ingredients
Joint of gammon, mine weighed 1.35kg (3 lb)
1 carrot
1 onion
1 stick of celery
Bay leaf
8 peppercorns
Cold water
For The Glaze
6 tbsp clear honey
2 tsp English mustard powder
Handful of cloves for studding

Method

In a large pan place the gammon joint in and fill up three-quarters full with cold water. Bring to the boil and throw away all the water, which will bring out any saltiness, or soak the joint in cold-water 12- 24 hours if the joint is very salty. Replenish with fresh cold water and add the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf and peppercorns. (No need to peel the veggies, just chop them in half before adding to the pan). Cook for 20 minutes per 450g (1 lb) or until the meat is tender. Take out of the pan and place onto a cutting board, throwing away the veggies, bay leaf and peppercorns. The water can be kept for stock if you wish for a later date, let it cool and place into a thick plastic bag and freeze.

Preheat oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/425°F/Gas mark 7. Prepare a roasting tin and fully doubled lined with foil. This can be removed after baking the ham and thrown away without leaving any sticky burnt on glaze to scrap off your roasting tin.

With a sharp knife remove the skin and throw away, leaving enough fat to score and stud with cloves. Score across the fat one way and then the other making a diamond pattern. (Try not to score into the meat as you go). Taking a clove at a time, place a clove into each diamond section until the ham is fully studded. Place into the prepared roasting tin and then mix the honey and mustard powder in a jug and pour over the top of the ham.

Place into the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown colour.

Serve hot or cold.

Oggies – Traditional Cornish Pasties

I have very fond memories of a holiday taken in Bude Cornwall where a wonderful little bakery shop was found turning out the Traditional “Oggy” Cornish Pasty. You know when something is excellent by the queues of people waiting just not inside the shop, but also spilling out onto the street for that just baked pasty coming out of their ovens. The pasties would be placed into paper bags and eaten by me and my family sat by the sea while still warm, with mouth-watering shortcrust pastry, tender little chunks of meat and vegetables, what delectable delight that was.

I have tried to recreate here those fond memories in my own pasties, isn’t it strange how food can enchant you back to pervious times! To think this was the traditional packed lunch for the tin miners in Cornwall. I am lead to believe one end of the pasty would be filled with meat and veggies and the other end filled with jam or fruit.


Oggies - Cornish Pasties

Makes 4

Ingredients
For The Shortcrust Pastry
450g (1 lb) plain flour
100g (4 oz) butter
100g (4 oz) vegetable shortening or lard
Pinch of salt
Cold water to mix, I use 1 tsp for every 25g (1 oz) of flour used
1 egg yolk with a little water, egg wash for glazing the pastry
For The Filling
350g (12 oz) stewing beef , chopped into small pieces
1 raw potato, cut into very small dice
Raw swede about the same amount as potato, cut into very small dice
Small onion, sliced into very small dice
Sal & pepper
4 small-diced pieces of butter
A little flour for sprinkling onto the meat

Method

You will need a large baking tray, lined with non-stick paper. Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/425°F/Gas mark 7.

To make the pastry, in a food processor add the flour, butter, vegetable shortening or lard. Blitz together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the cold water and blitz again until it forms into a ball. Take out of the food processor and wrap in cling film and place in the fridge until chilled. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm (1/4 in). With a side plate as a template cut round until you have 4 circles, (you may need to re-roll the pastry).

For The Filling. Firstly divide the vegetables into 4 and also the meat. Place in the centre of each circle of pastry, half of the divided vegetables then the meat season with salt and pepper a sprinkle of flour and the remaining vegetables. With a pastry brush egg wash all the way around the outside rim of the pastry, and gently bring the pastry together at the top. Crimp the pastry top with your thumb and forefinger. Place on the prepared baking tray and make a little slit in the top to allow the steam to escape when cooking. Lastly give the pasties a good glaze of egg wash and place into the preheated oven.

Cook for 20 minutes at the stated oven temperature, and then lower the oven temperature down to 180°C/fan 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4, and cook for a further 40 minutes. If the pastry appears to becoming too brown, place a sheet of baking paper loosely over the top of the pasties to help prevent them from burning.

Serve hot or cold.

Note. If you don’t want to make your own shortcrust pastry there are some good ready-made pastry’s you can buy now.

Dynamite Smoky Bonfire Bangers (Sausages)

I cannot begin to fully explain just how delicious this combination of “bangers” (sausages), with onions and peppers taste. The smokiness taste comes from the sweet smoked paprika and the explosion of dynamite is in the addition of a little cayenne pepper, (of course you can make the explosive taste more or less to your own taste requirements). Instead of frying onions off to serve in the traditional way with sausages in a roll (hot dogs), onions and peppers are cut into chunks. These are then placed into a large roasting tin with the sausages and as they cook the juices mingle from the sauce and sausages through into the onions and peppers - yum! Served in crusty or soft rolls this is absolute perfection for any Bonfire party. Just up the quantities if you want to serve to a larger crowd!


