Beef Short Rib Poutine

So I had a bit of an indulgent weekend. This was my dinner on Saturday night and it was delicious. It takes a bit of time and used short ribs, which I've never cooked with before but it was scrummy.

Beef Short Rib Poutine (from The Times)
(Serves 4-6)


1 tbsp olive oil
1kg beef short rib, cut into single ribs
40g butter
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp plain flour
500ml chicken stock
250ml beef stock
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
6 thyme sprigs, tied together with string
5 medium waxy potatoes, cut into wedges
200g melting cheese, such as provolone, raclette or mozzarella
Chopped parsley or chives, to serve

Preheat the oven to 170C. Heat the oil in a large, flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and cook for 5 mins until browned, then remove and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium and melt the butter in the pan. Cook the onion and garlic for 3 mins until lightly golden, then stir in the flour and cook for a further min, stirring. Gradually stir in both stocks, along with 250ml water, and bring to the boil. Add the worcestershire sauce and thyme, return the beef to the casserole, cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours.

Remove the beef and roughly shred, then return to the casserole, together with the potatoes. Cover with the lid and cook for 45 mins until the beef and potatoes are tender. Remove the thyme and discard.

Scatter the pan with the cheese and return, uncovered, to the oven for 5-10 mins until melted. Serve with chopped parsley or chives.

More London Eats

So I thought I'd share some more London eats with you. I love going out to eat and over the last few weeks I've been out a few times to try some new places.

The first was On The Bab in Covent Garden. This is a Korean restaurant and it serves the best fried chicken I think I have ever eaten! We had the Sweet Spicy Fried Chicken and it was heavenly. We also had the Beef Bulgogi Bao, which were ok, but no better than Bao and we also tried the Veggie Bibimbap, which was very disappointing. But I would go back just for the fried chicken!

I also checked out Yard Sale Pizza, a new pizza place in Walthamstow. We went for an 18 inch The Aubgerine to share, which had garlic roasted aubergine, parmesan and basil leaves on it, it was scrumptious and it definitely proves my theory, the bigger the pizza, the better it is! They also have branches in Clapton and Finsbury Park.

In other Walthamstow eats, I also finally tried out Buhler & Co, a vegetarian restaurant.  I went for Sunday lunch with some friends and tried their Vege Fry Up - Fried Upma (a kind of potato cake), Fried Egg, Paneer, Chard, Tomato, Kusundi (which was a bit like ketchup) and a paratha. It was awesomely good and really filling. But I did manage to squeeze in some Chocolate Guinness Cake for pudding!

I then went to Androuet in Spitalfields Market for Wine and Cheese. We shared one of the set menus, which included a Moitie, Moitie fondue, Raclette over boiled potatoes with cornichons, a Charcuterie Plate and a Carafe of House Wine. It was absolutely delicious and I will definitely have to go back to try the toasted baguettes. We also had pudding and went for the French Toaste and Chocolate Mousse, yummy! 

I also had a day out in Kent and found myself in Hildenborough trying out Cafe 1809, the cafe owned by Dame Kelly Holmes. The menu was really interesting and even the things that didn't sound particularly healthy were healthified. I went for a Final Kick - a Roasted Chicken, Mango, Chilli and Coriander Salsa and Chilli Jam Wrap, which came in a whole meal wrap and with pop chips and salad. It was quite spicy and not all the mango was ripe, but a nice combination. 

For Mother's Day we made my Mum Afternoon Tea in my garden. There were Salmon sandwiches and chicken and sorrel sandwiches on homemade bread, crab and leek tarts, cheese and pesto cheese straws and cheese scones. Plus fruit scones, macarons, mini pavlovas and ginger cake, all washed down with prosecco. It was a sumptuous feast!

I also finally got to Roti King, a Malaysian by Euston Station that I have been wanting to try for ages.   We went for Nasi Goreng, Sayur Campur or stir fry veg and a Spinach and Cheese stuffed Roti. The roti was the star and I really want to go back to try their roti with dhal and a sweet one. The place is tiny and we had to queue a little to get in but it was worth it!

Last Friday night I went for a last minute meal in Cottons, Notting Hill Gate. They serve Caribbean food, and I was underwhelmed! I don't eat Caribbean food very often as I'm frightened of the chilli! So I went for Brown Stew Chicken, which was served with rice, coleslaw and a dumpling. It was ok, mildly spicy but just not very interesting and the meat had too many bones for my liking.

Following a hospital appointment last Monday morning, my Mum and I went to the German Gymnasium for breakfast/brunch and oh my goodness it was good! The lunch and dinner menus are quite pricey but brunch is very reasonable. I had the Black Forest Bake and it was proper comfort food. We will definitely be popping back as there are so many other things I want to try!