Dynamite Smoky Bonfire Bangers (Sausages)

Serves 6

Ingredients
450g (1 lb) chipolata sausages – I used Lincolnshire sausages
2 red onions, cut into wedges
2 red peppers, cut into wedges
1 orange pepper, cut into wedges
For The Sauce
8 tbsp tomato ketchup
3 tbsp brown sauce
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
A good pinch of cayenne pepper
2 tbsp clear runny honey
1 clove of garlic, very finely chopped
Dash of lemon juice
To Serve
6 bread rolls, crusty or soft

Method

You will need a good strong baking tin that doesn’t buckle in the heat.

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/fan oven 200°C/ 425°F /Gas mark 7

Firstly make the sauce by adding all the sauce ingredients into small bowl. Mix thoroughly and leave to one side.

In a large roasting tin, add all the vegetables and sausages and pour over the sauce. Either with a large spoon or clean hands coat all the vegetables and sausages in the sauce. Place in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes or until the sausages and vegetables are cooked, turning over the ingredients once or twice whilst cooking.

Serve in bread rolls.

Sausage, Pumpkin, Onion and Red Pepper in a Sticky Smoked Sauce

The sauce to this dish tastes magnificent, much like a Bar-B-Q dish. The sausages and vegetables are coated and cooked through with a sticky smoked glaze. A fantastic treat of a dish for celebrating Halloween or Bonfire night.

Here is my recipe

Sausage, Pumpkin, Onion and Red Pepper in a Sticky Smoked Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients
450g (1 lb) of Lincolnshire sausages
Small squash or ¼ of a pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into large wedges
2 onions, peeled and cut into large wedges
For The Sticky Smoked Sauce
6 tbsp tomato ketchup
6 tbsp muscovado sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp lemon juice
1 clove of garlic, chopped finely
A little flat-leafed parsley for decoration

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/400°C/Gas mark 6.

Firstly make the sticky smoked sauce by adding all the sauce ingredients into small bowl. Mix thoroughly and leave to one side.

In a large roasting tin, add all the vegetables and sausages and pour over the sticky smoked sauce. Either with a large spoon or clean hands coat all the vegetables and sausages in the sauce.

Place in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes or until the sausages and vegetables are cooked.

Serve with jacket potatoes and side salad.

Steak and Onion Suet Pudding

If you’re looking for pure comfort food look no further, this has all the traditional homemade comforts you could wish for in a main meal. Melt in the mouth tender chunks of steak with soft onions in its own meaty gravy, encased in soft luxurious suet pastry. Served with creamy mashed potatoes and vegetables here is a match made in heaven. It may take a little time to cook in a steamer but as long as it’s not left to boil dry, you can leave the pudding to steam away while you have time for yourself. You must try this sometime for you and your family.

Steak and Onion Suet Pudding

Ingredients

For The Suet pastry

225 g (8 oz) self-raising flour

110 g (4 oz) shredded suet, (I use vegetable suet)

110 ml (4 fl oz) water, (you may not need all this water)

½ tsp of salt

For The Filling

450 g (1lb) lean braising steak

Flour for coating the braising steak

1 large onion
Worcestershire sauce

Salt & freshly ground black pepper
110ml (1/4 pint) good beef stock
A little water for sealing the pastry lid

Method

You will need a 1.2 litre (2 pint) greased pudding basin and a steamer.

In a bowl add the flour, suet, salt and water (you may not need all the water listed), then mix together until it forms into a ball. Cover the suet pastry in cling film and chill in the fridge for ½ hour. Chop the braising steak into approximately 5 cm (1 inch) cubes and remove all fat, (you only need the lean meat). Place some flour on a plate and then coat all the cubes of meat in the flour, shake off any excess.

Peel and chop the onion in half then slice into thin half slices.

Take the suet pastry from the fridge. Roll the pastry into a circle on a floured surface you will need it larger than the pudding bowl. Cut a triangle out of the circle and put to one side for later. Carefully take the rest of the pastry and line your pudding basin, making sure all edges are sealed well or the gravy will leak later when cooking.

With a quarter the meat place a good layer in the bottom of the basin. Add a dash of Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Next add half the onions then the half of the meat, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Onions again over the meat, finishing with the remaining meat, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Top up with the beef stock, but don’t over fill or the stock will burst out of the sealed top.

Take the triangle and roll into a circle large enough to fit the top of the basin for a lid. Wet the top edge of the pastry in the basin and lay the lid on top sealing well to keep all those lovely juices inside. With greased greaseproof paper make a pleat and put onto the pudding top. Cover over with a piece of pleated foil and tie with string around the covers and around the lip on the pudding basin so all is nice and secure so no water can get in.

Place the pudding into the trivet top of the steamer so it is not touching any water. Steams for approximately 4 – 4 ½ hours until meat is tender, remember to keep the steamer topped up with water so it doesn’t boil dry.

Serve with creamy mashed potatoes, veggies and lashings of extra homemade onion gravy.

Serves 4 – 6