And lastly...I took a trip to Borough Market on Saturday and bought my lunch from Ethiopian Flavours. I went for the vegetarian combo, which was rice with three veggie dishes: yellow split peas, green beans and carrots and cabbage and carrots. Absolutely delicious.

Pea and Spinach Risotto with Mint, Cottage Cheese and Parmesan

This is one of the best risottos I have had in a while. It's packed full of veg and wonderfully tasty. It comes from Jamie's Super Food Family Classics, a book which I am really enjoying diving into. The recipes are super easy, always seem to work and taste fab to boot!

Pea and Spinach Risotto with Mint, Cottage Cheese and Parmesan
(from Super Food Family Classics - Jamie Oliver)
(Serves 4)

1 onion, finely chopped
2 leeks, finely chopped
oil
1.2l vegetable stock
300g arborio rice
350g frozen chopped spinach
350g frozen peas
300g cottage cheese
1/2 bunch fresh mint
15g parmesan

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and leek and cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened.

Stir the rice and spinach into the veg for 2 mins, the gradually add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring and waiting for each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. Repeat for about 20 mins or until the rice is cooked, adding the rest of the peas for the last few mins.

Blitz the cottage cheese with the rest of the peas and most of the mint leaves in a food processor until smooth. Stir most of the cottage cheese mixture through the risotto, taste and season. The divide between four plates. Serve with a spoonful of cottage cheese mixture, a grating of parmesan and some chopped mint leaves sprinkled over.

Pumpkin Korroke

These are one of my favourite Japanese things to eat out. We always have them when we go to Yo! Sushi. I didn't have any panko so I just used brown breadcrumbs. They were still really tasty served over salad.

Squash Korroke
(Serves 3-4)

500g squash/pumpkin
2 tbsp light soy sauce
salt and pepper
1 tbsp flour (if using normal pumpkin)
1 egg, beaten
70ml sake
70g flour
panko breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 200C.

De-seed and peel the pumpkin and cut into chunks. Roast in the oven for 30-40 mins until soft. Either puree of mash with the soy sauce and salt and pepper.

Make the pumpkin mixture into patties.

Whisk together the egg and sake. Add the flour and mix again.

Dip the croquettes into the batter, then cover in panko crumbs, making sure that they are evenly covered. Put onto a baking sheet and then into the fridge for 30 mins to chill slightly.

Heat the oven again to 200C. Bake the croquettes for 10-15 mins until golden and crunchy on the outside.

Sweet Aubergine and Tomato Spaghetti Cake

This is an absolutely delicious spaghetti dish. It didn't stay in a cake form for me once out of the pan, but I didn't cook it for 40 mins, it was gone 8pm and I really wanted to eat! It was really tasty tho and an interesting way to cook an aubergine!

Sweet Aubergine and Tomato Spaghetti Cake (from Super Food Family Classics by Jamie Oliver)
(Serves 4)

1 large aubergine, 350g
300g dried wholewheat spaghetti
olive oil
4 sprigs fresh oregano
2 red onions, finely sliced
½–1 fresh red chilli, finely sliced
1 400g tin of plum tomatoes
300g cottage cheese
2 large free-range eggs
30g Parmesan cheese, grated
juice 1 lemon
70g rocket
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Place the whole aubergine in a large pan of boiling water. Sit something on top, like a colander, so the aubergine doesn't float to the top, cook for 15 mins, then remove to a board. Add the spaghetti to the water and cook according to packet instructions, then drain and place in a large bowl to cool.

Meanwhile, halve and roughly chop the aubergine about 1cm thick. Place a deep 26cm non-stick ovenproof frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tbsp of oil and the aubergine, then pick in the oregano leaves. Add the onions and chilli to the pan. Cook for 15 mins, stirring often until golden and gnarly.

Pour in the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon, then just under half-fill the tin with water, swirl around and pour into the pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 10 mins, or until thick. Taste and season.

Pour the tomato sauce over the spaghetti, add the cottage cheese, eggs, and Parmesan, then mix together really well. Pour the spaghetti mixture back into the pan, pushing it into an even layer and packing it up at the sides. Heat over a medium heat on the hob for 2 mins, then bake on the bottom of the oven for 40 mins, or until golden all over. Tip out on to a board, grate over the remaining Parmesan, and serve top with rocket, a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of balsamic.

Farro, Kale and Goat's Cheese Salad

A flavour packed grainy lunch. Nothing beats the flavour of roast cheery tomatoes!

Farro, Kale and Goat's Cheese Salad (from Waitrose Magazine Calendar)
(Serves 4)

2 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tomatoes, cut into wedges
250g can black olives, drained
1 tbsp capers
3 thyme sprigs
250g farro
200g kale, finely chopped
200g goat's cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Put 2 tbsp oil, the onion, tomatoes, vinegar, olives, capers and thyme into a baking tray, season and roast for 20 mins.

Meanwhile, cook the farro according to packet instructions.

Drain the farro and tip into the baking tray with the tomatoes, discarding the thyme stalks, and toss together.

Heat the last 1/2 tbsp oil in a frying pan over a high heat and add the kale. Fry, stirring occasionally until tender.

Add the kale to the farro and vegetables and divide between plats. Crumble ver the goat's cheese and serve.

Leek Rostiflette

This was so good, I've been raving about it to everyone. Proper comfort, stick to your ribs food. Yum!

Leek Rostiflette (from Sarah Beattie)
(Serves 4-6)

1kg potatoes, peeled
2 leeks
25g butter or 1 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 sundried tomatoes, sliced
200ml milk or white wine
2 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper
few gratings nutmeg
1 250g camembert

Preheat the oven to 200C. Parboil the potatoes for 10 mins.

Meanwhile, clean the leeks and cut into 5cm lengths. Cut each length into matchsticks. Melt the butter or heat the oil and fry the leeks with the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes until starting to soften.

Drain the potatoes and coarsely grate. Add them to the leeks with the wine or milk, and parsley. Season well. Toss together and put into a shallow baking dish.

Slice the Camembert in half horizontally to give two rounds. Cut each round into quarters and arrange over the top of the leek and potatoes. Put in the oven for 20–25 mins, until the cheese is bubbling and golden.

Mediterranean Garlicky Fish Stew

This is a wonderful garlicky fish stew. Really flavourful and tasty.

Mediterranean Garlicky Fish Stew (from The Times)
(Serves 4)

2 tbsp oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 leek, halved and sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs of thyme
½ tsp fennel seeds
50ml white wine
1 400g can chopped tomatoes
50ml freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp grated orange zest
pinch saffron strands, finely ground and soaked in 1 tbsp hot water
pinch chilli powder or dried chilli flakes
500ml fish stock
salt and pepper
handful chopped parsley, plus extra to serve
500g fish fillet, skinned and chopped into chunks
200g raw prawns
150g squid rings

Heat the oil in a deep sauté pan. Add the shallots and fry gently, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned. Add the leek, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and fennel seeds and fry, stirring continuously, for about 2 mins until fragrant.

Pour in the white wine and fry, stirring, until the liquid is largely reduced. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until thickened and reduced. Stir in the orange juice and zest, saffron and soaking water and chilli powder or flakes. Add the fish stock. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the parsley.

Bring to the boil and cook for about 5 mins. Add the fish, prawns and squid rings and simmer until they are just cooked through – this will take only a matter of mins. Garnish with parsley and serve at once.

Sriracha Pork Ramen

Yummy yummy noodle soup!

Sriracha Pork Ramen (from Waitrose Magazine September 2015)
(Serves 4)

4 pork shoulder steaks, finely sliced
1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 tbsp sriracha chilli sauce
bunch coriander, stalks finely chopped, leaves torn
4 garlic cloves, chopped
40g ginger, grated
1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
1 can sweetcorn, drained
2 sachets miso soup paste
2 nests egg noodles
4 eggs

Put the pork into a large bowl and toss with 1/2 tbsp veg oil and 4tbsp sriracha. Heat a wok and add the pork and stir fry for 8-10 min until sticky and charred, transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

Add a splash of water to the pan and scrape up the sticky pits from the bottom of the pan, before pouring over the pork.

Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in the pan. Cook the coriander stalks, garlic, ginger and white parts of the spring onions for 2-3 mins, then stir in the miso, sweetcorn, stock, 2 tbsp sriracha and 1l of water. Add the noodles and the eggs, cover and bring to the boil, simmer for 6 mins. Remove the eggs and cool under the cold tap, peel and halve.

Divide the noodles before 4 bowls. Pour over the broth, top with the eggs, pork, spring onion tops and coriander leaves. Scatter with sesame seeds.

White Chocolate Blondies

One of my friends has just had a baby so I went to see her last week and took some of these blondies with me. They are delicious and super easy to make!

White Chocolate Blondies (from The Recipe Critic)
(Makes 12)

280g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
170g butter, softened
110g caster sugar
150g light brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
265g white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with baking parchment and spray with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugars and vanilla extract until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each egg.

Add the flour , baking powder, bicarb and salt and mix with a metal spoon until just combined. Using a spatula, stir in chocolate chips until combined. Press dough into prepared baking pan.

Bake for 20-23 mins or until edges are lightly golden brown. Leave to cool completely before cutting into squares.